Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Generation) Wireless Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker with Microphone, Anthracite

I purchased the B&O Beosound A1 2nd Gen to improve my MacBook Pro - based, 2 cable (1 monitor power cord, 1 USBC to drive the external monitor + power my MacBook Pro) work from home setup. My work area is limited and in the middle of my kitchen / living / dining area — so aesthetics are also a factor. I specifically wanted: (1) reliable, high quality audio for conferencing and music, (2) small footprint, (3) cable-free / wireless operation, and (4) long battery life. On paper, the B&O Beosound A1 seemed ideal; however after extensive research I felt like I would be paying a premium for the small form factor while compromising on sound quality (ref Alan Ross YouTube videos) and perhaps battery life. I decided to take the plunge as I could return the unit if it disappointed. The unit was delivered on time and I was very impressed with the packaging, instruction booklet, physical quality, and straightforward button layout. Setup and software update using the B&O iOS app was intuitive and almost effortless. Pairing the unit with my MacBook Pro and selecting the microphone and speaker in MacOS preferences was routine. The unit charged from 80% to 100% using my MacBook Pro USBC power adapter in about 2 hours. I immediately tested music playback and found it acceptable and inline with Alan Ross’s review (good highs and mids, less than robust bass, and sound quality highly sensitive to speaker placement / tweeter orientation). I also observed that the unit would power off after a period of inactivity and was concerned that I might have to reset the speaker and microphone connections after turning the unit back on. All in all these were potential complications I could live with. The unit passed its inaugural 1 hour Microsoft Teams meeting / video conference with flying colors the following day: powering it up reestablished wireless Bluetooth pairing, plus microphone and speaker assignments; and audio quality was reliable and exceptional throughout the meeting. This is the primary reason I purchased the unit, so I was ready to claim mission accomplished. However, a surprise was in store. After my conference call I decided to check battery level using the B&O app — the unit was at 95% after a few hours of experimenting with music playback, letting the unit sit overnight and a 1 hour conference call in the morning. That was reassuring, but while in the app my attention was drawn to the app’s Equalizer feature which I had glossed over during setup and did not examine during my prior musical exploration -- so I decided decompress to random selections from my Apple Music library while also testing the equalizer settings. Wow, I was blown away by the difference in sound quality using the equalizer — particularly the Ambient setting. I listened to selections from John Williams, Florence + the Machine, Acadia, Los Lonely Boys, Makaveli, Chick Corea, James Blake, Lydia Low, Ani DiFranco, Prince, Coldplay, Matisyahu, Public Enemy, Anthony and The Johnsons, Yael Naim and others. The range featured classical, R&B, rock, reggae, metal, alternative, singer songwriter, vocal, instrumental, a cappella — an excellent sample of what I listen to — and nothing disappointed: Sound clarity is excellent, highs are bright, mids are uniform and punchy, lows are deep and moving for a 5" speaker, and volume is excellent for my use case (personal audio — not throwing a party). Net-net: It turns out that the Beosound A1 2nd Gen was a no compromises purchase for my requirements. The form factor perfectly matches my minimal Mac setup, the conferencing functionality is great and the sound quality is exceptional for my musical tastes. This product is of the best purchases I’ve made.

Okay this speaker is so good I have 5 of them. Bought them on 5 different occassion lol. Sound quality is top notch. Very clear without sounding to sharp or harsh, so I can listen to it for hours without getting headache. The bass is precise and punchy on the right spot. This is the kind of bass that is not cheap, instead it aims for the precision which I like a lot! Buildy quality is completely solid. The body construction is made of metal and rubber for the base so it does not slide around. I do not use any carrying or protective case on it and 4 years down owning it on the first speaker and it is still performing like the moment I took it out of the box. Final note here, I recently just bought the A1 3rd generation and even on the newer version, the clarity of the sound is still unmatched. A1 2nd generation beats the 3rd generation hands down. Get this speaker before they run out of it and you will not dissapointed.

This is a really nice sounding speaker, particularly if you buy two of them and use them as a stereo pair, which is super easy to do on the app. Nice and small and portable. These are now my travel speakers, as they’re easy to pack, especially if you buy a case to fit them. Cases are easily found on Amazon for about $15. They’re sound great indoors, and are also really nice for small outdoor gatherings. However, these are not speakers for a big party- they just don’t get that loud ( rated at 92 dB). One other thing I would warn about- don’t leave them near an edge of a counter or table! The woofer is on the bottom and the vibration will cause them to move across a flat surface . My one complaint is they should have given them some sort of rubberized feet to prevent this. In the picture you can see I have them on pot holders. That’s because on my metal table, you can hear unwanted vibrations. I would recommend making sure you have them on a solid wood table or a countertop. If you set them on metal or near the edge of a surface, be sure to use a rubberized pad of some sort under them to make sure they don’t vibrate themselves right off the edge. With that simple precaution, you get a great sounding, clear, crisp sounding speaker with a nice balanced bass presence that is easy to bring in the yard, or throw in your carry on for travel

I love my B&O speaker. Exceeded my expectation. Thank you for the prompt delivery. And I am so happy I got it on sale price. Expensive speaker but worth each cent. The best speaker I have ever owned. I love the color, very durable and says it is dustproof and water proof.

Super dźwięk, bardzo glęboki i czysty. Stereo. Sam głośnik nieco ciężki, ale... coś za coś. ;-)

I have 2x Beosound A1 2nd Gen and I love both of them, when I use them in Stereo Pair. I don't recommend you to buy the same color for Stereo Pair, as you won't be sure which one is which. Battery life is not the best thing you can except from A1 in high volumes. Most of the magic goes away if you're planning to use it more than 125/150 volume. Design is beautiful, slim, and feels great. It can stand in its side if you block its way, or it will roll like a wheel. It supports SBC, AAC, aptX and aptX Adaptive. You can also use USB-C as a audio input, while charging. A1 is not turning off itself while plugged in, so you can choose a place and use it whenever you want, just connect through Bluetooth. Moreover it won't drop Stereo-Pair connection between speakers if both plugged in to power, even days won't matter. You can Stereo-Pair 2nd Gen A1 with 3rd Gen A1. Sound quality and level is perfect for its portability and dimensions. I added photos of various common headphones (B&O Beoplay EX, Portal, H95; Sony WH-1000XM4 and XM5) so you can have some idea about its size. It's great if you buy it in discount. Buy A1 2nd Gen instead of A1, definitely!!! (I still love my Explore's too)

I've just bought the B&O A1 (gen 2), previously I've owned a JBL charge 6, 4, JBL XXX, jbl GO, etc... but was never satisfied. I think this is the much better speaker, overall. I am generally listening inside and travelling, and to classical, occasionally everything (not pop, rap, etc). ### Charge & batt. They both charge over USB-C, which IMO is now essential. Possibly the JBL has better battery, it always seemed to last forever!? ### Bluetooth The JBL has better Bluetooth - for whatever reason it just connects better. The JBL compares well with my other seamless BT products: Sony XM3 headphones, and Jabra Elite earbuds -both great! The A1, on first connection, often needs a couple of tries, from a Samsung S22. Occasionally there is a brief sound interference, ~static. Once it's up, it's fine. ### Sound JBL is louder, and bassier, it's more of a party, outdoors speaker! (it's rather impressive!) A1 I much prefer to hear (I favour clarity and accuracy). It's clearer, more accurate, more revealing, has tighter bass, and better sound stage. ### Physical looks JBL looks like a party speaker! I never liked looking at it, I like the Scandi/Jap. aesthetic. I bought it based on the consistently excellent review, particularly from WhatHiFi. JBL should make an 'executive' version without the logo and subtler colours! I do hate logos! A1 has great design, and is much less obtrusive. It also feels higher quality, a German build quality (like a VW door!) with a harmonious, natural aesthetic. ### Overall Pudding proof: I listen to music much more over the A1 than I did with the JBL. The A1 feels a little like an apple product - if they would improve the BT.