Bang & Olufsen A1 3rd Gen outshines other portable speakers both in design and performance
Bang & Olufsen is compared to none when it comes to high-end audio, matched by premium aesthetics and design. The Denmark-based audio equipment designer has a line of impressive wireless speakers under its belt, including the Beosound Explore, Beolit 20, and Beosound A1 (2nd Gen). The latter has now got the third generation coming in with a bang.
B&O Beosound A1 3rd Generation retains the portable aesthetics in a puck-shaped design, while upgrading some key elements that elevate the BT speaker’s appeal. In every aspect, the new generation is better than its predecessor. Music lovers will not mind the $50 increment in the price from the Gen-1, but bear in mind that version is often spotted at a discounted price of $200 in sales. This effectively makes the A1 3rd Gen’s $350 retail price a bit hard to swallow, even with the incremental updates it comes with.
Designer: Bang & Olufsen
The portable Bluetooth speaker is an all-weather buddy for audiophiles, given its IP67 dust and water resistance rating. The thing is built to last with a 10-year lifespan thanks to the swappable battery unit housed inside the modular design. B&O provides a 5-year Beocare warranty for the speaker, which speaks volumes about the trust the brand has in its product. Top that off with the Cradle to Cradle (Bronze) certification, which is first for a Bluetooth speaker, and you’ve got a stellar audio banger in your pocket.
Beosound A1 Gen 3 has a classy, contoured design in a pearl-blasted aluminium outer shell with perforated 2,173 holes that enhance its acoustic performance. Apart from the high-quality construction, the speaker delivers sound that is rich and evokes emotion with every melody. The portable speaker boasts the largest woofer in its class, promising thumpy bass with a sound pressure level of 64 decibels, which is 15 percent improvement over the outgoing version. The battery life gets a bump of six hours compared to the earlier version. Now the speaker lasts around 24 hours, making it perfect for outdoor adventures. For those who’ve got the Gen 2 working fine, pairing the new Gen 3 speaker is an option. This delivers stereo sound for enjoying movies, games, and of course music with a wide soundstage.
The portable speaker supports the aptX Adaptive codec if that matters to you. The three-microphone array makes the audio accessory suitable for taking calls. The only thing that’s a bit of a disappointment is the Bluetooth 5.1 version, which should have been replaced by the latest 5.3 standard. The speaker makes up for it with the Microsoft Swift Pair and Google Fast Pair, which should reduce the time for connection. Coming back to the design, the latest Beosound A1 comes paired with a leather lanyard and strap lock designed by Danish industrial designer Cecilie Manz.
Compared to the predecessor, which came in six color options, this one is available only in three. That said, all of them are impressive, with two new inclusions – Honey Tone and Eucalyptus Green. If you’ve got your eyes set on this portable speaker, we recommend waiting for an early discount to kick in to make the purchase more justifiable.
Gaurav Sood
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