Compare Tribit XSound Plus 2 Portable Wireless Speaker vs Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Speaker 3rd Gen

AirPlay compatibility was a clear omission in the Macworld review, which said the lack of Wi-Fi or AirPlay kept it from being perfect for Apple users.

The app is usually described as helpful, easy or necessary for unlocking sound quality, but one reviewer found it sluggish and another noted login friction.

The B&O app was repeatedly praised as responsive, simple, flexible, and among the best companion apps in the category.

Backwards compatibility was a clear plus because multiple reviewers valued pairing the 3rd Gen with the older A1 2nd Gen.

Battery life is one of the strongest points, with reviewers repeatedly reporting all-day or multi-day use, although heavy volume and XBass reduce runtime.

Battery life was a consistent strength, with reviewers calling the 24-hour figure credible, impressive, and in some tests conservative.

Codec support is a limitation, with reviewers calling out AAC/SBC-only or lack of LDAC/LHDC/high-end codec support.

Codec support was considered solid, with aptX Adaptive repeatedly framed as a welcome or high-quality advantage.

Bluetooth stability is praised as rock-solid, smooth or reliable across most tests, with only minor multipoint-related caveats.

Connection stability was consistently positive, with reviewers reporting no pairing or dropout issues in normal testing.

General Bluetooth connectivity was mostly positive for quick pairing, but one reviewer criticized the lack of Auracast as a missed futureproofing opportunity.

Bluetooth range is a strength, with reviewers reporting stable playback through rooms, walls, yards and even long outdoor distances before breakup.

Bluetooth range was workable but not exceptional, with one review keeping it near the same room and another noting dropouts only near the end of a garden test.

Build construction is generally praised as solid, sturdy or premium-feeling, with some caveats about ruggedness compared with tougher rivals.

Construction quality was repeatedly praised for premium materials, flawless finishing, and a substantial feel.

Charging time gets limited but positive evidence from one reviewer who framed the four-hour full charge as a quick turnaround.

Charging time was a weak spot because reviewers described the roughly three-hour charge as leisurely or on the long side.

Cohesive presentation receives positive limited evidence, with reviewers praising cohesive sound and overall fullness.

Cohesion was praised, with reviewers describing the presentation as unified, whole, and remarkably cohesive.

Power and pairing controls earn praise for quick single-press operation, though one reviewer disliked the hard-to-see black buttons.

Physical controls were praised for positive, responsive, clicky action.

Design opinion is mixed-positive: reviewers like the subtle, premium-feeling matte build, but some call it plain, generic or visually unexciting.

Design and aesthetics were one of the strongest consensus points, with nearly every reviewer praising the premium, elegant, luxurious look and feel.

Detail retrieval receives positive but limited evidence, with reviewers saying the speaker keeps detail and highlights grooves despite its small size.

Detail retrieval was a major strength across reviews, with repeated praise for high detail, clarity, and track-level separation.

Dialogue and spoken-word clarity are positive in limited evidence, with reviewers praising clean dialogue and super-clear vocals in voice-focused modes.

Distortion evidence is mixed: several reviewers heard little or no distortion at normal or even high levels, while others reported bottoming out or distortion near maximum volume.

High-volume behavior was praised for staying controlled, with reviewers reporting little distortion even when the speaker was pushed.

Durability evidence is mixed: some reviewers praise sturdy build and successful drops, while others question drop ruggedness or the metal grille’s resilience.

Durability was mixed: reviewers liked the tough build and survival in bags, but several warned the metal finish can scuff and the speaker should not be thrown around like rugged JBL models.

Dust resistance is a repeated limitation: reviewers emphasize that IPX7 protects against water but not dust, sand or grit.

Dynamic headroom has limited positive evidence from one reviewer who praised the speaker’s effortless shifts between punchy kicks and organic melodies.

Dynamic headroom was good but not class-leading: some reviews praised dynamism, while others wanted stronger quiet-to-loud swings.

EQ customization is one of the clearest strengths, with reviewers repeatedly praising the app presets, custom EQ and ability to reshape the sound.

EQ customization was a standout, with reviewers praising the visual sound control as helpful, easy, and unusually gratifying.

Everyday usability is praised for easy carrying, convenient design and simple operation across home, pool, camping and casual use cases.

Everyday usability was praised for simple operation and controls that were easy to use without friction.

Float capability is mixed: the speaker can float, but reviewers say it floats poorly or drivers-down, making recovery less ideal.

The tonal balance is praised as full, bassy and clear after EQ, but several reviewers note limited sub-bass, treble brittleness, V-shaped tuning or genre-dependent balance.

The tonal balance was widely praised for rich, controlled bass, clear mids, and refined highs, with a few caveats around ultimate bass depth and one first-impression review finding it flat.

The strap/lanyard is useful for carrying or hanging, but one reviewer criticizes it as too flimsy for the speaker’s weight.

The leather strap drew praise as expertly crafted and part of the speaker’s premium look.

Inter-speaker connectivity is a standout, with reviewers praising stereo/party pairing, TWS compatibility and the improved experience from using two speakers.

Inter-speaker connectivity was praised where tested, especially for quick stereo setup and pairing with another A1.

Video latency evidence is positive, with reviewers reporting no noticeable video/audio lag in tested streaming and movie scenarios.

Reviewers consistently describe the small speaker as louder than expected, able to fill rooms and small gatherings, though some note larger spaces or max-volume use expose limits.

Reviewers generally found the small speaker louder than expected for its size, but several cautioned that it is not built to fill bigger rooms or outmuscle larger rivals.

Low-volume evidence is split between praise for clear low-volume audio and criticism that the V-shaped tuning works poorly at low levels.

The built-in microphone works for calls and earns some praise, but it remains secondary to music playback and performs best close by or indoors.

The microphone system was tied to clearer, more transparent voice calls in review evidence.

Pairing two speakers is generally easy and reliable, with strong synchronization in several tests, but one reviewer notes party/tandem expansion is capped at two units.

One reviewer tested pairing across generations and found the stereo-pairing experience impressive and reliable.

Multipoint earns mostly positive comments for convenience, though one reviewer needed a reset and another found the pause-before-switch behavior mildly annoying.

Multipoint was positively received, especially in hands-on switching tests where it worked easily and flawlessly.

Off-axis sound is praised in one review, which found little degradation outside the sweet spot despite the forward-facing design.

Omnidirectional sound was generally positive, though one reviewer disputed true 360-degree behavior while still finding placement easy.

On-device controls are mostly useful and tactile, though repeated volume presses and hard-to-see buttons draw some criticism.

On-device controls were praised as nice and clicky in direct use.

Reviewers repeatedly call the speaker a strong deal, emphasizing its low price relative to sound, features and competitors.

Price opinion was split: many reviewers saw the speaker as expensive, but several argued its build, sound, and longevity justified the premium.

Privacy/data sentiment was lightly positive because the removal of Alexa also means Amazon’s assistant is not always listening.

Setup is repeatedly described as simple, quick or easy, including Bluetooth pairing, app recognition and getting the speaker started.

Setup was described as quick and issue-free in one review’s pairing experience.

Alexa and voice-assistant support were mixed-to-negative: some reviewers did not miss it, while others treated its removal as a lost useful feature.

Smart-feature evidence centers on app utilities like auto shutdown, firmware updates, voice prompts and shutdown timers, generally seen as useful extras.

Smart features were mixed: the app content and radio features impressed one reviewer, while another found the overall package simple rather than feature-packed.

Speakerphone quality is serviceable rather than exceptional: reviewers describe it as okay or iPhone-speakerphone-like, better in quieter settings.

Speakerphone performance was praised, with reviewers describing calls as clear, successful, and even a ten-out-of-ten hands-free experience.

Status indicators receive modest positive mention for showing active functions and EQ/button states, though they are basic rather than a showpiece.

Status indicators worked but drew mild criticism for size and viewing angle.

Stereo performance improves dramatically with two units, with reviewers praising wider imaging, richer stereo presentation and more immersive listening, though a single unit has narrower staging.

Imaging and spatial organization were praised for openness and instrument separation, though one review noted limited scale compared with larger rivals.

Sustainability stood out through repairability, replaceable battery comments, and praise for longevity-focused design.

USB-C charging is appreciated, but one reviewer criticizes the included USB-A to USB-C cable instead of USB-C to USB-C.

USB-C charging was praised when paired with simultaneous laptop playback, making the port more useful than simple charging.

Value sentiment is very strong, with reviewers calling it affordable, worth the money and unusually capable for the price.

Value-for-money sentiment was more divided than price alone, ranging from strong praise in one A1 review to doubts from What Hi-Fi and Expert Reviews at the current price.

Voice-focused playback earns praise through audiobook and EQ modes, with reviewers noting clear vocals, clean dialogue and smooth vocal presentation.

Vocal reproduction was a consistent strength, with reviewers praising intelligibility, definition, and natural-sounding voices in music.

Water resistance is widely viewed positively for pool, shower, rain and outdoor use, centered on the IPX7 rating.

Water resistance was strongly supported by outdoor-use praise and hands-on dunk or sink tests that reported no damage.

Reviewers generally find the speaker easy to carry or pack, though a few note it has some heft or is heavier than certain rivals.

Portability was strong overall: reviewers liked the bag-friendly size and balanced heft, though it is not the lightest compact speaker.

Wi-Fi streaming was a drawback for Apple-focused users because the speaker lacks Wi-Fi and AirPlay support.

The 3.5mm wired input is valued as a useful fallback for wired or lower-latency playback, but several reviewers complain that no AUX cable is included.

USB-C wired audio was praised as a meaningful bonus, especially because reviewers heard clearer, punchier performance through a cable.