YouTube - Youtube
- Review score
- 3.3
Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Speaker 3rd Gen Review
Bottom Line
Choose the Beosound A1 3rd Gen if you want a compact luxury Bluetooth speaker with polished sound, long battery life, and premium build. Skip it if value, maximum volume, AirPlay/Wi-Fi, or rough-and-tumble durability matter more.
Best for
Best for listeners who want a stylish, compact, premium portable speaker with rich detail, strong battery life, good calls, and a refined companion app. It also suits buyers who value repairability and a replaceable battery.
Not for
Not for buyers prioritizing maximum volume, party-scale bass, the lowest price, or rough handling. It is also a poor fit for users who specifically need AirPlay, Wi-Fi streaming, Auracast, or Alexa.
Verdict
The Beosound A1 3rd Gen earns its premium reputation through a rare mix of refined sound, elegant construction, strong battery life, and repair-minded design. Reviewers repeatedly praised its rich midrange, controlled bass, high detail retrieval, responsive controls, and excellent app, while the compact body remains easy to carry. The main tradeoff is value versus desire: several reviews loved the perceived luxury and sound quality, yet also noted that cheaper JBL, Bose, or other rivals can play louder, sound bigger, or offer better sound-per-pound. Missing AirPlay, Wi-Fi, Auracast, and Alexa support also limits its smart-speaker appeal, but as a premium portable Bluetooth speaker, the consensus is broadly positive.
Feature Scorecards
Summary
44 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.024 (55%)
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Positive 3.5-4.413 (30%)
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Neutral 2.5-3.45 (11%)
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Negative 1.5-2.42 (5%)
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Very negative below 1.50 (0%)
Pros
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Cohesion was praised, with reviewers describing the presentation as unified, whole, and remarkably cohesive.
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Everyday usability was praised for simple operation and controls that were easy to use without friction.
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The leather strap drew praise as expertly crafted and part of the speaker’s premium look.
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One reviewer tested pairing across generations and found the stereo-pairing experience impressive and reliable.
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On-device controls were praised as nice and clicky in direct use.
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USB-C charging was praised when paired with simultaneous laptop playback, making the port more useful than simple charging.
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Design and aesthetics were one of the strongest consensus points, with nearly every reviewer praising the premium, elegant, luxurious look and feel.
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Water resistance was strongly supported by outdoor-use praise and hands-on dunk or sink tests that reported no damage.
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Construction quality was repeatedly praised for premium materials, flawless finishing, and a substantial feel.
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USB-C wired audio was praised as a meaningful bonus, especially because reviewers heard clearer, punchier performance through a cable.
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Sustainability stood out through repairability, replaceable battery comments, and praise for longevity-focused design.
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High-volume behavior was praised for staying controlled, with reviewers reporting little distortion even when the speaker was pushed.
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Connection stability was consistently positive, with reviewers reporting no pairing or dropout issues in normal testing.
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Physical controls were praised for positive, responsive, clicky action.
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Inter-speaker connectivity was praised where tested, especially for quick stereo setup and pairing with another A1.
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Multipoint was positively received, especially in hands-on switching tests where it worked easily and flawlessly.
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Battery life was a consistent strength, with reviewers calling the 24-hour figure credible, impressive, and in some tests conservative.
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Vocal reproduction was a consistent strength, with reviewers praising intelligibility, definition, and natural-sounding voices in music.
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Portability was strong overall: reviewers liked the bag-friendly size and balanced heft, though it is not the lightest compact speaker.
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Detail retrieval was a major strength across reviews, with repeated praise for high detail, clarity, and track-level separation.
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The B&O app was repeatedly praised as responsive, simple, flexible, and among the best companion apps in the category.
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Backwards compatibility was a clear plus because multiple reviewers valued pairing the 3rd Gen with the older A1 2nd Gen.
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EQ customization was a standout, with reviewers praising the visual sound control as helpful, easy, and unusually gratifying.
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Setup was described as quick and issue-free in one review’s pairing experience.
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Codec support was considered solid, with aptX Adaptive repeatedly framed as a welcome or high-quality advantage.
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Imaging and spatial organization were praised for openness and instrument separation, though one review noted limited scale compared with larger rivals.
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Omnidirectional sound was generally positive, though one reviewer disputed true 360-degree behavior while still finding placement easy.
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Speakerphone performance was praised, with reviewers describing calls as clear, successful, and even a ten-out-of-ten hands-free experience.
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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.
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Smart features were mixed: the app content and radio features impressed one reviewer, while another found the overall package simple rather than feature-packed.
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The microphone system was tied to clearer, more transparent voice calls in review evidence.
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Privacy/data sentiment was lightly positive because the removal of Alexa also means Amazon’s assistant is not always listening.
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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.
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Dynamic headroom was good but not class-leading: some reviews praised dynamism, while others wanted stronger quiet-to-loud swings.
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General Bluetooth connectivity was mostly positive for quick pairing, but one reviewer criticized the lack of Auracast as a missed futureproofing opportunity.
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Price opinion was split: many reviewers saw the speaker as expensive, but several argued its build, sound, and longevity justified the premium.
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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.
Cons
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Status indicators worked but drew mild criticism for size and viewing angle.
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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.
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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.
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Charging time was a weak spot because reviewers described the roughly three-hour charge as leisurely or on the long side.
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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.
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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.
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Wi-Fi streaming was a drawback for Apple-focused users because the speaker lacks Wi-Fi and AirPlay support.
Compared With Category Average
Compared with other Portable Bluetooth Speakers, this product is above average in Backwards compatibility, Wired input, Speakerphone quality, below average in Wi-Fi streaming reliability.
Summary
8 compared features-
Above average 0.4+ pts higher7 (88%)
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Same as average within 0.3 pts0 (0%)
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Below average 0.4+ pts lower1 (13%)
| Attribute | This product | Category average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backwards compatibility | 4.6 | 2.5 | +2.1 |
| Wi-Fi streaming reliability | 2.0 | 4.0 | -2.0 |
| Wired input | 4.9 | 3.0 | +1.9 |
| Speakerphone quality | 4.4 | 2.7 | +1.7 |
| Bluetooth codec support | 4.4 | 3.0 | +1.4 |
| Microphone | 4.0 | 2.7 | +1.3 |
| Distortion at high volume | 4.8 | 3.5 | +1.2 |
| Multi-speaker pairing reliability | 5.0 | 3.8 | +1.2 |
FAQ
Does the Beosound A1 3rd Gen sound big for its size?
Yes, reviewers repeatedly praised its rich bass, clear mids, and detail for a compact speaker. Several still noted that it cannot match the scale or maximum output of larger rivals.
Is the Beosound A1 3rd Gen worth the price?
It depends on what you value. Reviews praised the premium build, sound, app, and longevity, but several also said cheaper JBL or Bose alternatives can offer better value or bigger sound.
How good is the battery life?
Battery life was one of the stronger consensus points. Multiple reviews found the 24-hour claim credible, and one older A1 review reported meeting or exceeding the rated life.
Does it support AirPlay or Wi-Fi streaming?
No. Review evidence specifically called out the lack of Wi-Fi and AirPlay as a limitation, especially for Apple users.
Can it be used for calls?
Yes. Reviews describe the speakerphone and microphone performance positively, with clear voice calls and a strong hands-free experience.
Is it rugged enough for outdoors?
It is waterproof and dust-rated, and reviewers praised outdoor use, sink tests, and beach or pool suitability. The caution is cosmetic durability: several reviews warned the aluminum can scuff or mark.
Sample Expert Reviews We Analyzed
These are a few of the reviews included in our analysis.
Video Reviews
YouTube - Youtube
- Review score
- 4.6
Article Reviews
expertreviews.co.uk
- Review score
- 3.9
macworld.com
- Review score
- 4.0
whathifi.com
- Review score
- 3.6
architeg-prints.com
- Review score
- 4.6
techradar.com
- Review score
- 4.9
Compared in Reviews
Products reviewers directly compared with this model, grouped into quick takeaways.
JBL Charge 6
- Alternative: price alternatives The YouTube reviewer notes buyers could get a Charge 6 instead but frames B&O as quality over quantity.
- Cheaper: performance value What Hi-Fi says the Charge 6 is similar in performance but much cheaper.
- Worse: overall preference TechRadar’s follow-up explicitly recommends the A1 over the Charge 6 for looks, audio, and app quality.
JBL Flip 7
- Better: ruggedness rating Expert Reviews says the A1’s IP67 protection is not quite as high as the Flip 7’s IP68 rating.
- Cheaper: price The A1 costs far more than WIRED’s favorite JBL alternative.
JBL Xtreme 4
- Better: size and outright performance The Xtreme 4 is described as superior and much larger while costing less.
- Better: output and scale The larger, cheaper Xtreme 4 is said to outperform the A1 on outright wireless performance.
Consider This Instead
If you want better Charging time
Choose JBL Xtreme 4. It scores 4.5 vs 2.8 for Charging time, with a 3.9 overall score.
If you want better Value for money
Choose JBL Clip 5 Bluetooth Speaker. It scores 4.6 vs 3.1 for Value for money, with a 4.0 overall score.
If you want better Price / value for money
Choose Tribit XSound Plus 2 Portable Wireless Speaker. It scores 4.6 vs 3.7 for Price / value for money, with a 4.1 overall score.
If you want better Drop resistance durability
Choose Tribit StormBox Micro 3. It scores 4.6 vs 3.2 for Drop resistance durability, with a 4.3 overall score.
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