Back in 2016, The original A1 Bluetooth speaker (8/10, recommends Wires) was one of the more affordable Beosound sub-brand before Bang & Olufaseen. The stylish cook of brush aluminum was a welcome antidot for all rubber Bluetooth boxes, and as a will for good design, as a will it has changed slightly through three generations.
The third generation Beosound A1 has just been launched, and while the design immediately remains recognizable and spontaneously calm, internal it has gone through a complete change and now feels better and is more durable than ever. It is one of the best portable speakers I have ever heard, and is as revered as usual.
The same skin, new inn
Photograph: Chris Hasalam
So what is new? First, there are two new finishes to go with classic aluminum -hai tone (my review sample), and eucalyptus Green. The speaker is seriously built well and innocent is terminated. It looks as a premium and feels because it should be for $ 399.
There is a twice on the design of the leather strap, but significant changes come from within. According to B&O, the A1 3rd GEN has the largest woofer in its class (3: in), which has a 64 DB of bass spl, which is 2 dB more than the 2 gene model. Battery life has also increased from 18 to 24 hours. Interestingly, Alexa Voice Assistant has been removed, such as according to B&O, the customers did not want it. It still has a microphone and thus still acts as a speakerphone.
A1 GEN 3 is also the first Cradle to Cradle certified (Bronze level) Bluetooth speaker in the world. In the terms of the common man, the speaker has a modular design that can be both upgraded and repaired, which helps to increase its lifetime. For example, the battery can be replaced, if you move your speaker to the Bang and Olufassen store. The brand commitment for longevity and stability is to be praised, and helps to justify premium pricing.
Bluetooth 5.1 seems a bit dated here, and it means that there is no Auracast compatibility, but you still receive multipoint connectivity, stereo pairing and APTX adaptive compatibility. The IP67 rating ensures dust and waterproofing, as well as USB-C sockets can be used to charge data transfer (future upgradation) as well as charging.
The weight of 1.2 pounds and the diameter x 1.81 inch high 5.24 is not a pocketed, but it is not large enough to cause issues in a bag or backpack. There is no protective case, but aluminum is difficult and intentionally collided after a few weeks and showed no sick effects after it was added. The reviewer Parker Hall has demolished the first and second generation speakers several times and has not noticed any terrible wear beyond some small dents. The leather carry strap is elegant, which has a subtle but classy branding, and if you want you can use an IP67 speaker like an old school shower radio.
Generation game
Photograph: Chris Hasalam
Two 30-watt class de amplifiers (60 watt total power) run the new, super-shaped 3: inch woofer and a 0.6 inch Twitter, and together they pump the impressive 360-degree audio.
