Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 3 Bluetooth speaker
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- This Bluetooth speaker is obtainable on Amazon for $399
- The A1 Gen 3 delivers wealthy, luxurious sound in a small bundle
- You may wish to use the app to get the most effective sound for each style.
extra shopping for selections
Observe ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
I’ve examined many a Bluetooth speaker, however by no means had the prospect to expertise one from Bang & Olufsen. I’ve heard different B&O merchandise, however by no means a transportable speaker, such because the Beosound A1 Gen 3 Bluetooth speaker.
Additionally: 5 easy ways to instantly improve your soundbar’s audio (and they’re free)
I had a good suggestion what to anticipate from this ~5″ spherical gadget, and after I pulled it from its field, I wasn’t fairly certain what to assume. It is small, however has some heft, so I wasn’t precisely certain if this little speaker may reside as much as the Bang & Olufsen popularity.
Boy, was I improper.
My expertise
As quickly as I had the speaker out of the field, I paired it with my Pixel 9 Professional and determined to play Purity Ring’s new album “Purity Ring” (do not you’re keen on self-titled album?).
I did nothing to the speaker, save for connecting it to my telephone. I made a decision to not even examine if there was an app for customizing the sound as a result of I wished to listen to the speaker because the B&O engineers supposed it, and I am glad I did.
Throughout the first few bars of the primary track, I knew this little speaker was particular. I used to be instantly awash within the breathy, angelic sound of Megan James’ voice (I may hearken to her sing the telephone e-book and my coronary heart would nonetheless swell).
Me and Purity Ring had been able to occasion with the A1 Gen 3.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
The very first thing that hit me with this speaker was the soundstage, which is about as extensive as I’ve ever skilled in a 5″ diameter Bluetooth speaker. Though Purity Ring’s music is not what I’d name complicated, there are nonetheless lots of layers to it, and the Beosound A1 third Gen speaker was greater than as much as the duty of presenting the sonic delights with the delicateness they deserve whereas not skimping on the bass.
Additionally: What is EQ and why is it an important factor in improving sound?
That is to not say this speaker is a thumper, as a result of it is not. On the similar time, the bass is surprisingly good for its dimension. Even higher, the bass would not get muddy. You’ll be able to positively hear the separation between what can be a kick drum (digital as it’s) and the bass. I may hear the thumps on the depths, however as you progress up the frequency scale into mid- and high-range lows, the Beosound delivers spectacular readability.
There is a solo piano observe on the album that’s so candy. I may shut my eyes, and it felt as if the performer was really within the room with me. I may hear the assaults from the keys, and I swear I may hear the rise and fall of the maintain pedal. For a speaker this dimension and priced at just below $400, that is significantly spectacular.
After listening to Purity Ring for some time, I made a decision to see how the Beosound A1 third Gen speaker may deal with one thing a bit extra complicated, reminiscent of Rush. I went with my all-time favourite track, “Between The Wheels” (off Grace Below Stress), and hoped for the most effective. May this speaker ship the identical clean and wonderful sound because it did with the poppier aspect of music?
Additionally: This tiny Bluetooth speaker delivers loud, distortion-free sound
At first, the sound appeared a bit hole, so I made a decision to see what I may do with the app. After putting in the B&O app, I linked it to the speaker and was instantly knowledgeable of a firmware replace. I allowed that to proceed and waited till I may get again into the app to see what there was to see.
This won’t be a standard EQ, however it’s fairly efficient.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
The firmware replace was sloooooooow, however it did lastly end after roughly 60 minutes, which might be the slowest firmware replace I’ve ever skilled. That is both an enormous replace or the method is simply excruciatingly sluggish.
Anyway, again to the music.
What to know concerning the B&O app
Unusually sufficient, the B&O app doesn’t have a typical EQ. As an alternative, you drag a circle inside quadrants of Brilliant, Energetic, Heat, and Relaxed. Consider it or not, this can be a fairly efficient method of getting the sound you need.
No, you possibly can’t regulate totally different frequencies individually, however the nuances you possibly can eke out of your music with this method are spectacular. Even higher, you can also make these changes in actual time, so you possibly can hear the adjustments. As soon as you have discovered perfection, cease shifting the management and save your new Sound Mode.
Additionally: I’m bringing this Bluetooth speaker to every cookout this summer – and you should too
I went again to “Between The Wheels,” and it was so significantly better. I then skipped round to totally different bands and genres to see how the A1 fared, and it blew me away with each tune. I couldn’t discover a track that did not come alive by means of the A1.
I did discover myself continually fidgeting with the Sound Mode, as a result of, with each track I performed, I used to be sure I may tweak the sound to get much more from the speaker… and I wasn’t improper. Most individuals will in all probability stick to the default sound (which is kind of good), however if you happen to actually care about how your music sounds, you may wish to play inside the app. Ultimately, I noticed that I would created a number of customized Modes and was bouncing between them to my delight.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
I really like this speaker. Even at a price that may drive some away, this is not a scenario the place you might be merely paying for the Bang & Olufsen identify; the A1 delivers, and that $399 price ticket is price it (in order for you a transportable Bluetooth speaker that does not sound like a transportable Bluetooth speaker).
If you’d like a sublime, refined sound, the A1 Gen 3 speaker actually suits the invoice. Given its dimension, that is a type of Bluetooth audio system that can impress anybody.
Beosound A1 Gen 3 specs
- 60W energy output.
- 3.25″ woofer and 0.6″ tweeter for 360-degree sound.
- aptX Adaptive and AAC Bluetooth 5.1 codecs.
- As much as 24 hours of battery life.
- Sturdy, mud and waterproof (IP67).
- Multipoint connectivity and stereo pairing functionality.
- Cradle to Cradle Licensed.
