This is the nicest portable Bluetooth speaker I’ve ever used

Sometimes, you just want something nice.

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Often when we talk about tech, we fixate on value. This makes sense: The main question most gadget reviews want to (and typically should) answer is, “Is this thing worth buying?”

The
Apple MacBook might be the best looking, most portable laptop ever made, but for that nebulous yet like-minded group of readers we call “most people,” it’s just too hard of a sell at $1,300. You can get more from other machines at that price.

beoplay a1 speaker
Tech Insider/Jeff Dunn

Bang & Olufsen’s new BeoPlay A1 speaker is not good value, necessarily. It’s one of the cheapest devices offered by the Danish electronics firm, but all that means is it’s $250. You can find other Bluetooth speakers that are more portable, longer-lasting, and more rugged for less than half of that. For about the same price, you can find options that are bigger and better performing.

Even still, I want one, because I don’t need everything, and because it’s really, really nice. It’s not like it sounds bad, either. Here’s what I mean.

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The BeoPlay A1 looks and feels like something designed to be showcased.

beoplay a1 speaker
Tech Insider/Jeff Dunn

Many Bluetooth speakers, particularly the cheaper ones, are commodities. They’re largely identical chunks of imported plastic that exist to pump out (usually mediocre) sound, and that’s it.

The A1, meanwhile, feels substantial. Its dome-like, grill-covered design is simple yet elegant, like a fancy hamburger. The light silver shade of my test unit was far from ostentatious — a dark green option is a little more stark — and both the sturdy aluminum on its top and soft polymer on its bottom are pleasing to the touch. It’s mature.

That metal also gives the whole thing a nice sense of heft. At 1.3 pounds, it’s a little less portable than many speakers this small, but that’s all relative — it’s still tiny enough to slip into a bag without trouble. There are no outward-facing buttons here, either, just various markings on that bottom piece that can be pressed down as needed.

All of this makes the A1 feel less gadget-like and closer to a thing you’d display around the house. (Or hang around, since there’s a nifty leather strap attached to the A1’s base.) In other words, it comes off like a $250 speaker.

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It has most of the requisite extras, too.

beoplay a1 speaker
Tech Insider/Jeff Dunn

A built-in mic helps the A1 work just fine as a speakerphone, and if you have a device that supports Bluetooth’s aptX codec, you can enjoy clearer sound with that.

As noted above, there’s no waterproofing, so you aren't taking the A1 in the shower. There is a measure of splash and dust resistance, though, so you can feel safe spilling a cup of water.

The speaker will remember and automatically connect with your last paired device, too, which is never not convenient.

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That said, there are still a few design concerns worth noting.

beoplay a1 speaker
Tech Insider/Jeff Dunn

Most notably, the A1’s underside tends to heat up if you play at higher volumes for a longish period of time. This didn’t have much of any effect on how the speaker performed, but it’s something to keep an eye on if you ever take the plunge.

There’s also the fact that all of this charges over USB-C. This’ll become a non-issue over time, but the tech world is still transitioning to the new standard, so you’ll want to be careful not to misplace the cable included in the box.

And for what it’s worth, the A1 doesn’t come with a carrying case — though one look at it should tell you that it’s not taking the rugged route.

Battery life is generally fine, but not as strong as the 24 hours that’s advertised.

beoplay a1 speaker
Tech Insider/Jeff Dunn

Like any Bluetooth speaker, how much juice you get out of the A1 depends on how hard you push it. You can get close to B&O’s lofty estimate if you keep the volume on the lower side, but if you want to keep things closer to the max, you’re looking at about 5-6 hours of continuous use. That’s good enough, but there’s been better.  

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All of the A1’s design chops go out the window if it doesn’t perform well. Fortunately, it very much does.

beoplay a1 speaker
Tech Insider/Jeff Dunn

Before I go heaping praise on the sound quality here, you have to understand that any device that is (1) small and (2) reliant on Bluetooth is inherently limited in the audio department.

There’s just not enough space for something this size to sort out the fine details of more complex tracks, and Bluetooth, while improved, still tends to put a glaze on top of the overall clarity.

The A1 can’t change any of that, but it does work very well within those limitations. For what it is, its sound is clear, detailed, and full-bodied without being overly slanted in one direction. Vocals are crisp, snare drums are tight, and nothing comes out harsh. It provides ample volume, too, which is key. (Though it’s meant for small get-togethers more than parties.)

Crucially, it also gets genuine bass response. It’s still too small to dig out the really deep, gut-rumbling lows — talking to you, EDM fans — but it doesn’t totally lose the bassline with lots of rock and pop. That’s not common with these things.

All of this is going to be great if you’re not super into audio, but even if you are, the A1 should impress, provided your expectations are in the right place.

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You can also customize that sound, to an extent.

beoplay a1 app
Tech Insider/Jeff Dunn

Per usual these days, there’s a companion app to all of this, through which you can pair the device with other A1s, or tinker with the sound profile a bit.

The latter does affect things — emphasizing bass, treble, and so on as you see fit — but again, something this small isn’t really nimble enough to handle major changes.

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All told, the BeoPlay A1 is the portable speaker as a luxury item.

beoplay a1 speaker
Tech Insider/Jeff Dunn

If you’ve got $250 to drop on a portable speaker, and you understand everything the phrase “portable speaker” entails, I don't think you'll be disappointed with this. It's a thoughtfully made, strong sounding choice for anyone who wants that tangible feeling of having something higher-grade.

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