The Bang & Olufsen Waterproof Speaker Is 50% Off Right Now
The Beosound A1 (2nd generation) from Bang & Olufsen is a powerful speaker for its size. Normally priced at $299.99, Woot drops it to $139.99 for the next 13 days or while supplies last, and if you have Amazon Prime, shipping is free. Non-Prime members will have to pay $6, but it’s only available in the contiguous US anyway (no shipping to Alaska, Hawaii or PO Boxes).
PCMag gave this Bluetooth speaker an Editors’ Choice award when it launched in 2020, and it’s still a strong contender today.
The Beosound A1 weighs just 1.2 pounds and isn’t exactly light for its size, although it does come with a leather strap for easy portability. With an IP67 rating that can withstand dust, sand and water immersion, it’s ready to accompany you on your outdoor adventures. Setup is done via the Bang & Olufsen app, which also includes Alexa built-in, although you’ll need to link accounts first. It’s compatible with Bluetooth 5.1 and supports adaptive AAC and AptX codecs , but lacks LDAC support for high-definition listening. The Beosound A1 has a battery life of 18 hours, but this will depend on your volume settings.
This little speaker gets louder thanks to a 3.5-inch woofer and 0.4-inch tweeter, both of which are powered by dedicated 30-watt Class D amplifiers. The result is deep bass (enough to shake a table without moving the speaker itself) that remains rich even at mid-to-high volumes. It’s a bass-heavy setup, which makes sense given its size, although at maximum volume the DSP kicks in to prevent distortion by thinning out the sound slightly, PCMag’s review notes. Its 55Hz-20kHz frequency response means you’ll get crisp lows and clear highs, but don’t expect the perfectly balanced sound of a studio monitor. The app’s EQ settings aren’t the most intuitive, using a pie chart instead of sliders, but it does offer some control over the setting.
If you’re looking for something newer with the latest Bluetooth technology (and more cost-effective), the Beats Pill is currently $99.99 (down from $149.95) and you might want to consider them instead.