Tech review: B&O BeoPlay A1 – small, portable Bluetooth speaker that packs a punch
The stylish A1 has a long-lasting battery, is portable and sounds great indoors, but falls a little short outdoors
Stylish and portable, this latest Bang & Olufsen (B&O) Bluetooth speaker is a good-looking toy for music lovers on the go. Just stay out of the rain.
Design
The BeoPlay A1 follows the design language set down by Cecilie Manz who is also responsible for the looks of their debut Bluetooth-enabled speaker, the A2. The A1 is dome shaped and is akin to an oversized hockey puck with its 132mm diameter.
The top of the A1 is covered in a perforated, thick layer of aluminium which certainly contributes to its premium and elegant look. Meeting the aluminium roughly half way down the body is a base made of rubber material that houses all the control buttons. The soft-push controls provide some tactile feedback.
The circle button, for now, is used to reconnect to your last playback device and start playing music. As a contrast to the hard industrial design, B&O throws in a full-grain leather strap.
Features
The A1 is capable of pairing up with another A1 to produce stereo sound. There is a 3.5mm headphone jack. Its microphone allows it to also be used as a speakerphone for calls too, which is a nice touch.