Bang & Olufsen has announced the second generation of its Beosound A1 portable Bluetooth speaker.

The new version includes both design changes and performance improvements. The speaker now features a refined and slimmer design that is also resistant to dust and water. Additionally, the A1 has a much-improved battery life with up to 18 hours of playing time. The user interface has been overhauled and the Beosound A1 is the first Bluetooth-only speaker to include a built-in Alexa voice assistant.

The new A1 is 7% lighter than the original model with a slightly lighter casing and a tapered base. The original A1’s leather strap has a new tag so it can be hung up while playing.

The speaker’s buttons are now closer to the strap, so they are easier to reach, plus they feature bigger and clearer symbols.

Inside the Beosound A1 are two re-designed speakers for a full 360-degree sound. The main driver is a 3.5-inch aluminum cone mid woofer with a neodymium magnetic system. The treble end is delivered via a ¾ inch silk dome tweeter driven by advanced DSP filtering and two 30-watt Class D amplifiers. The Bluetooth circuitry also supports Qualcomm’s apt-X audio codec.

B&O claims that the new Beosound A1 is the first Bluetooth speaker to include a fully integrated Alexa voice assistant. Using Far-Field microphone technology, Alexa can be activated from up to five meters away, depending on the room conditions, and will remain responsive for up to 3 hours after being turned off.

In addition, the Beosound A1 can now play for up to 18 hours at typical volume levels of 70dB; that compares to just four hours in the first edition. At more moderate volume levels, the new A1 can play for up to 48 hours, which is double the time of its predecessor.

With an IP67 certification for water-resistance, the Beosound A1 can repel both water and dust.

The Beosound A1 will go on sale from May 14 and costs €250. It’s available in Black Anthracite and Grey Mist finishes.

Specs

• Sound
• 5-30 m² room
• 50-300 ft² room
• Ideal for small social gatherings, in the office and mid-sized rooms around the home
• Speaker Configuration
• 1 x 3.5" Woofer
• 1 x 3/5" Tweeter
• Amplifier:2 x 30W Class D For Woofer And Tweeter
• Sound Direction: 360 Degrees
• Frequency Range: 55-20.000 Hz
• Maximum Loudness @1m (SPL):92 dB SPL
• Bass Capability:62 dB SPL
• Wireless Codec: AAC, aptX Adaptive
• Stereo Pairing: Available between two Beosound A1 2nd Gen
• Multipoint: Available with up to two devices
• Customizable Sound EQ:Five Presets Available And Fully Customisable on Bang & Olufsen App
• Design
• Designer:Cecilie Manz
• Materials: Pearl Blasted Aluminium, Polymer, Waterproof Leather
• Waterproof Level: Fully dust and waterproof, IP67 certified
• Dimensions (mm): 133 W x 46 H x 133 D
• Weight (g): 558
• Battery
• Battery Playtime:Typical Listening Volumes: up to 18 hours
• Battery Size:3.000 mAh
• Power Consumption:
• Typical: 5W
• Standby: 0.12W
• Power Supply:5V DC / 3A Via USB-C Connector
• Charging Time: 2.75 Hours At 5V - 3A Charging
• Battery Life Indicator: :Battery LED, also viewable on the Bang & Olufsen app
• Connectivity
• Bluetooth Version:5.1
• Inputs and Outputs: USB-C For charging, speakerphone and streaming
• On-Device Controls
• Power button
• Bluetooth connect button
• Microphone button
• Play/Pause button
• Volume up/down buttons
• Microphone
• 3 microphone array
• Voice Assistant Integration
• Wake Word Alexa Voice Assistant
• Source device Voice Assistant via push button to talk
• The voice assistant language selection needs to be selected in the Bang & Olufsen App
• Fast Pairing
• Apple Fast Pair
• Google Fast Pair
• Microsoft Swift Pair