Beosound Lautsprecher Review: Why This Tiny Bang & Olufsen Speaker Sounds Bigger Than Your Living Room

Beosound Lautsprecher by Bang & Olufsen takes the idea of a portable Bluetooth speaker and quietly crushes your expectations. If you think all small speakers sound thin, look cheap, and die halfway through the day, this compact aluminum disc is here to rewrite the rules.

You’ve probably lived this moment: someone hands you a portable speaker at a get-together, hits play, and the room fills with… disappointment. Shallow bass, harsh highs, battery blinking red after two playlists. It sounds like your phone on speaker, just more expensive.

We’ve been trained to accept that "portable" means compromise: plasticky builds, mediocre sound, and a design you hide when guests arrive. Music becomes background noise instead of something you actually feel.

That’s the problem Bang & Olufsen set out to attack with its compact hero: a Beosound Lautsprecher that doesn’t look or sound like a typical Bluetooth brick.

Meet the Beosound Lautsprecher: A Portable Speaker That Actually Feels Premium

The Beosound Lautsprecher (marketed globally as the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen) is Bang & Olufsen’s ultra-portable Bluetooth speaker designed to deliver the brand’s signature high-end audio in a rugged, take-it-anywhere form factor.

On the official product page, Bang & Olufsen highlights a few core promises: surprisingly powerful 360° sound, IP67 dust and water resistance, a slim aluminum body, long battery life, and Alexa voice assistant built-in (varies by region). In other words: a speaker you can drop in a bag, bring into the shower, park next to the pool, and still feel proud leaving on your coffee table.

In a market crowded with rugged plastic boxes, the Beosound Lautsprecher answers a sharper question: what if your small speaker could sound like hi-fi, feel like a luxury object, and still survive your weekends?

Why this specific model?

There are plenty of portable speakers that are louder or cheaper. What makes this one stand out – and why do Reddit threads and hi-fi forums keep circling back to it?

Design that looks like an accessory, not a gadget. The Beosound Lautsprecher is a low, circular disc with a perforated aluminum top and a smooth polymer underside, complete with a leather carry strap. It’s the kind of object you’d expect in a design store, not dangling from a backpack. Owners on Reddit frequently praise how it "disappears" into modern interiors and doesn’t scream tech.

Sound that feels bigger than its footprint. According to Bang & Olufsen, the Beosound Lautsprecher uses a 3.5" woofer and a 0.6" dome tweeter driven by two 30W Class D amplifiers, tuned for 360-degree sound dispersion. Translated: you can drop it in the middle of a table, and everyone gets the same balanced mix of bass, mids, and treble. User impressions consistently mention "unexpected bass" and a much richer, fuller soundstage than most speakers this size.

IP67-rated durability without the ugly rubber armor. The official specs rate the Beosound Lautsprecher at IP67, meaning it can handle dust and up to 30 minutes in up to 1 meter of water. So pool splashes, kitchen spills, beach sand – all fair game. Many reviewers note that it feels more like a design object than an outdoor speaker, yet shrugs off real-life abuse.

Battery life that actually lasts a day out. Bang & Olufsen quotes up to 18 hours of playtime at typical listening levels. Real-world feedback tends to land between 8–14 hours depending on volume – still enough for a full workday, a long hike, or a backyard party without babysitting a charger.

Smart touches for daily life. While this is firmly a speaker first, the Beosound Lautsprecher also supports built-in Alexa voice assistant in supported markets, speakerphone functionality, and USB-C charging. For many users, it doubles as a compact speakerphone on the desk and a music system everywhere else.

At a Glance: The Facts

Feature	User Benefit
3.5" woofer + 0.6" tweeter with dual 30W Class D amps	Rich, room-filling sound with clear highs and surprisingly deep bass from a compact body.
360° sound dispersion	Place it in the middle of a table and everyone hears the same balanced audio, no "sweet spot" required.
IP67 dust and water resistance	Safe near pools, beaches, showers, and in the rain – built to survive real life, not just the living room.
Up to 18 hours of battery life (manufacturer claim)	All-day listening without constantly hunting for a power outlet.
Compact aluminum and polymer design with leather strap	Premium look and feel that travels effortlessly and still looks great on your coffee table.
Bluetooth wireless connection	Instant pairing with phones, tablets, and laptops – no cables, no friction, just hit play.
Optional Alexa voice assistant (in supported regions)	Hands-free control for music and basic tasks when connected to a compatible device.

What Users Are Saying

Across recent reviews, Reddit threads, and audio forums, sentiment toward the Beosound Lautsprecher (Beosound A1 2nd Gen) is strongly positive, with some clear patterns.

The praise:

• Sound quality vs. size. Many users describe it as the "best-sounding small Bluetooth speaker" they have owned, especially complimenting the bass depth and overall balance at moderate volumes.
• Design and materials. The aluminum top, tactile buttons, and leather strap consistently get called out as premium compared to plastic competitors.
• Portability. People love that it slips into a bag or backpack and feels just as at home on a desk as it does on a picnic blanket.
• 360-degree sound. Owners like the freedom to place it in the middle of a group without worrying about orientation.

The complaints:

• Price. The most common criticism: it costs noticeably more than mainstream portable speakers from brands like JBL or Anker. Some say you’re paying a "design tax," though many feel the sound and build justify it.
• Not a party cannon. While impressively loud for its size, it’s not the kind of speaker that will overwhelm a large outdoor party. Several users note it shines in small to medium spaces and at reasonable volumes.
• App and Alexa nuances. Some owners mention minor quirks with the companion app or region-specific Alexa features, though these rarely overshadow the core audio experience.

The overall takeaway from real users: if you value aesthetics and sound quality over maximum volume per dollar, the Beosound Lautsprecher hits a very satisfying sweet spot.

Alternatives vs. Beosound Lautsprecher

The portable speaker space is crowded, so how does the Beosound Lautsprecher stack up against popular options?

• Versus budget speakers (Anker, Tribit, etc.): Cheaper models will give you decent volume and basic durability, but most lack the refinement in tuning, the 360° soundstage, and the premium metal-and-leather build. If you just need background noise, budget wins. If you care how it sounds and looks, the Beosound pulls ahead.
• Versus rugged party speakers (JBL Charge/Flip, UE Boom, etc.): These often play louder, sometimes with more aggressive bass, and are tuned to cut through outdoor environments. However, they usually come in rubberized, colorful shells that prioritize toughness over aesthetics. The Beosound Lautsprecher trades raw volume for a more natural, hi-fi leaning sound and a minimalist design that suits both travel and interior decor.
• Versus smart speakers (Echo, Nest, etc.): Smart speakers may offer tighter voice assistant integration at home, but they are rarely truly portable or water-resistant. The Beosound Lautsprecher gives you a taste of smart features with Alexa support in supported regions, while remaining a battery-powered, go-anywhere device.

In short, the Beosound Lautsprecher lives in a slightly different lane: a design-forward lifestyle speaker that prioritizes sound quality, tactility, and versatility over being the loudest box on the block.

Final Verdict

If you’ve been waiting for a portable speaker that feels less like a disposable gadget and more like a carefully crafted object, the Beosound Lautsprecher deserves a hard look.

Bang & Olufsen A/S (ISIN: DK0010218429) has built its reputation on high-end audio and Scandinavian design, and that DNA is obvious here. From the cool touch of the aluminum shell to the unexpectedly deep bass that rolls out when you press play, this is a device built as much for emotional impact as for technical performance.

It’s not for everyone. If your main priority is "maximum volume per dollar" or you’re shopping strictly on a tight budget, you’ll find louder and cheaper options elsewhere. But if you want:

• A compact speaker that actually sounds like a scaled-down hi-fi system;
• A design that looks intentional in any room, not like an afterthought;
• Durability that doesn’t force you into a rubber-clad brick;
• Battery life that survives real-world days, not spec-sheet fantasies;

then the Beosound Lautsprecher is easy to recommend.

Imagine this: you drop it on the table, hit play, and instead of apologizing for tinny audio, you watch people look up and ask, "Wait, that sound is coming from that?" That’s the quiet magic this small speaker pulls off – and why, in a sea of generic Bluetooth boxes, it’s the one that actually feels special.

@ ad-hoc-news.de