Bang & Olufsen Beosound A5 assessment: Sounds costly

It is honest to say that Bang & Olufsen has by no means been too involved about making the speakers it produces in any approach “moderately priced”. In truth, I might be shocked if price even made the checklist of issues when the thought of the Beosound A5 was bounced round B&O HQ.

The luxurious transportable speaker is the fairly stunning results of throwing price issues to the wind, and seeing what occurs. Its price ticket in all probability means it will not make loads of sense to many individuals, however the truth is, for anybody with the finances, this can be a ludicrously good transportable speaker that is loads of enjoyable to dwell with.

I bought the pleasure of doing simply that for a few weeks, and this is how I bought on.

Design

A lot has been mentioned in regards to the Beosound A5’s picnic basket aesthetic in its Nordic Weave variant, however my assessment pattern was, extremely, the even pricier model of the A5 – the darkish oak and anthracite model. And dare I say, it is arguably price the additional $200/£200. Look, for those who’re already on the $1099/£899 mark for a transportable speaker, the additional funding does not really feel like a stretch for the uplift in end (although do store round – on the time of writing, this model was discounted to match the Nordic Weave model).

It’s going to be down to private style, however Nordic Weave model does not look fairly as premium to my eyes – it is extra laid again although, for certain, and lightweight, with a handwoven design, apparently impressed by Panama hats.

The darkish oak and anthracite feels rather more luxe, although each are undeniably Scandi of their type.

Whether or not you go for the weave or the wooden, the A5 additionally makes use of an anodised aluminium for its high and backside plates, which little question provides to the simple weight of the factor. Moveable it could be, however it’s extra living-room-to-garden portability than carrying it to a park picnic.

Nonetheless, this solely provides additional to its sense of excellent craftmanship. It is a solidly made, high quality speaker and I am very a lot taken by it. The quite beneficiant oak picket deal with is a specific spotlight – sturdily pinned to the edges of the speaker, it feels great within the hand, and makes it straightforward for shifting across the place.

For controls, buttons sit simply barely recessed into the aluminium high plate, however are lined by a extra rubbery feeling materials, that is much less more likely to get scratched or broken. There are controls for energy, Bluetooth, quantity and music management, in addition to 4 buttons for preset radio stations – one thing you possibly can arrange within the B&O Music management app.

There’s additionally a Qi charging pad within the centre, so you possibly can preserve your (appropriate) cellphone in good battery reserves when you play again you tunes.

Options

Behind its quite hanging appears, then, lies a reasonably spectacular array of 4 drivers serving up 280 watts of Class D amplification – fairly punchy given its dimension.

That includes a 13cm bass driver, two 5cm midrange drivers and a 2cm tweeter, all of that are beam-forming to assist create B&O’s “Omni” sound – a 360-degree sound that goals to put off a listening “candy spot” and push music out throughout a wider soundstage as a substitute (quite than create a spatial sound expertise such as you’ll hear within the likes of the Sonos Era 300).

This sound processing is elective, although, and could be managed inside the B&O Music app, although you’ll have to do a little bit of digging to get to it.

The app is comparatively simple, with an image of your speaker, battery degree and music supply up high, adopted by the shortcuts to your favorite radio stations and a choice of sound modes.

5 of those are presets – Optimum, Get together, Speech, Night time and Lounge – although every could be tweaked to your style by clicking into them and utilizing the Beosonic graphic equaliser – a extra consumer pleasant approach of adjusting EQ settings for people who do not know their Hz from their kHz.

As an alternative of shifting sliders or waveforms, you merely transfer and regulate a circle from the place the preset has positioned it, extra in the direction of how you want your music to sound – you may have a selection of Heat, Shiny, Energetic or Relaxed, together with a suggestion of what that may do to the bass or treble. You possibly can then go away it there to regulate the chosen preset completely, or create your individual.

You will additionally discover an “Superior” part right here, and that is the place you may discover the flexibility to show off the Omni setting, in addition to some tone controls.

Beneath the common Sound Settings menu, you may additionally discover the flexibility to stereo pair the A5 with one other one, must you be feeling flush sufficient to personal two, or set it up inside a multiroom system with different B&O audio system on the corporate’s Mozart 2.0 platform.

It additionally packs help for AirPlay 2 and Chromecast utilizing its Wi-Fi 6 connection, so you possibly can pair it with different appropriate audio system in your house utilizing these platforms as a substitute.

Tidal Join and Spotify Join are additionally on board, as is Bluetooth 5.2 for when there is no Wi-Fi at hand – although there is no such thing as a help for greater high quality codecs, comparable to aptX HD or LDAC, which you would possibly hope from a speaker costing this a lot cash.

Lastly within the app there’s a part for B&O Radio, the place you possibly can entry all method of radio stations in varied languages, places and genres, and Deezer baked in, with the flexibility to strive it without spending a dime and entry the Deezer interface from inside the B&O Music app.

Bang & Olufsen

Whereas the Beosound A5 won’t appear to be essentially the most hardiest of audio system, it does have an IP65 rating that ought to preserve it secure from a downpour or drink spill, and there is round 12 hours of battery life when performed at a reasonable quantity.

It will drain faster for those who select to make use of the charging pad on the similar time, after all, however it costs up fast sufficient by way of its USB-C connection (which may also be used for playback too) – you may want round three hours to get it again to full, however a pair will get you shut sufficient.

It is a fairly complete providing, then, as you would possibly count on. Nevertheless, there is no onboard voice management right here. There’s a microphone on board, which you’ll be able to management utilizing a bodily change on the again, however it’s for the A5’s built-in room calibration solely. Any voice instructions you need to use should be delivered by way of your linked gadget.

Sound high quality

It is price working by means of the room calibration earlier than you start, it does not take lengthy however would require you being plugged into the mains for it to work. It’s going to simply tweak the speaker’s efficiency to your room and its placement inside it.

As soon as full, I get to listening by way of Tidal Connect, and play Olivia Rodrigo’s vampire. The size the Beosound A5 is able to is excellent – it is not a small speaker, besides, the extent to which it reaches outdoors its bodily dimensions is spectacular, and presents a very room-filling sound. It’s going to go loud, too. Virtually excessively so – even at 50 per cent I am very conscious I might grow to be unpopular with my neighbours fairly shortly.

The Omni setting works nicely right here, giving Rodrigo’s breathy and emotive vocals additional area alongside the simplistic piano backing, pushing it additional out into the room. If you happen to choose a extra targeted sound, then you possibly can flip it off, which solidifies it considerably, however it does not shrink the sound down as a lot as you would possibly suppose.

Both approach you are getting an enormous sound, however you do not lose any of the total bodied character of this speaker by switching it on – so select whichever you like,

Every little thing sounds precisely because it ought to – tonality right here is totally spot on. The piano isn’t at all times the best instrument for smaller audio system to breed, however the Beosound A5 exhibits a eager consideration to element and accuracy.

I persist with the Optimum sound mode for essentially the most half, although I can see how the Get together mode would possibly work nicely in outdoors – or certainly, social gathering – settings, with a little bit of added bass to additional safe its assured sound.

That is underpinned by a improbable – but thought of – attain into the low finish. There isn’t any wanting for bass depth right here, however each rumble of Chase & Standing’ bassline-heavy Baddadan stays fantastically managed. It is a wealthy, punchy and highly effective efficiency, however one which by no means overstates itself.

In truth, it is a supremely balanced hear throughout the board, and the highest finish it simply as insightful, attacking cymbal crashes and better register devices with no sense of fragility, in order that the treble by no means sounds laborious or pushed.

Extra great things continues by means of the midrange, which is offered with unbelievable readability. Vocals particularly are filled with expression and element, and sit unaffected by no matter else is occurring within the combine. It is a vastly likeable presentation, which simply is sensible with just about each style I’ve thrown at it.

Dynamically, the A5 by no means misses a beat both, attacking each a type of genres with a surefootedness that hardly ever falls foul of doing precisely because it ought to. Loud and smooth are explicitly dealt with, even at decrease volumes, and it’s as succesful with fast-paced recordings as it’s extra ponderous ones.

Maybe as you push the quantity additional than it’s best to, there may be simply the slight thickening up of the midrange, and the soundstage will get somewhat narrower – nevertheless, that is at volumes you’ll hardly ever hear at, and positively not with a extra crucial ear.

Verdict

Whether or not the Beosound A5 is a wise approach of spending north of $1099/£899 will very a lot rely upon what you establish “smart” to be. For a lot of it is going to be a stretch too far, particularly when a few of its finest competitors – the likes of the Sonos Move 2, for instance – price lower than half the worth.

There are some missteps too – significantly on the value – comparable to the dearth of help for high-quality Bluetooth codecs. Others might decry the dearth of built-in voice management, one thing once more, that the competitors from Sonos presents as commonplace.

Nevertheless, is that this the most effective battery-powered speaker I’ve heard? I might say so. And it appears undoubtedly beautiful too, significantly within the end I’ve examined right here. It is an actual step above anything within the class.

If you happen to do not end up worrying about things like performance-per-pound, and as a substitute need the easiest sound you will get, the Beosound A5 will not disappoint.