Test report on the BeoPlay A2 Bluetooth speaker from Bang & Olufsen

BeoPlay A2 collage

I admit I have a secret love for Bluetooth speakers. These little things are somehow my daily companions in the apartment, both when the children want to listen to something quickly on my iPhone (but I don't want to give the iPhone away myself) or when I need some sound on the stove while cooking. Only the sound is often a point where you have to make compromises. Of course, all of the speakers I've tried so far come with better sound than that iPhone 6 himself, but of course you have to see the proportions to be fair. For the compact design, the iPhone still has a decent sound. I had one of the first iPod Touch devices and the sound was so bad that you couldn't even hear a podcast on it.

Test: This is how the BeoPlay A2 performs in practice

In any case, the new [MacLife Magazin-> maclife] arrived today and it contains a test report with the portable BT loudspeaker from Bang & Olufsen (Link to the company homepage). The report about the A2 surprised me, because the speaker from B&O clearly seems to stand out from the whole mid-range Bluetooth speaker - and not just at the price of around 340 EUR. But let's start with the design of the A2.

BeoPlay A2 collage
Here is a photo collage with pictures from the BeoPLay A2 (photos: Bang & Olufsen).

In terms of appearance, the leather strap is immediately noticeable. This shows what the A2 can do particularly well: It can be transported. The speaker grilles on the sides are made of sturdy metal and keep some bumps and scratches off. The construction also enables a 360 degree sound, because the loudspeaker has two loudspeakers on each side, which ensure a balanced sound. The dimensions of approx. 25 x 14 cm correspond roughly to those of a book. With a weight of 1,1 kilograms, however, it is not a lightweight, which is also due to the robust workmanship and the good battery. If you don't like the silver, you can also order the mobile speaker in green or black.

The sound of the B&O A2

BeoPlay A2 in hand
The BeoPlay A2 lies comfortably in the hand despite its weight of over 1 kg (Photo: B&O).

When it comes to the sound, I completely rely on the test report in MacLife magazine. The testers there have written that they are "filled in" with Bluetooth speakers almost every week and have a corresponding amount of experience with such sound wonders, which are actually not. However, the BeoPlay A2 is obviously an exception here, as the tester is completely enthusiastic about the clear highs and the crisp bass that the A2 delivers. The small, portable speaker systems are often trimmed only for looks and strong bass, which significantly limits the listening experience with classical or "more demanding" music. But the sound of the A2 is so good that you will be more than satisfied with any genre of music.

With BeoPlay A2, the all-round sound is generated by two tweeters and two woofers, each of which radiates as a pair to the side and can fill a room with sound if the loudspeaker is placed in the middle on a table. This arrangement also creates a stereo sound image, although only one box produces the sound. The stereo sound is not as clear as with two separate speakers, but you can definitely hear it.

The author in the test is absolutely convinced of the sound, but he notes that there are definitely louder mobile sound systems than the A2 that are more intended to fill parties with music. But there is hardly one that has a more balanced and pleasant sound - an insider tip for music lovers who don't just look at bass and decibels. Also a reviewer on Amazon places the A2 in the reference class for speakers under EUR 400.

Technical details

The manufacturer specifies the battery life with a maximum of 24 hours at low volume. In the practical test, the testers achieved a runtime of 16 hours, which, however, was also achieved with the first battery charge. Most of the time, the battery gets better again after repeated discharging and charging, so that the runtime in practice should probably be 18-20 hours.

In addition to the mains connection to charge the A2 yourself, there is also a USB output on the speaker, which you can use to charge your iPhone, iPod (or whatever). You can use it as a [Powerbank-> Powerbank], so to speak. In addition to the connection option via Bluetooth 4.0, there is also a 3,5mm jack input. The amplifier inside the BeoPlay A2 delivers up to 180W of peak power. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any information about the capacity of the built-in battery on the manufacturer's website, but I think with a running time of almost 20 hours a not inconsiderable part of the speaker will be used for the battery.

Beoplay A2 bluetooth speaker
Here you can clearly see the tweeters and woofers, which are aligned to both sides and even enable the compact speaker to produce a stereo sound image (Photo: Amazon).

Conclusion - a top speaker for audiophiles

From a technical, aural and visual point of view, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the BeoPlay A2. And although he is from the Designer Cecilie Manz was made into a real eye-catcher, the portability is definitely one of its strengths. It can easily be thrown into the excursion box or even fly around in the trunk. Due to the well thought-out design, sensitive areas are very well protected by the metal surfaces.

The price of around 340 EUR is of course a house number that hardly any other portable speaker systems can match. But if you are not only into boom-boom music, but also like to listen to something sophisticated and do not like to do without convincing sound, the BeoPlay A2 is sure to get a portable loudspeaker system that will not be available anytime soon.

Purchase options

The A2 from Bang & Olufsen can be obtained from Amazon online, among other things. I have linked the three color variants for you here:

 

 

 

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