Esteemed Danish audio brand Bang & Olufsen unveiled its new portable Beosound A5 speaker Thursday. The pricey and powerful device’s design results from a collaboration with the Danish-Italian duo GamFratesi.
“Beosound A5 is our new high-end portable speaker which combines Bang & Olufsen’s long-standing approach to timeless design with our vision on sound for the future,” said VP of Product Marketing Michael Henriksson.
“We’re excited to collaborate with GamFratesi for the first time, to create two speaker designs that are rooted in a Scandinavian aesthetic with a distinct design signature on their own,” he added.
Bang & Olufsen A5 portable speaker
The new Bang & Olufsen Beosound A5 speaker is made of aluminum with a woven paper-fiber grille and a light oak handle, “creating a feeling of laid-back Scandinavian summers spent at the beach,” the company said.
Alternatively, a black anthracite aluminum version with a dark oak wood speaker cover and handle “evokes the aesthetic of winter woodlands.”
The speaker’s compact size, wooden handle and IP65 water- and dust-resistance rating make it portable and suitable for outdoor use. But it also packs plenty of power. A four-way driver setup with four digital amplifiers provides a combined 280 watts of power, B&O said.
The speaker features more than 12 hours of playtime and integrates a wireless phone charger into the top panel of the speaker. That makes the device versatile. You control it via an onboard user-interface or from the Bang & Olufsen App.
Powerful, precise, and portable audio
Beosound A5’s total output of 280W can fill large rooms with dynamic 360-degree sound, B&O said. The speaker includes a 5.25-inch woofer plus two 2-inch midrange tweeters and one 3/4-inch tweeter.
The speaker’s technology relates to the company’s Beolab 90 and Beolab 50 hi-fi speakers. Beamforming technology used in them comes to Beosound A5 to precisely control sound for an immersive experience, the company said.
Reimagining a B&O design icon
Photo: Bang & Olufsen
“Our inspiration came from many places, including the iconic Beolit series as well as natural materials synonymous with the colors and textures found in Scandinavian nature,” said design duo GamFratesi.
“From the traditional Panama straw hats worn on beaches, to the hand-woven leather accents of Danish chairs from the 1960s, blends of natural materials applied in experimental ways guided our design journey,” they added.
B&O said the A5’s curves and natural materials reference the Beolit 607 launched in 1961. The wooden teak finish of the Beolit 800 and Beolit 1000, originally designed by Jacob Jensen in the late 1960s and early ’70s, also influenced the design process.
Repairable for long life
The company added it “modularly designed” the A5 so that it can be serviced and repaired to extend its lifetime.
B&O plans to continue producing exchangeable front covers in new materials and colors. That will enable the speaker to “evolve with a customer’s style and identity.”
Mozart software platform
The company said its Mozart software platform also helps extend the speaker’s life. It provides up-to-date features across audio, connectivity and software design. It also enables pairing with any other Mozart-enabled speaker.
“Beosound A5 has the capacity to evolve with new technologies and unlock new listening experiences for years to come,” the company said. It’s compatible with Beolink Multiroom, Airplay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect and Bluetooth 5.2.
Pricing and availability
Beosound A5 in Nordic Weave costs $1,049. In Dark Oak it’s $1,149.
Where to buy: Bang & Olufsen
