Bang and Olufsen (B&O) are a name recognised for high end and high quality consumer electronics. Today they have added to their vast range with the release of a new portable speaker called the Beosound Level. It is — as you would expect from B&O — a stunning piece of engineering, that will deliver outstanding sound at an eye-watering price of $2150.00
The Audio
The Audio output of this beast is (on paper) stunning with 105 watts of music power, through its five-drive setup and dual 4″ woofers you’ll get near unrivalled sound. The 79dB bass capability and 96dB mid-range aren’t just powerful, it’s loud, very loud. There are a number of “smart” features built-in including the active room compensation, which will keep the audio balanced and enjoyable regardless of the room space you’re in.
Impressively, this comes with around 16 hours of playback (requires 3 hours to obtain full charge) NB. this is measured at “typical listening volume”, while continually adjusting the speaker’s tuning and power output. Not just turning it up loud enough for the whole street to hear…
The smarts continue with the orientation of the speaker allowing for automatic tuning of the speaker to alter between 180-degrees to 360-degrees based on the way it is positioned, all to keep your listening experience at peak enjoyment.
Christoffer Poulsen, Senior Vice President and Head of Product Management at Bang & Olufsen said
Beosound Level is the ultimate speaker for people who want the flexibility and convenience of a portable speaker but don’t want to sacrifice on sound quality and multiroom connectivity for the ultimate music listening experience. It works effortlessly with Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast and because of Beosound Level’s modular design, we are future-proofing Beosound Level so that it can deliver our signature sound for decades to come
The hardware
The physical speaker is manufactured from aluminium, with multiple covers available to have the speaker fit in among any home decore. Cover options include Natural Oak veneer and a knitted dark grey Kvadrat textile. Regardless of your choice of cover, the speaker carries and IP54 rating which makes it “resistant” to splashes and general dirt and dust but not submersible.
If you’ve got other devices you’d like to link in, the Beosound Level has a line in port to hook up other audio equipment such as a turntable. Thankfully, they’ve got both Wi-Fi and Ethernet for connectivity to maximise options for users who want the best of the best.
The controls
While — as noted by Poulsen — the speaker is compatible with multiple streaming options, it also has soft touch controls on the device itself. These light up as you approach (as many other streaming speakers do) to greet and invite you to interact with it. The sensors ensure you’re not going to be dazzled by the brightness after dark.
Google Assistant is included
Thankfully, B&O has done the right thing for the current streaming market and included a Google Assistant option. For those who are aligned with Alexa, you’re out of luck on this one though. The Beosound Level is a stunning piece of equipment, but the question remains: Who would pay that price for a speaker?
Phil, you note it has Google Assistant, but not Alexa. Does it include Siri?