When you think of high-end audio brands, Bang & Olufsen always comes towards the top of the list. Recently, they’ve been making their products accessible to a broader market, and their latest product is the can-shaped Beosound Explore; we take a look at what it has to offer.
The Bluetooth portable speaker market is overflowing with products, so any company hoping to muscle into it better have something special to attract consumers. In addition to this, having a world-renowned brand name would also be a huge benefit, and fortunately, the name Bang & Olufsen is all many buyers will need to see.
Bang & Olufsen’s latest offering is called the Beosound Explore. This Bluetooth speaker was created with adventure in mind and is waterproof with excellent playtime (27 hours at normal volumes), and it is said to bring with it the brand’s signature sound.
The Beosound Explore speaker is a brand new product to the market, and as such, we haven’t tried it. Therefore, we’ll need to rely upon Bang & Olufsen’s honesty that the speaker does offer, as they state, offer their signature sound.
Defining a signature sound is no easy task, but given that it’s a Bang & Olufsen product, you would expect the sound quality to be nigh-perfect. Towards the end of this article, we’ll be looking at the technology inside the speaker and how the Scandinavian brand achieves the expected sound quality.
Size and weight
The Beosound Explore speaker is a lightweight speaker making it ideal for lugging around on hikes and adventures. It’s also relatively small, measuring 124mm x 81mm, and weighs in at 631gm, which is about the same as one and a half cans of soda pop.
Christoffer Poulsen, SVP of Product Development at Bang & Olufsen, said, “We created Beosound Explore to be our toughest speaker that can withstand the outdoor elements. The speaker is dust and waterproof, embodied in a scratch-resistant type 2 anodised aluminium surface. The exceptional sound quality for its size makes Beosound Explore the perfect companion for any adventure.”
The Durability of the speaker
In what is a first for the speaker industry, the Beosound Explore is encased in Type 2 anodised aluminium. The significant benefit of this is it is highly scratch-resistant, which makes it ideal for outdoor use. The anodised aluminium is an in-house creation by Bang & Olufsen and was achieved by gradually building up aluminium oxide on the surface.
The speaker has an IP67 Dust and Waterproof rating, which given some of the places where this speaker is expected to end up, is a huge positive. It also handily comes with an aluminium carabiner which can easily attach to clothing, rucksacks etc., providing the opportunity to share your favourite tracks with others on a long hike.
Why the unique shape?
The Beosound Explore was clearly designed with portability in mind. The speaker was designed with a cylindrical shell to provide a secure grip, and the shape means it will fit easily into rucksack pockets.
The speaker is currently available in three colours, Grey Mist, Black Anthracite or Green.
The sound quality
As we’ve mentioned earlier, it is quite a claim to state that a speaker the size of the Beosound Explore can replicate Bang & Olufsen’s signature sound. The reason this can be made possible is due to it having dual 1.8″ full-range drivers. The speaker is also said to deliver 59dB in the bass, which is ideal for outdoor use, particularly when nature gets a bit too noisy!
The speaker’s controls are situated on its top and can be operated even with gloves on in those colder moments, and its grill has been cut into 360-degree lines, which it is said, provides True360 omnidirectional sound, perfect for nights spent around a campfire.
Given it’s a Bang & Olufsen product, we have no doubt that the Beosound Explorer will offer much, if not all, that the Scandinavian company states. It’s a premium looking product which will help to differentiate it from others in the market. The only thing we’ll add is when sat around in the dark by a campfire with a friend or two, make sure the can opener is well-hidden!
You can read more information on the Beosound Explore and the company’s other products at their website www.bang-olufsen.com.
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