Short answer: the B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen for better sound quality, the JBL Flip Essential 2 for the lower price. The B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen ranks #11 of 182 medium speakers, rated 4.3/5, at $395. The JBL Flip Essential 2 ranks #80, rated 3.3/5, at $85.90, $309.10 cheaper.
The B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen is the better-sounding, longer-running pick. A premium waterproof puck speaker with balanced sound, a built in strap, and a long battery for travel. It is rated for 18 hours of battery against 10 for the JBL Flip Essential 2. It supports aptX Adaptive Bluetooth, which the JBL Flip Essential 2 lacks. It has an adjustable EQ, which the JBL Flip Essential 2 lacks.
Why pick the JBL Flip Essential 2: A compact, affordable waterproof speaker that gets fairly loud for its size and connects to two phones at once. The tradeoff: There is no tweeter, and side by side comparisons found it does not sound as good as the JBL Flip 6, with less bass; its bass stops growing above about 70% volume, so turning it up mostly adds loudness, not weight.
Buy the B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the JBL Flip Essential 2 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Prices on this page were last checked November 14, 2026 at 6:17 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen | JBL Flip Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $395.00 | $85.90 |
| Ranked | #11 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #80 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 58Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 90ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 93dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (558 g) | 1.1 lbs (520 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive | SBC |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Drivers | 3.5mm aluminium driver + 0.75 inch silk dome tweeter | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 5.2”W x 5.2”D x 1.8”H (133 x 133 x 46 mm) | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) |
| Amplifier Power | 60W total (2x 30W Class D) | 20W RMS |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| Strap | Yes (built-in strap) | - |
| Party Mode | - | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Where the Ratings Come From
- B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen: reviews by JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show, Oluv and Alan Ross.
- JBL Flip Essential 2: reviews by Speaker Fan, Angelicaaudio and AudioTribe.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
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