Short answer: the B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen. It ranks #18 of 150 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.1/5, at $379. The JBL Charge Essential 3 SE ranks #40, rated 3.7/5, at $199.95, $179.05 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
What the B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen does well: Longer battery than the 2nd gen (~24 hours at sensible volumes). The catch: Distorts easier than the 2nd gen with deeper bass.
Why pick the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE: Gets louder than the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen and digs deeper in the bass, with a separate 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators and 40W of amplification in the familiar Charge body. The tradeoff: In side-by-side listening against the Charge 6, its bass is weaker and less stable and distorts on bass-heavy tracks even with the bass turned down in the app, while a narrow boost in the upper mids makes it sound less natural.
Buy the B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $179.05 with the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen | JBL Charge Essential 3 SE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $379.00 | $199.95 |
| Ranked | #18 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #40 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| EQ | Yes | Yes |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes (Auracast) |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (558 g) | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.4 |
| Dimensions | 5.2” x 1.8” x 5.2” (133 x 46 x 133 mm) | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 82.5mm woofer, 15mm tweeter | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Amplifier Power | 60W | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C (5V/3A) |
| Strap | Yes (built-in strap) | No |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (Auracast) |
| Frequency Response | - | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen compares with other leading options:
- Earfun Uboom L vs B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen
- B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen vs Soundcore Motion 300
- B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen vs Soundcore Motion+
- Minirig 4 vs B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen
- B&O Beosound A1 vs B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen
Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 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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The Two Speakers In Full
B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen: $379.00 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Older models: the B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen (ranked higher, rated 4.3/5) and the B&O Beosound A1 (ranked higher, rated 4.3/5).
Pros: Longer battery than the 2nd gen (~24 hours at sensible volumes). IP67 rated with a serviceable, replaceable battery: the first Bluetooth speaker with Cradle to Cradle certification. Multipoint connectivity and aptX Adaptive.
Cons: Distorts easier than the 2nd gen with deeper bass. Dipped area in the upper mids. Not as deep of bass as the 2nd gen
Full B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 60W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 5.2” x 1.8” x 5.2” (133 x 46 x 133 mm) |
| Drivers | 82.5mm woofer, 15mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (558 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: B&O Beoplay/Beosound A1 - all 3 generations compared More from Oluv’Sone →
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen - outdoor sound test
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen vs 2nd gen - worth the premium?
- Oluv Patreon: B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen - soundcheck
- Oluv Patreon: B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen - outdoor test
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JBL Charge Essential 3 SE: $199.95 JBL eBay
Older models: the JBL Charge Essential 2 (ranked higher, rated 3.8/5) and the JBL Charge Essential (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5).
Pros: Gets louder than the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen and digs deeper in the bass, with a separate 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators and 40W of amplification in the familiar Charge body. IP67 water and dust protection, a claimed 20 hours of battery life, a USB-C power bank output, Auracast stereo pairing and multi-speaker linking, Bluetooth 5.4 with AAC, and app EQ.
Cons: In side-by-side listening against the Charge 6, its bass is weaker and less stable and distorts on bass-heavy tracks even with the bass turned down in the app, while a narrow boost in the upper mids makes it sound less natural. Against the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen it sounds muddier and more strident, with less detail and a smaller soundstage. At full price it costs as much as the Charge 6, which is the better speaker.
Full JBL Charge Essential 3 SE review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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