Short answer: the B&O Beosound A1 if sound quality matters most, the JBL Charge 5 if price matters most. The B&O Beosound A1 ranks #9 of 142 medium speakers at $200. The JBL Charge 5 ranks #28 at $179.95, $20.05 cheaper.
On the B&O Beosound A1 side: Deeper bass than the A1 2nd gen. Watch for: Not stereo. Not quite as neutral as the A1 2nd gen.
What the JBL Charge 5 gets right: Doubles as a power bank (USB-A out) for charging your phone. The tradeoff: Not stereo. Warm sound.
One note: the B&O Beosound A1 is no longer sold new, but at #9 of 142 medium speakers by sound quality it still outranks most current models, so used is worth considering.
Buy the B&O Beosound A1 if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the JBL Charge 5 if the price is the priority over sound quality.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| B&O Beosound A1 | JBL Charge 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $200 Discontinued | $179.95 |
| Ranked | #9 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #28 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes (dual microphones) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (589 g) | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | AAC, SBC |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Drivers | 15mm tweeter + 83mm mid/bass driver | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| Amplifier Power | 60W total (30W each driver) | 40W |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 125ms |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | - | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Frequency Response | - | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
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How B&O Beosound A1 compares with other leading options:
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- Soundcore Motion+ vs B&O Beosound A1
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs B&O Beosound A1
- Denon Envaya DSB-250BT vs B&O Beosound A1
- B&O Beosound A1 vs Minirig 3
Prices on this page were last checked September 16, 2026 at 12:41 AM 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: $200 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Deeper bass than the A1 2nd gen. Measured bass extension of 50Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Not quite as neutral as the A1 2nd gen. Pumping sound artifacts above 60% volume, only good for lower listening levels. Discontinued.
Full B&O Beosound A1 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 60W total (30W each driver) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 15mm tweeter + 83mm mid/bass driver |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (589 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 →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Beoplay A1 Denon 250bt JBL Flip 5 Anker Flare 2 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Soundlink Flex or Beosound A1 (1st gen) - ultimate compact speaker 😇
- Oluv Patreon: B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen vs Beoplay A1 outdoors with a bit of Anker Soundcore Motion+ too
- techkiste.net: B&O Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) vs Bose Revolve 2 vs Bose Revolve+ 2 sound-comparison
- techkiste.net: B&O Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) vs Bose Revolve 2 vs Bose Revolve+ 2 sound-comparison
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: JBL, Bose, B&O, Sonos, Earfun, SoundCore… which portable speaker sounds best?
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- B&O Beosound A1 vs B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen
- B&O Beosound A1 vs Minirig 2
- B&O Beosound A1 vs Minirig 3
- B&O Beosound A1 vs JBL Charge 6
- B&O Beosound A1 vs JBL Flip 6
- B&O Beosound A1 vs Denon Envaya DSB-250BT
- B&O Beosound A1 vs Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021
- B&O Beosound A1 vs JBL Flip 7
- See all 20 comparisons
JBL Charge 5: $179.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Doubles as a power bank (USB-A out) for charging your phone. IP67 rated, survives a 1m dunk for 30 minutes. ~20 hour battery life. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive.
Full JBL Charge 5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 6 or the JBL Charge 5? don’t go home till you watch this! More from alanrossreviews →
- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Charge 6 🎶👌Unboxing 📦vs Jbl Charge 5 Short Test Audio i Hz. More from Mateusz Cholewa →
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- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Xsound Mega vs the world! (JBL Charge 5, Bose Flex, Sony XB33, LG PL7) 👍
- Oluv Patreon: JBL Charge 5 - unboxing & first impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bogasing M4 Review - vs JBL Charge 5 & Motion Plus - a new contender?
- The Tech Files: JBL CHARGE 5 Vs. CHARGE ESSENTIAL 2 #shorts
- Alan Ross Reviews: Huawei sound joy vs JBL Charge 5 and Flip 6 - top mono speaker! 🤓
- New Stuff TV 2: Sony ULT Field 1 vs JBL Flip 6, JBL Charge 5 & Soundcore Motion 300 More from NewStuffTV1 →
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- KULAS TECH SHOW: JBL Charge 5 vs Tronsmart Mirtune S100 - Sound Comparison💥🔥 More from KULASTECHSHOW20 →
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- New Stuff TV: Sony SRS-XE300 vs JBL Charge 5
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 5 Vs Sony XE300 - How Can You Mess Up This Bad?
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- DIGI-EARS: Xdobo X8 Max vs. JBL Charge 5 vs. Anker Soundcore Motion+ vs. Tribit Stormbox Pro Sound Test Battle More from DigitalSlang →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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