B&O Beosound A5 vs Bose SoundLink Max

Short answer: the B&O Beosound A5 if sound quality matters most, the Bose SoundLink Max if price matters most. The B&O Beosound A5 ranks #12 of 82 large speakers, rated 4.5/5, at $1,650. The Bose SoundLink Max ranks #17, rated 4.3/5, at $399, $1,251 cheaper.

Why pick the B&O Beosound A5: At 3.86 kg, B&O Beosound A5 combines 5.25” woofer, 2x 2” fullrange, 0.8” tweeter with Bluetooth and aux. Watch for: Bass is limited by its 32Hz - 23kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification.

What the Bose SoundLink Max does well: IP67 rated - dustproof and waterproof to 1m. The catch: Big peak in the upper bass, dipped midrange and lots of peaks and dips above the midrange.

Buy the B&O Beosound A5 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Bose SoundLink Max if the price matters more than sound quality.

Battery life favors the Bose SoundLink Max: rated for 20 hours against 12 hours for the B&O Beosound A5.

Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.

Specifications Side By Side

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How B&O Beosound A5 compares with other leading options:

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Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 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 A5: $1,650.00 Amazon eBay

Pros: At 3.86 kg, B&O Beosound A5 combines 5.25” woofer, 2x 2” fullrange, 0.8” tweeter with Bluetooth and aux. Ip65 protection, up to 101db and mono playback make its feature set practical for its intended room or portable use. Reviews find the sound fairly neutral.

Cons: Bass is limited by its 32Hz - 23kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification. There is no companion app. No EQ adjustment.

Full B&O Beosound A5 review and specifications →

Amplifier Power	280W
App	No
Aux Input	Yes
Battery Life	12+ hours (Manufacturer specified)
Bluetooth Codecs	SBC
Bluetooth Version	5.2
Built-in Microphone	Yes
Digital Aux Input	Yes (USB-C)
Dimensions	11.2” x 7.4” x 5.1” (285 x 187 x 130 mm)
Drivers	5.25” woofer, 2x 2” fullrange, 0.8” tweeter
EQ	No
Frequency Response	32Hz - 23kHz (Manufacturer specified)
IP Rating	IP65
Maximum SPL	101dB (Manufacturer specified)
Omnidirectional	Yes
Party Mode	Yes (Beolink Multiroom)
Power Bank	No
Power Input	USB-C
Stereo	No
TWS	Yes
Weight	8.5 lbs (3.86 kg)
Wi-Fi	Yes

• Links
  • Official B&O Beosound A5 Product Page
• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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Bose SoundLink Max: $399.00 Amazon eBay

Pros: IP67 rated - dustproof and waterproof to 1m. Up to 20 hour battery; real-world testing found 43+ hours. Deep, rich bass with neutral tuning, app EQ. USB-C doubles as device charger. Sturdy carry handle. The aux input has lower latency (about 33ms) than most Bluetooth connections. Measured bass extension of 48Hz (-10dB).

Cons: Big peak in the upper bass, dipped midrange and lots of peaks and dips above the midrange. Bass not as deep as a Boom 2. Gets distorted above 80%. Self drains the battery about 20% a week.

Full Bose SoundLink Max review and specifications →

App	Yes
Aux Input	Yes
Aux Latency	33ms
Bass Extension (-10dB)	48Hz
Battery Life	20 hours (Manufacturer specified)
Bluetooth Codecs	SBC
Bluetooth Latency	116ms
Bluetooth Version	5.3
Built-in Microphone	No
Digital Aux Input	No
Dimensions	10.4” x 4.7” x 4.1” (264.7 x 120.1 x 104.9 mm)
Drivers	2x 2.5” (63.5mm) midrange drivers + 1x 0.79” (20mm) tweeter
EQ	No
IP Rating	IP67
Omnidirectional	No
Party Mode	No
Power Bank	Yes (USB-C)
Power Input	USB-C
Stereo	Partially (1 tweeter)
Strap	No
TWS	Yes
Weight	4.9 lbs (2.2 kg)

• Links
  • Official Bose SoundLink Max Product Page
• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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