Short answer: the Huawei Sound Joy 2, if you are buying new. The Huawei Sound Joy ranks higher than the B&O Beosound Explore (#40 vs #142 of 177 medium speakers) but is discontinued; its replacement, the Huawei Sound Joy 2, is rated 3.5/5 at $154.73 and is still sold new.
What the B&O Beosound Explore does well: A rugged waterproof speaker with an anodized aluminum design, a strap and carabiner, and a long real world battery. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Huawei Sound Joy. The tradeoff: Huge lack of bass extension compared to competitors, overly hot ringing treble.
The Huawei Sound Joy is the better-sounding, deeper-bass choice. A waterproof speaker with a separate tweeter, long battery life and good loudness, with a Devialet mode for its best sound. Its bass reaches about 56Hz before falling 10dB, against 70Hz for the B&O Beosound Explore. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the B&O Beosound Explore lacks. The catch: Boosted treble, not quite as deep of bass as a JBL Charge 5.
Buy the Huawei Sound Joy 2, the replacement for the discontinued Huawei Sound Joy; it is rated higher for sound quality than the B&O Beosound Explore.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
A rugged waterproof speaker with an anodized aluminum design, a strap and carabiner, and a long real world battery.
A waterproof speaker with a separate tweeter, long battery life and good loudness, with a Devialet mode for its best sound.
Prices on this page were last checked October 31, 2026 at 7:11 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 Explore | Huawei Sound Joy | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $294.99 | $180 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #142 of 177 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #40 of 177 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~70Hz | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 27 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 26 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (631 g) | 1.5 lbs (680 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | AAC, SBC |
| Dimensions | 3.2” x 4.9” x 3.2” (81 x 124 x 81 mm) | 8” x 2.9” (202 x 73 mm) (height x width) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.8” (46mm) full-range drivers | 1x 50x75mm racetrack woofer (20W) + 1x 19mm silk dome tweeter + 2x passive radiators |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes (3 microphones) |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C (5V/2A, 9V/2A, 10V/4A) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 60W | 30W total (20W + 10W) |
| Maximum SPL | 91dB (Manufacturer specified) | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| App | Yes (Bang & Olufsen app) | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | Yes (with G-sensor orientation switching) |
| Strap | Yes (carabiner) | - |
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