Short answer: the B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen. It ranks #11 of 172 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.3/5, at $395. The Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen ranks #37, rated 3.8/5, at $159, $236 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
The Beosound A1 2nd gen is the more refined small speaker. A 3.5-inch aluminum woofer and a silk dome tweeter run on two 30W amplifiers, with bass reaching about 58Hz before falling 10dB. It claims 18 hours of battery, is IP67 and supports aptX Adaptive and AAC. Its round, flat aluminum body is built to last.
The SoundLink Flex 2nd gen gets much of that for far less. Its clear, balanced midrange keeps voices easy to follow, and it adds a 3-band EQ, stereo pairing with a second Flex and the same aptX Adaptive and AAC support. It is IP67 and weighs 1.3 lbs (586 g). RTINGS found its treble can turn piercing on hi-hats, and its battery is rated for 12 hours.
Buy the B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $236 saving on the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen is not enough to make up the difference.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
A very portable 586g, IP67-rated speaker with a clear, well-balanced midrange that keeps voices and instruments intelligible.
Amazon $159.00 eBay
A 558 g IP67 waterproof puck speaker with 18-hour battery life, aptX Adaptive support and a built-in strap.
Amazon $395.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 17, 2026 at 6:04 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
| Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen | B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159.00 | $395.00 |
| Ranked | #37 of 172 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #11 of 172 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (586 g) | 1.2 lbs (558 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 7.9” x 3.5” x 2” (201 x 90 x 52 mm) | 5.2”W x 5.2”D x 1.8”H (133 x 133 x 46 mm) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Drivers | 60mm full-range driver with passive radiators | 3.5mm aluminium driver + 0.75 inch silk dome tweeter |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | Yes (built-in strap) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 58Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 90ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 93dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Amplifier Power | - | 60W total (2x 30W Class D) |
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