Short answer: the B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen has been measured and ranked among medium speakers; the JBL Pulse 6 has not been independently measured yet, so until it is, this comes down to features and price.
The case for the JBL Pulse 6: A 63.8mm woofer on 30W RMS and a 16mm tweeter on 10W RMS, with JBL rating the response down to 42Hz, well below the Pulse 5’s 58Hz.
On the B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen side: B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen uses 3.5mm aluminium driver + 0.75 inch silk dome tweeter.
On paper: The B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen has more amplifier power, 60W against 40W. The B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen is rated for 18 hours of battery against 12 hours. The B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen is lighter, 0.6 kg against 1.5 kg.
Price: the JBL Pulse 6 lists at $329.95 and the B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen at $395.
Buy the B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen if you want a speaker whose sound quality has been measured and ranked. It also has more power, longer battery life, less weight and an app.
Buy the JBL Pulse 6 if you prefer its design or features, and you can wait for measurements to confirm how it sounds.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Pulse 6 | B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.95 | $395.00 |
| Ranked | - | #10 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Amplifier Power | 40W RMS (30W woofer, 10W tweeter) | 60W total (2x 30W Class D) |
| App | JBL One | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Capacity | 34Wh (7.2V, 4722mAh) | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 | 5.1 |
| Charging Time | 4.5 hours | - |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C, lossless) | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 264H x 132W x 106D mm | 5.2”W x 5.2”D x 1.8”H (133 x 133 x 46 mm) |
| Drivers | 63.8mm woofer, 16mm tweeter | 3.5mm aluminium driver + 0.75 inch silk dome tweeter |
| EQ | Yes | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 42Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | - |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Strap | No | Yes (built-in strap) |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) | Yes |
| Weight | 1.49 kg | 1.2 lbs (558 g) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 58Hz |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 90ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 93dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
Prices on this page were last checked September 29, 2026 at 3:43 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
JBL Pulse 6: $329.95 Amazon eBay
Older model: the JBL Pulse 5 (rated 3.7/5).
Pros: A 63.8mm woofer on 30W RMS and a 16mm tweeter on 10W RMS, with JBL rating the response down to 42Hz, well below the Pulse 5’s 58Hz. IP68 makes it fully dustproof and submersible, a step up from the Pulse 5’s IP67. The 360° light show now runs over an illuminated carry handle too, with 16 themes, a double-tap bedside lamp and a Sunset Mode sleep timer in the JBL One app. Bluetooth 6.0 with SBC, AAC and LC3, lossless playback over USB-C, and Auracast for stereo pairing or linking PartyBox speakers and PartyLight Sticks.
Cons: No independent measurements or tested reviews have been published yet, so its real bass extension, loudness and tonal balance can’t be compared with ranked speakers. It plays in mono from one woofer and one tweeter, so a single unit gives no stereo separation. Battery life is rated at only 12 hours from its 34Wh pack, charging takes up to 4.5 hours, and the USB-C port can’t charge a phone. There is no strap, only the built-in handle.
Full JBL Pulse 6 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W RMS (30W woofer, 10W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | JBL One |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Capacity | 34Wh (7.2V, 4722mAh) |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 |
| Charging Time | 4.5 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C, lossless) |
| Dimensions | 264H x 132W x 106D mm |
| Drivers | 63.8mm woofer, 16mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 42Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) |
| Weight | 1.49 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- These figures are manufacturer-specified rather than independently measured.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen: $395.00 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen, ranked lower, rated 4.1/5.
Pros: B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen uses 3.5mm aluminium driver + 0.75 inch silk dome tweeter. Its 558 g, claimed 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) battery life, IP67 protection, up to 93dB and mono playback make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use. Measured bass extension of 58Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass is limited by its 58Hz specification.
Full B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 60W total (2x 30W Class D) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 58Hz |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive |
| Bluetooth Latency | 90ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 5.2”W x 5.2”D x 1.8”H (133 x 133 x 46 mm) |
| Drivers | 3.5mm aluminium driver + 0.75 inch silk dome tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 93dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| 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 vs 2nd gen - worth the premium?
- Alan Ross Reviews: B&O Beoplay A1 2nd gen vs Minirig mk3 bluetooth speaker More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: B&O Beoplay A1 2nd gen vs Minirig mk3 bluetooth speaker
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Motion Plus vs Beoplay A1 2nd gen - The Match!
- techkiste.net: B&O Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) vs Bose Revolve 2 vs Bose Revolve+ 2 sound-comparison
- Oluv Patreon: B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen vs Beoplay A1 outdoors with a bit of Anker Soundcore Motion+ too
- Oluv Patreon: (Anker) Soundcore Motion 300 - first impressions
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- See all 68 comparisons