Short answer: the Vifa Helsinki. It ranks #1 of 82 large speakers by sound quality, rated 4.8/5, at $449; the B&O Beosound A5 ranks #12, rated 4.5/5, and costs $1,650, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
Why pick the Vifa Helsinki: Generally regarded as the best midrange and treble sound quality of any battery powered Bluetooth speaker. The tradeoff: No TWS pairing, looks like a purse, requires a hacked Vifa app (Android only post #48) to enable night mode to sound good.
The case for 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. The catch: Bass is limited by its 32Hz - 23kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification.
Buy the Vifa Helsinki. It is rated higher for sound quality than the B&O Beosound A5 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
There is a real gap in water resistance: the B&O Beosound A5 at IP65 (water jets) against the Vifa Helsinki, which has no water resistance.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Vifa Helsinki | B&O Beosound A5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $449.00 | $1,650.00 |
| Ranked | #1 of 82 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #12 of 82 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No (official app is broken, 3rd party android app only) | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 48Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12+ hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX, SBC | SBC |
| IP Rating | None | IP65 |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Beolink Multiroom) |
| Power Input | AC Power brick | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (shared woofer) | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Weight | 3.1 lbs (1.4 kg) | 8.5 lbs (3.86 kg) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 6.1” x 8.3” x 2.8” (156 x 210 x 70 mm) | 11.2” x 7.4” x 5.1” (285 x 187 x 130 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange, 2x 66mm woofers + 2x passive radiators | 5.25” woofer, 2x 2” fullrange, 0.8” tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 32Hz - 23kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | 280W |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | - | 101dB (Manufacturer specified) |
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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
Vifa Helsinki: $449.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Generally regarded as the best midrange and treble sound quality of any battery powered Bluetooth speaker. Measured bass extension of 48Hz (-10dB).
Cons: No TWS pairing, looks like a purse, requires a hacked Vifa app (Android only post #48) to enable night mode to sound good. This one is hard to recommend generally these days: the Uboom L has 98% of the sound quality with more features and a much cheaper price. There are mentions that the 2022 “new” version of this speaker doesn’t sound as good as Vifa was purchased by a Chinese company and laid off all the great sound engineers in the Austria office.
Full Vifa Helsinki review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 50W |
|---|---|
| App | No (official app is broken, 3rd party android app only) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 48Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.1” x 8.3” x 2.8” (156 x 210 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange, 2x 66mm woofers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Partially (shared woofer) |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 3.1 lbs (1.4 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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