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Products
Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen
Tested using Methodology v0.8
Updated Jun 25, 2025 06:02 PM
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Amazon.comTested using Methodology v0.8
Updated Jun 20, 2025 02:51 PM
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Amazon.com
BluetoothYes
Wi-FiNo
SpeakerphoneYes
Voice AssistantYes
Battery PoweredYes
BluetoothYes
Wi-FiNo
SpeakerphoneNo
Voice AssistantNo
Battery PoweredYes
Our Verdict
Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen
The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen and the Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) have slightly different strengths and target slightly different markets. They're both portable speakers that are well-suited to use outdoors, but the B&O is priced for a premium buyer who values its sleek Scandinavian design. It's not all about looks, though, as the B&O has a battery life that's four times that of the Bose, and its replaceable battery is better for the environment. The B&O's circular design also means it sounds similar regardless of your listening angle. On the other hand, the Bose has a more even, balanced frequency response and supports your phone's Siri or Google Assistant. The Bose is also much cheaper.
Variants
- SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) (Alpine Sage)
- SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) (Black)
- SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) (Blue Dusk)
- SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) (Citrus Yellow)
- SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) (Petal Pink)
- SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) (Sandstone)
- Beosound A1 3rd Gen (Eucalyptus Green)
- Beosound A1 3rd Gen (Honey Tone)
- Beosound A1 3rd Gen (Natural Aluminum)
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Alpine Sage
SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
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Amazon.comEucalyptus Green
Beosound A1 3rd Gen
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comBlack
SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
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Amazon.comHoney Tone
Beosound A1 3rd Gen
SEE PRICE
B&HBlue Dusk
SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
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Amazon.comNatural Aluminum
Beosound A1 3rd Gen
SEE PRICE
B&HCitrus Yellow
SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
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BestBuy.comPetal Pink
SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
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Amazon.comSandstone
SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
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Amazon.comMain Differences forMusic
Music
Threshold
Music
6.6
6.6
Frequency Response Accuracy
7.1
6.4
Soundstage
5.3
7.1
Full Comparison
Design
Style
Style Photo
RGB Lights
No
No
Portability
9.3
9.3
Dimensions Photo
Volume
56 in³ (919 cm³)
50 in³ (812 cm³)
Weight
1.3 lbs (0.6 kg)
1.3 lbs (0.6 kg)
Power Source
Battery & USB
Battery & USB
One-Hand Carry
Yes
Yes
Build Quality
8.7
8.3
Build Quality Photo
Material Quality
Good
Great
Water Resistance
Submersible (IPx7)
Submersible (IPx7)
Dust Resistance
Dust-Proof (IP6x)
Dust-Proof (IP6x)
Impact Resistance
Yes (IK rating unspecified)
No
Floats In Water
Yes
No
Controls
8.6
8.9
Controls Photo
Controls Photo 2
Ease Of Use
Okay
Great
Feedback
Great
Good
Music Play/Pause
Yes (Physical)
Yes (Physical)
Call Answer/End
Yes (Tactile)
Yes (Physical)
Volume Up/Down
Yes (Tactile)
Yes (Physical)
Track Next/Previous
Yes (Physical)
Yes (Physical)
Microphone On/Off
Yes (Tactile)
Yes (Physical)
Additional Controls
Yes
Yes
In The Box
In The Box Photo
Sound
Frequency Response Accuracy
7.1
6.4
Frequency Response Graph
Slope
0.49
-0.23
Std. Err.
1.97 dB
3.11 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
64.4 Hz
76.6 Hz
High-Frequency Extension
17.5 kHz
18.0 kHz
Raw Frequency Response
Raw Frequency Response Graph
Binaural Recording @ 1m
Binaural Recording @ 2m
Soundstage
5.3
7.1
Directivity Graph
Directivity Index
5.05 dB
1.67 dB
Stereo
No (mono)
No (mono)
Dynamics
6.2
6.3
Dynamic Range Compression
SPL @ Max Volume
84.5 dB SPL
86.2 dB SPL
DRC @ Max Volume
2.73 dB
2.89 dB
Active Features
Battery
6.4
9.1
Battery Life
6.6 hrs
24.3 hrs
Charge Time
2.4 hrs
2.8 hrs
Power Saving
Yes
Yes
Charging Port
USB-C
USB-C
Battery Powered
Yes
Yes
Voice Assistant
5.7
0.0
Alexa
No
No
Google Assistant
Yes (Requires Smartphone)
No
Speakerphone
Yes
No
Siri
Yes (Requires Smartphone)
No
Voice Assistant
Yes
No
Voice Activation
No
No
Microphone Mute
No
No
Far-Field Performance
Excellent
No Assistant
Ambient Noise Performance
Excellent
No Assistant
App
7.9
6.3
App Picture
App Name
Bose
Bang & Olufsen
iOS
Yes
Yes
Android
Yes
Yes
EQ
Graphic + Presets
Graphic + Presets
Stereo Pair Mode
Yes
Yes
Party Mode
Yes
No
Multi-Room
No
No
Connectivity
Wired
Aux Input
No
No
USB Audio
No
Yes
Other Ports
No
No
Bluetooth
8.3
8.7
Bluetooth
Yes
Yes
Bluetooth Version
5.3
5.1
Bluetooth iOS Latency
119 ms
33 ms
Bluetooth Android Latency
135 ms
201 ms
Bluetooth Range
275.6 ft (84.0 m)
334.6 ft (102.0 m)
Multi-Device Pairing
2 Devices
2 Devices
Wi-Fi
0.0
0.0
Wi-Fi Version
No Wi-Fi
No Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi Frequency Band
No Wi-Fi
No Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
No
No
Apple AirPlay
No
No
AirPlay Latency
N/A
N/A
Google Chromecast
No
No
Chromecast Latency
N/A
N/A
Check Price
Alpine Sage
SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comEucalyptus Green
Beosound A1 3rd Gen
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comBlack
SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comHoney Tone
Beosound A1 3rd Gen
SEE PRICE
B&HBlue Dusk
SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comNatural Aluminum
Beosound A1 3rd Gen
SEE PRICE
B&HCitrus Yellow
SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
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BestBuy.comPetal Pink
SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
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Amazon.comSandstone
SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
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Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
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Comments
Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) vs Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen: Main Discussion
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