B&O PLAY beoplay A1 portable speaker by cecilie manz

pint-sized beoplay A1 portable speaker from B&O PLAY offers 24 hours of playback
all images courtesy of bang & olufsen

bang & olufsen’s umbrella company B&O PLAY has released their smallest bluetooth speaker to date. the ‘beoplay A1’ designed by cecilie manz, was manufactured to be ready for a rugged existence that fits in a users hand, and still duplicates the danish company’s highest sound quality standards.

the B&O PLAY ‘beoplay A1’

with an integrated microphone and a battery that lasts up to 24 hours, the aluminum enclosure provides an easy and elegant expression. to protect all the components, the dome is fused with a double molded polymer base, so that the surface appears uniform and smooth. as part of the ultra-portable design, the ‘beoplay A1’ has no buttons or switches.

video courtesy of B&O PLAY

it comes with a leather strap that makes it easy to take everywhere, whether people choose to attach it to a backpack or hang it up at home. despite the size being 133 by 48 mm and weighing just 600 grams, the design has a two-way woofer cone and a silk tweeter to create a wide and spacious 360 degree soundstage.

the leather strap

‘we had a desire to create an ultra portable speaker that you instinctively want to take with you,’ says the designer cecilie manz. ‘the speaker has a size and shape that makes it natural to take it with you, and the combination of aluminum, soft polymer and pleasurable leather makes you just get the urge to lift it up. I like good speaker rounded and circular form, which clearly tells you that the sound is meant to be shared with others.’