Bang & Olufsen Announces 'Beosound Explore' Anodized Aluminum Bluetooth Speaker Featuring 27-Hour Battery Life

[MacRumors]

Danish audio outfit Bang & Olufsen today announced the Beosound Explore, a rugged, lightweight Bluetooth speaker that's designed for taking on outdoor adventures.

Pitched as the first speaker to use a scratch resistant Type 2 anodized aluminum, the can-shaped unit is IP67 dust and waterproof, weighs 631 grams, is portable (81mm x 124mm) and offers up to 27 hours of playtime on a single charge.

"We created Beosound Explore to be our toughest speaker that can withstand the outdoor elements," says Bang & Olufsen SVP of Product Management Christoffer Poulsen. "The exceptional sound quality for its size makes Beosound Explore the perfect companion for any adventure."

With outdoor use in mind, the Beosound Explore packs dual 1.8-inch full range drivers and delivers 59 decibels of bass, while the grill is cut in 360-degree lines to ensure omnidirectional sound output. Two units can also be used for stereo pairing.

The aluminum shell features a simple user interface on top that's designed to be easy to use with gloves on for colder conditions. The speaker also comes with an aluminum carabiner for attaching to a rucksack on long hikes, and an integrated strap for hanging.

The Bluetooth 5.2 speaker uses USB-C for charging and is certified Made for iPhone (MFi), which means it's passed Apple's compliance and safety tests. Beosound Explore is available in a Black Anthracite, Green or Grey Mist, which B&O says are reminiscent of forests, glaciers and fjords typically found in Scandinavian landscapes.

The Black Anthracite and Green models are available in Bang & Olufsen stores and online from today, while the Grey Mist color will become available in Summer 2021. The speaker retails at $199USD, $299CAD, and £169GBP.

Article Link: Bang & Olufsen Announces 'Beosound Explore' Anodized Aluminum Bluetooth Speaker Featuring 27-Hour Battery Life

 

[JSL1]

👍🏻 Look forward to hearing the sound quality.
Apple lossless support?

 

[boemtje]

Positively surprised at the price there at the end, knowing B&O I thought this was going to be another 400$ item when reading the article. Seems to be Bluetooth only though. Looking forward to the reviews in the next weeks for the actual sound quality.

 

[hellosil]

B&O wants to sell to the Apple crowd, but forgot AirPlay 2 is valued.

Its certified Made for iPhone (MFi), but the MacRumors article would be stronger if it explained what that means in this case.

 

[oreganoinferno]

Great looking product, will check the reviews.
But the advertisement is funny: "Let's take 631g of asymmetrically arranged extra weight, and suffer throughout our multi-day overland hike, so at night we can litter the peaceful scenery with music we listen to any other day"

 

[widestload]

Anodised but with a metal carabiner rubbing on it and enjoying an outdoor lifestyle? Fast lane to becoming a scratched mess . Or maybe a range of add on cases?

 

[George Dawes]

Wish Apple would buy bang & Olufsen , they’ve got so much in common

 

[Internaut]

Before there was an Apple, there was a B&O and the whole world would look at their products in awe and exclaim "OW MUCH????"

So quite surprised by the price of this.

 

[W2u7Yw4HaD]

Great looking product, will check the reviews.
But the advertisement is funny: "Let's take 631g of asymmetrically arranged extra weight, and suffer throughout our multi-day overland hike, so at night we can litter the peaceful scenery with music we listen to any other day"

I was thinking the same thing.. The only thing I want to hear when I'm out in the mountains is, well the sound of the mountains.. Otherwise, I can sit at home and enjoy my Beoplay A6..... Which will sound better anyway since it's 10x the size..

 

[coolfactor]

The Black Anthracite and Green models are available in Bang & Olufsen stores and online from today, while the Grey Mist color will become available in Summer 2021. The speaker retails at $199USD, $299CAD, and £169GBP.

The Canadian price is insulting to customers. An extra $60 CAD added on ... why? Is there an export fee that they must pay to the US government?

 

[-DMN-]

👍🏻 Look forward to hearing the sound quality.
Apple lossless support?

No fault of you own, but everyone’s getting too caught up in the marketing hype. Lossless is currently impossible to transmit over Bluetooth. Lossless is a codec and BT can’t transmit that codec without some loss in quality.

 

[Expos of 1969]

Fantastic I am a music lover but must we ruin even our excursions in nature and the great outdoors with constant sound, much of which may intrude on our fellow campers and hikers?

 

[japanime]

Reminiscent of forests, glaciers and fjords typically found in Scandinavian landscapes

When I read something like this, I know I'm reading nothing more than a copy-and-paste press release.

 

[Marco Klobas]

Probably a paid article.
B&O wants to sell to the Apple crowd, but forgot AirPlay 2 is valued.

Its certified Made for iPhone (MFi), but the MacRumors article would be stronger if it explained what that means in this case.

It's a portable Bluetooth device and battery powered. AirPlay works with Wi-Fi. It'd result a battery drain.

 

[iSayuSay]

Why a bluetooth speaker needs MFi certification? What benefits does it bring? Does it supported by Find My network? Or contains H1 audio chip?

 

[Matt Leaf]

I'd buy it. I have a P2 - it's great. Actually - it's failed on me - twice. And each time it failed before the 2 year warranty was up. Each time i just emailed B&O and they sent me a new one - with new warranty. That sort of service is great.

But this new rugged model looks cool. I like the fact the battery life is a bit higher, and a bit more easy to stand up.

Still yeah, I agree on the marketing. it's weird. I can't stand the idea of turning up to a nice hiking spot and having to put up with someones bluetooth speaker music. But still, nice for the park, nice for the bbq, for moving the unit around the house. I'm not sure what this would get me over the P2, maybe just waterproofness, longer battery life. Fan of the Beoplay stuff.

 

[Whathappened]

Fantastic I am a music lover but must we ruin even our excursions in nature and the great outdoors with constant sound, much of which may intrude on our fellow campers and hikers?

Who said something about constant sound?

 

[DPH]

👍🏻 Look forward to hearing the sound quality.
Apple lossless support?

No, ofc will it not have. It uses Bluetooth.

 

[quatermass]

Great looking product, will check the reviews.
But the advertisement is funny: "Let's take 631g of asymmetrically arranged extra weight, and suffer throughout our multi-day overland hike, so at night we can litter the peaceful scenery with music we listen to any other day"

If I was going on a hike that would be to a place that would require one of these, then I absolutely wouldn't be taking it! Replace that useless weight with some food or essentials, enjoy the ambient sounds (which is why you were going in the first place), and save $200 - that's a much better deal!

 

[Jay42]

Only B&O would get a bluetooth speaker MFI certified because only B&O customers can afford it.

This 'article' being on the MR front page does seem a little grimy.

 

[VulchR]

Swell, so as many noted above, now we'll be able to find the quiet solitude of wild places disrupted by entitled drunken teenagers. 'Leave no trace' includes not making noise pollution in my opinion. If you want to listen to music in nature, be considerate and use headphones.

I can. however, see a place for this in the garden.

 

[VulchR]

Only B&O would get a bluetooth speaker MFI certified because only B&O customers can afford it.

This 'article' being on the MR front page does seem a little grimy.

MFI would be relevant if you want to charge the device from an Apple charger or computer...

 

[odHbo]

Why would an article about B&O's new products be on the Macrumors website??
The article literally does not have the word Apple or Mac in it

The Bluetooth 5.2 speaker uses USB-C for charging and is certified Made for iPhone (MFi), which means it's passed Apple's compliance and safety tests.

 

[ZipZap]

Great looking product, will check the reviews.
But the advertisement is funny: "Let's take 631g of asymmetrically arranged extra weight, and suffer throughout our multi-day overland hike, so at night we can litter the peaceful scenery with music we listen to any other day"

Or you can hang out on the beach and listen to it without fear sand and sea will damage it. Perspective.

 

[ZipZap]

MiFi yet they dont support Applepay