Denmark’s luxury hi-fi brand Bang & Olufsen has unveiled a new outdoorsy member of its portable speaker range called the Beosound Explore, which rocks an eye-catching aluminum shell for durability and IP67 waterproofing for all-weather adventuring accompanied by B&O’s signature sound.
“We created Beosound Explore to be our toughest speaker that can withstand the outdoor elements,” said the company’s Christoffer Poulsen. “The speaker is dust- and water-proof, embodied in a scratch-resistant type 2 anodized aluminum surface. The exceptional sound quality for its size makes Beosound Explore the perfect companion for any adventure.”
The Explore is reckoned to be the first speaker to be wrapped in Type II anodized aluminum housing, with heatsink-like grooves for a secure grip while out and about and an IP67 waterproof rating that means it can survive submersion in a meter (3 ft) of the wet stuff for up to 30 minutes, while also keeping cheeky grains of sand from spoiling the beach party.
B&O has poured its signature sound into two 1.8-inch full-range drivers, each driven by a 30-W Class D amp for the promise of all-around sonics with satisfying bass, across a frequency range of 56 Hz to 22.7 kHz and with 91-dB sensitivity. Campers can also look forward to up to 27 hours of continuous playback per charge of its 2,400-mAh battery for rocking and rolling all day and night.
Audio is streamed from a music source over Bluetooth 5.2, with support for the SBC codec but no aptX or AAC – though it is a certified Made for iPhone product. And two Explore speakers can be paired to get the campout rocking in stereo.
Playback is controlled via a waterproof user interface up top, which is reported responsive even when the user is wearing gloves, and custom EQ tweaking is available through the B&O app.
With a diameter of 81 mm (3.1 in) and a height of 124 mm (4.8 in), it may look to be something of a cylindrical brick, but tips the scales at a relatively lightweight 631 g (22 oz), so shouldn’t pose too much of a problem for long-haul treks. And you don’t necessarily have to make room for it inside your backpack, you can hang it outside using the included aluminum carabiner, or just carry it around via the textile strap.
The Explore is the cheapest member of B&O’s portable speaker lineup, which includes the A1and Level, and is available now in anthracite and green for US$199, with a gray finish following in the coming months.
Bang & Olufsen heads outdoors with aluminum-clad portable speaker [New Atlas]