Bang & Olufsen releases Beosound A5 speaker, designed in collaboration with GamFrates

Inspired by the past, designed for the future.

Text: Bang & Olufsen
Photos: Bang & Olufsen

Bang & Olufsen proudly introduces the new portable Beosound A5 speaker. Designed in collaboration with the Danish-Italian design duo GamFrates, Beosound A5 combines Nordic and Southern design culture with the immersive sound characteristic of Bang & Olufsen, meticulous craftsmanship, and products with a long lifespan.

”Beosound A5 is our new top-of-the-line portable speaker, where the Bang & Olufsen approach to timeless design combines with our vision for the future of sound,” says Michael Henriksson, Head of Product Marketing at Bang & Olufsen. ”We are excited about our first collaboration with GamFrates. The result is two speaker models whose design is based on Scandinavian aesthetics and stands out with its distinctive form.”

Beosound A5 is available in two different color options. The natural aluminum of the Nordic Weave model and the front panel covered with punched paper fiber blend seamlessly with the light oak handle to create the atmosphere of a relaxed summer day on the beach. The black anthracite aluminum of the Dark Oak color option combines with the speaker surface and the handle in dark oak, evoking the image of a winter forest. Both options fit beautifully in both the home decor and the natural environment, and embody the best of Nordic design expertise.

Bang & Olufsen's design classic is being updated

Beosound A5 combines portability and home audio. Its massive metal handle makes it easy to move from room to room, and the speaker can be placed on the floor, shelf, or table. Thanks to the IP65 rating for water and dust resistance, the Beosound A5 is easy to take outdoors as well. A playtime of over 12 hours and a wireless phone charger integrated into the top panel make the Beosound A5 Bang & Olufsen’s most versatile speaker and the perfect portable audio solution. The speaker can be controlled using a smooth user interface or directly from the Bang & Olufsen app.

”Our inspiration for Beosound A5 comes from many different sources, such as the iconic Beolit product range and natural materials that mimic the colors and textures found in Scandinavian nature,” says GamFratesi. ”Our design work has been guided by various combinations of natural materials, from traditional stools to panama hats to the hand-woven leather details of 1960s Danish chairs.”

The soft design language and natural materials of the Beosound A5 respect the curved lines and rounded handle design of the Beolit 607 released in 1961. The Beolit 800 and Beolit 1000 speakers designed by Jacob Jensen in the 1960s and 1970s also inspired GamFratesi in the design process of the Beosound A5.

Powerful and precise sound reproduction in a portable form

Beosound A5 is Bang & Olufsen’s most powerful portable speaker and produces powerful sound in any environment. The four-element speaker system with four digital amplifiers delivers a total of 280 watts of power, enabling the speaker to fill a large room with dynamic 360-degree sound. Equipped with a 5.25-inch subwoofer, two 2-inch mid-range speakers, and one 3-inch tweeter, Beosound A5 represents high quality both in terms of design and sound quality.

Although aesthetic inspiration has been taken from the Beolit series from Bang & Olufsen, the technology of the Beosound A5 is based on the leading Beolab 90 and Beolab 50 hi-fi speakers in its class. The Beosound A5 has been enhanced with a curved sound shaping technology originally developed for the Beolab series, which regulates the sound with utmost precision. The technology enables an immersive experience that exceeds the expectations set for portable speakers.

Designed to last

Bang & Olufsen is known for its durable products, and the Beosound A5 is no exception. In addition to its timeless design, the speaker is designed to be modular, which makes it easier to maintain and repair. This way, the speaker’s lifespan can be extended without having to replace it with a new speaker. Bang & Olufsen will continue to manufacture easily replaceable speaker front panels in new materials and new colors to ensure the Beosound A5 can meet customers’ changing preferences and needs.

These design elements ensure the product has a long lifespan, both for its first owner and for any subsequent owners. When the Beosound A5’s lifespan finally comes to an end after many years of use, the ease of disassembly and the high-quality materials in the structural parts support a circular economy-based continuity.

Thanks to the Bang & Olufsen Mozart software platform, the durability of the Beosound A5 extends beyond timeless design and modular design. Mozart enables the latest audio, connectivity, and software features. As a result, Bang & Olufsen products combine the traditions of the past with today’s technology and future innovations. Thanks to its features, the Beosound A5 can evolve with new technologies and enable new listening experiences for many years to come.

Seamless connections

In addition to the design, the versatility of the Beosound A5 is also reflected in its software. The Beosound A5 can be used as a standalone speaker, and thanks to the Mozart platform, it can be seamlessly paired with another Beosound A5 speaker or any other Bang & Olufsen Mozart-enabled speaker. Additionally, it can be easily integrated into the Bang & Olufsen smart home system, allowing for an immersive listening experience across multiple rooms with the touch of a button.

Mozart’s future-oriented capabilities and the introduction of ultra-wideband enable future features such as the Proximity Pairing interface, taking the speaker’s connectivity capabilities a step further. Proximity Pairing automatically connects two Beosound A5 speakers placed close to each other, creating an impressive stereo listening experience.

Beosound A5 is compatible with, among other things, Beolink Multiroom, Airplay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect and Bluetooth 5.2. In addition to its external design, the speaker’s connectivity features also indicate that it is designed to be taken anywhere.