Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore

What comes with the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore?

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore comes with a handy carabiner, making it the ideal companion for outdoor activities. A USB-C cable for charging is included, but no pouch or other accessories are included.

Technical specifications of Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore is 8 cm in diameter and 12 cm high. The compact, high-quality aluminium cabinet is stylish and robust. The Explore is dust and waterproof to IP67, making it ideal for outdoor adventures. The silicone coating on the base offers the best possible protection for more rugged applications, but if the small speaker is dropped on a hard surface, you can expect nasty scratches and nicks on the grill.

Inside the speaker, there are two 1.8-inch (4.5cm) drivers that provide 360-degree sound. This ensures that the sound is evenly distributed in all directions. The maximum volume is not particularly high, but should be sufficient for smaller outdoor settings. However, in a noisy environment or at a party, the Explore will quickly reach its limits.

Thanks to MFI (Made for iPhone), Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair, pairing is quick and easy with the Bluetooth 5.2 Box (SBC included). The box also supports multipoint with a maximum of two devices.

According to the manufacturer, the battery lasts an impressive 27 hours at moderate volume, making it an ideal companion for long outdoor trips. In our practical test, we could not quite confirm this battery life. We managed around 24 hours, which is still impressive considering the summer temperatures during the test period.

There is no built-in microphone, so a hands-free function as a ‘can phone’ is not possible.

App connection

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore is set up and controlled via the free Bang & Olufsen app, available for both iOS and Android. The app allows you to pair two Beosound Explore speakers for stereo sound and offers a number of sound optimisation options: Instead of conventional EQ controls for bass, mid and treble, the manufacturer has opted for intuitive control via predefined sound profiles. Bright and Warm allow you to quickly and easily adjust the sound without getting bogged down in technical details. You can then save your own creations as a preset.

Other features of the app include a player display, alas without a cover art, and seamless integration with streaming services Tidal, Deezer and your own local music collection, for example on a networked NAS.

This is how good Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore sounds

The sound of the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore is good to very good for its size and can reproduce frequencies between 56 Hz and 22,700 Hz. The two drivers produce a well-balanced sound with clear highs and well-defined mids. Vocals, in particular, are natural and unadulterated, making this speaker ideal for podcasts, audiobooks and vocal music.

The bass is acceptable for the speaker’s compact size, but rather subtle, so fans of bass-heavy music may be disappointed. The 360-degree sound dispersion ensures that the sound is evenly distributed in all directions – an advantage for outdoor use.

One point of criticism could be the volume. The manufacturer claims a maximum sound pressure level of 91 dB/SPL. This means that the Beosound Explore reaches its limits in noisy environments. Nevertheless, the ability to connect two speakers for true stereo sound is a welcome addition.

Conclusion

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore is the perfect outdoor loudspeaker for adventurers who value not too loud, but high-quality sound and a robust, stylish design. With IP67 certification, it is waterproof and dustproof, and the long battery life of up to 27 hours makes it ideal for camping trips or days at the beach. The sound is good to very good for the size of the speaker, especially with clear mids and highs, although the bass is subdued. The maximum volume is sufficient for smaller groups and quiet environments, but the speaker reaches its limits in louder scenarios.

With a street price of around 200 euros, the Beosound Explore is no bargain, and the lack of connections such as an AUX input or a microphone could be a drawback for some. If you want more, you should look at Anker’s Soundcore Motion 300, for example, which offers a lot of added value for around €90, but is obviously not as self-confident as the Beosound Explore.