The Beosound Level goes loud too – we generally tested it on a third of the max volume and it was already providing room-filling sound. For the sake of our neighbors, we didn’t try to test the speaker at max, though an accident that involved us leaning on the ‘volume up’ button without realizing it showed that this thing can really hit deafening heights (if you’re leaning on it). When it comes to streaming audio, there’s a choice of Google Chromecast Built-In and Apple AirPlay 2. Both these wireless protocols mean that the Beosound Level can work as a multi-room audio system so that speakers all around the home can be playing the same music or different music from each other. I love the idea of having music playing in the kitchen and the dining room and being able to move around with the same music playing in each room on different devices in perfect sync. The sound produced by this classy wireless speaker is truly sublime. There’s a clarity in the midrange and a projection that makes it sound divine. The precision of the drivers, coupled with the solidity and weight of the aluminum chassis, provide a solid performance that’s both light and substantial at the same time There’s a richness that permeates from behind the speaker grille and fills the room with music that’s omnidirectional and fulsome but without ever distorting. Unlike most wireless speakers, B&O has designed the Beosound Level to have a user-replaceable ... [+] battery and an electronics module that can be completely replaced when wireless technologies evolve. B&O The battery-operable Beosound Level proves you can take it with you—at least in this life. Its beautiful design will have your heirs fighting over who gets it when you’re gone.

Beosound Level review: A top-tier portable music streamer Beosound Level review: A top-tier portable music streamer

The design of the B&O Beosound Level is likely going to be a hot topic, as the appearance of this speaker is undoubtedly a divisive one. While it’s won awards from some prestigious bodies, everyone who spotted it during our testing period opted for ridicule over praise.Power Amplifiers: 2 x Class D at 30W for the woofer, 1 x Class D at 30W for the full range, 1 x Class D at 15W for tweeters Take care when toting the Beosound level, lest you press the buttons that delivery a factory reset. The design of the Beosound Level has all the makings of a modern classic. Just as well, with its ... [+] sustainable design, this is one speaker that should last for many years. B&O Equipped with two 4" woofers, one 2" full-range drive and two 3/4" tweeters, Beosound Level delivers an impressive sound experience. The Digital Signal Processing (DSP) has been specially tuned to challenge the limits of physics no matter how or where you place the product to listen to your music. B&O’s companion app for the Beosound Level invites the user to choose between several EQ Listening Mode settings—including Energetic, Lounge, Party, and Night. You can also dial in a personalized EQ on an interesting virtual wheel of options that shifts the tonal balance between bright, bassed-out, and several points in between. After a lot of fooling around, I decided the default “Optimal” setting was the best.

Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level review: a premium

It also helps to apply a feathery touch as you slide or roll across the volume control zone. All but one of the seven ascending volume-up (and down) tap points are good for three level steps, so there are 19 level gradations in all. I found the most accurate way to alter the volume level was to roll the side of my index finger up and down this zone. The volume will go to quite loud levels but around halfway is comfortable listening for most people. Adjusting the volume by running a finger over the control strip feels so right and adds to the pleasure of using this beautiful object. The Beosound Level is a classic example of getting what you pay for. In an age of throwaway plastic and cheap materials, it stands out like a Fabergé egg in terms of its quality and craftsmanship. Buying one of these speakers is an investment in something that should last and give pleasure for many years to come. The electronics module inside the Beosound Level is also designed to be upgraded in the distant future. While WiFi and Bluetooth are currently the most modern protocols for wireless music transmission, there will come a time when new technology replaces it. The designers of this speaker have made sure there is room inside the Beosound Level to expand and cope with completely new technology in the years ahead. It’s that kind of forethought that marks B&O out from other brands. Bang and Olufsen cites the Beosound Level as having a 16-hour battery life. Though, if you’re like us, you’ll just leave the thing plugged in rather than hunting around for a charging cable every 16 hours, especially since we noticed some battery drain issues when the speaker was off.Streaming Formats: Chromecast built-in, Apple AirPlay 2, Bluetooth audio streaming, Spotify Connect Despite its diminutive proportions, this thing can fill a room—even to a second floor. Cranking the volume control to the max for a lush Baltimore Symphony rendering of Bernstein’s ‘ West Side Story’ Symphonic Dances on Vermont’s VPR Classical stream, my trusty sound pressure meter showed the Level outputting a house-filling, distortion-free 98 decibels. That’s the same level as the Sonos Move (which, to my ears, sounds bloated when pushed to such an extreme), and it’s 4dB more than the Bose Portable Home Speaker delivered. But honestly, there’s no need to crank the Level to 11 to make it sound special. Any setting above the 50-percent volume mark wakes its full dynamic range and nuanced “Hear the rosin on the bow?” delivery skills. Fine tunings For better—and worse—I discovered the Level’s top panel touch controls to be extra sensitive. A proximity sensor lights up the panel as you approach, which responds best with very light taps and swipes across the panel. Lay a finger down too long on one of its four station/command presets and Google Assistant will spout “Want to reprogram?” Wrap your palm around the touch strip as you’re toting the Level and whoops, you might inadvertently instigate a reboot.