B&O update their Beoplay A1 with Alexa, waterproofing, all-day battery and improved sound to make it an ideal portable speaker choice.

Renamed to Beosound A1, the premium compact speakers updates bring it up to speed with some of the best portable choices on the market.

Design remains mostly the same, with its small, circular shape. A slightly slimmer and lighter profile, redesigned grille pattern, repositioned controls and LED indicator, and USB-C for charging.

Alexa integration uses the three microphones on the speaker to pick up your voice up to five meters away. These three microphones make it a great choice for phone calls too. It will keep listening for the “Alexa” command for three hours after turning off, without eking too much battery.

Battery life will keep you going all-day with 18 hours at typical volume (70dB) and 48 hours at moderate volume (55dB).

IP67 rating protects the Beosound from water, dust, sand and dirt. B&O claim one meter for up to 30 minutes.

You will get a big sound out of such a small speaker. The improved sound quality provides 360-degree audio. The speaker houses a 3.5-inch woofer, 0.75-inch dome tweeter and a pair of 30-watt amplifiers with DSP filtering. aptX and Bluetooth 5.1 support will improve quality for HiFi services such as Tidal and Amazon Music HD, with support for two connected devices.

The premium materials and sound lead to a premium price tag, but fortunately the same as the previous model at $250.

Available in Grey Mist or Black Anthracite on Amazon.

If you’re on a tighter budget, try these portable speakers for under $50.