Bang & Olufsen - Beosound A1 (3rd Gen) vs Bose - SoundLink Max
Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Bang & Olufsen - Beosound A1 (3rd Gen) | Bose - SoundLink Max |
|---|---|---|
| Output power | 60 W | 120 W |
| Battery | 24 h | 20 h |
| Low-end response | 55 Hz | 45 Hz |
Between the Beosound A1 (3rd Gen) and SoundLink Max, the Beosound A1 (3rd Gen) comes out ahead in battery, while the SoundLink Max wins on output power / low-end response. Overall, the Beosound A1 (3rd Gen) scores 74.1 and the SoundLink Max scores 78.1 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The SoundLink Max edges ahead on the Mars Score (74.1 vs 78.1), but the 4.0-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the Beosound A1 (3rd Gen) if you care most about battery. The biggest gaps in its favor are battery. The single most decisive one: Battery — 20.00% more. 24 h vs 20 h.
Pick the SoundLink Max if you care most about output power / low-end response. Its strongest claims are output power, low-end response. The single most decisive one: Output power — 100.00% more. 120 W vs 60 W.
Both ship with comparable water resistance, stereo pairing, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Bang & Olufsen - Beosound A1 (3rd Gen) or Bose - SoundLink Max?
Bose - SoundLink Max leads the current Mars Score by 4.0 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare output power, battery against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Bang & Olufsen - Beosound A1 (3rd Gen) if…
Bang & Olufsen - Beosound A1 (3rd Gen) has the measurable edge on battery h.
Choose Bose - SoundLink Max if…
Bose - SoundLink Max has the measurable edge on output w, frequency low hz.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Bang & Olufsen - Beosound A1 (3rd Gen) wins
- ▲Battery — 20.00% more. 24 h vs 20 h.
Why Bose - SoundLink Max wins
- ▲Output power — 100.00% more. 120 W vs 60 W.
- ▲Low-end response — 10.00 Hz less. 45 vs 55.
Spec comparison
Audio
| Spec | Bang & Olufsen - Beosound A1 (3rd Gen) | Bose - SoundLink Max |
|---|---|---|
| Output power | 60 W | 120 Wlead |
| Low-end response | 55 Hz | 45 Hzlead |
| Stereo pairingⓘ | true | true |
Durability
| Spec | Bang & Olufsen - Beosound A1 (3rd Gen) | Bose - SoundLink Max |
|---|---|---|
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP67 | IP67 |
| Weight | 600 glead | 2360 g |
Battery
| Spec | Bang & Olufsen - Beosound A1 (3rd Gen) | Bose - SoundLink Max |
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 24 hlead | 20 h |
| USB out (powerbank) | false | truelead |