Bang & Olufsen has just released the 2020 iteration of its powerful and portable Beolit Bluetooth speaker series.
For the uninitiated, a quick history lesson: in 2012, the Danish luxury audio outfit launched the Beolit 12 – the firm's inaugural picnic-basket-esque portable Bluetooth speaker. It was a £600 product created in collaboration with Danish designer Cecilie Manz. In 2015, the Beolit 15 arrived at a more affordable price-point and brought some neat extra features to the party. In 2017, the Beolit 17 update hit shelves.
Now, the 2020 upgrade is here and, as you might expect, it's called the Beolit 20.
So what's new? Well, the Beolit 20 retains the iconic silhouette of the Beolit series, but the original pattern has been reimagined with "angled lines and spiraling corners" to give a distinct and dynamic look while optimising acoustic performance.
The height and curvature of the top shelf has been revised to give multiple placement options when charging smartphones (there's Qi wireless charging in the top of the unit now), the buttons have been made more durable and a new tanned leather strap adds a classy finishing touch.
The new Beolit's battery now lasts a claimed 30 per cent longer too – impressive when you consider that the Beolit 17 delivered up to 25 hours of playtime at "background listening volumes" or 6 hours at typical listening volumes.
Under the hood, the speaker's 5.5-in long-stroke wideband woofer combined with 3 x 1.5-in full ranges and 2 x 4-in passive bass radiators promise a room-filling, True360 omnidirectional sound, with 77dB bass capability and 93dB in mid-range loudness.
Also, you can now stereo pair two Beolit 20s, or pair a 20 with a Beolit 17 in mono to enhance the Bang & Olufsen sound experience.
The Beolit 20 is available in two colourways (Grey Mist and Black Anthracite) from today, priced at £450 ($500, about AU$850) from Bang & Olufsen and select third-party retailers. How good does it sound? We can't say – yet...
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