Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. I've tested many a Bluetooth speaker, but never had the chance to experience one from Bang & Olufsen. I've heard other B&O products, but never a portable speaker, such as the Beosound A1 Gen 3 Bluetooth speaker. Also: 5 easy ways to instantly improve your soundbar's audio (and they're free) I had a good idea what to expect from this ~5" round device, and when I pulled it from its box, I wasn't quite sure what to think. It's small, but has some heft, so I wasn't exactly sure if this little speaker could live up to the Bang & Olufsen reputation. Boy, was I wrong. My experience As soon as I had the speaker out of the box, I paired it with my Pixel 9 Pro and decided to play Purity Ring's new album "Purity Ring" (don't you love a good self-titled album?). I did nothing to the speaker, save for connecting it to my phone. I decided not to even check if there was an app for customizing the sound because I wanted to hear the speaker as the B&O engineers intended it, and I'm glad I did. Within the first few bars of the first song, I knew this little speaker was special. I was immediately awash in the breathy, angelic sound of Megan James' voice (I could listen to her sing the phone book and my heart would still swell). Me and Purity Ring were ready to party with the A1 Gen 3. Jack Wallen/ZDNET The first thing that hit me with this speaker was the soundstage, which is about as wide as I've ever experienced in a 5" diameter Bluetooth speaker. Although Purity Ring's music isn't what I would call complex, there are still a lot of layers to it, and the Beosound A1 3rd Gen speaker was more than up to the task of presenting the sonic delights with the delicateness they deserve while not skimping on the bass. Also: What is EQ and why is it an important factor in improving sound? That's not to say this speaker is a thumper, because it's not. At the same time, the bass is surprisingly good for its size. Even better, the bass doesn't get muddy. You can definitely hear the separation between what would be a kick drum (electronic as it is) and the bass. I could hear the thumps at the depths, but as you move up the frequency scale into mid- and high-range lows, the Beosound delivers impressive clarity. There's a solo piano track on the album that is so sweet. I could close my eyes, and it felt as if the performer was actually in the room with me. I could hear the attacks from the keys, and I swear I could hear the rise and fall of the sustain pedal. For a speaker this size and priced at just under $400, that's seriously impressive. After listening to Purity Ring for a while, I decided to see how the Beosound A1 3rd Gen speaker could handle something a bit more complex, such as Rush. I went with my all-time favorite song, "Between The Wheels" (off Grace Under Pressure), and hoped for the best. Could this speaker deliver the same smooth and glorious sound as it did with the poppier side of music? Also: This tiny Bluetooth speaker delivers loud, distortion-free sound At first, the sound seemed a bit hollow, so I decided to see what I could do with the app. After installing the B&O app, I connected it to the speaker and was immediately informed of a firmware update. I allowed that to proceed and waited until I could get back into the app to see what there was to see. This might not be a traditional EQ, but it's quite effective. Jack Wallen/ZDNET The firmware update was sloooooooow, but it did finally finish after roughly 60 minutes, which is probably the slowest firmware update I've ever experienced. This is either a massive update or the process is just excruciatingly slow. Anyway, back to the music. What to know about the B&O app Strangely enough, the B&O app does not have a typical EQ. Instead, you drag a circle within quadrants of Bright, Energetic, Warm, and Relaxed. Believe it or not, this is a pretty effective way of getting the sound you want. No, you can't adjust different frequencies individually, but the nuances you can eke out of your music with this system are impressive. Even better, you can make these adjustments in real time, so you can hear the changes. Once you've found perfection, stop moving the control and save your new Sound Mode. Also: I'm bringing this Bluetooth speaker to every cookout this summer - and you should too I went back to "Between The Wheels," and it was so much better. I then skipped around to different bands and genres to see how the A1 fared, and it blew me away with every tune. I could not find a song that didn't come alive through the A1. I did find myself constantly fiddling with the Sound Mode, because, with every song I played, I was certain I could tweak the sound to get even more from the speaker… and I wasn't wrong. Most people will probably stick with the default sound (which is quite good), but if you really care about how your music sounds, you'll want to play within the app. In the end, I realized that I'd created several custom Modes and was bouncing between them to my delight. ZDNET's buying advice I love this speaker. Even at a cost that might drive some away, this isn't a situation where you are simply paying for the Bang & Olufsen name; the A1 delivers, and that $399 price tag is worth it (if you want a portable Bluetooth speaker that doesn't sound like a portable Bluetooth speaker). If you want an elegant, refined sound, the A1 Gen 3 speaker certainly fits the bill. Given its size, this is one of those Bluetooth speakers that will impress anyone. Beosound A1 Gen 3 specs 60W power output. 3.25" woofer and 0.6" tweeter for 360-degree sound. aptX Adaptive and AAC Bluetooth 5.1 codecs. Up to 24 hours of battery life. Durable, dust and waterproof (IP67). Multipoint connectivity and stereo pairing capability. Cradle to Cradle Certified.