The Bang & Olufsen Beolit 20 was launched in 2020 and is a successor to the previous model Beolit 17 of 2017. The Danish Company marked its 95th-anniversary last year and launched a range of alluring gold-inspired products to pay tribute to its founding fathers Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen.
Beolit 20 claims that the wireless speaker delivers up to 37 hours of playtime at background listening volumes and up to 8 hours of listening volumes in general.
The new Beolit 20 comes in two finishes- Grey Mist and Black Anthracite. The grey is aluminum and gold combined with a gold-like mesh behind the speaker grille’s circular openings giving the speaker a rad and inviting look. The signature tanned leather strap adds to the appeal and completes the look.
The 2.7 kg Beolit comes with a handle making it convenient to carry around. Unlike Sonos Move or Harman Kardon Citation 200 that comes with a charring deck, the Beolit 20 still uses a USB-C charging port.
Danish industrial designer Cecile Manx designed the Beolit 20. The grille is made of anodized aluminum and peppered with small holes with a substantial strap of vegetable-tanned leather attached to that forms the carrying handle.
The top surface is designed with a minimal pattern with a tiny circle or dot in the center. The circle is designed to place the smartphones to pick up the built-in Qi-compatible wireless charging function. There is a vertical row of five circular indentations on the left side of the shelf that indicates the buttons’ position or switches to control the device. The first button here is the power button to switch on or off the Beolit 20. Next to it is the Bluetooth pairing button and the play and pause control. The last two pits increase or decrease the volume.
Beolit 20 has a 3.5mm stereo jack that connects analog sources and a USB-C port for charging its internal battery using the 15V 3A charger. There is a combination of a 35W class D amplifier and six drivers designed to create the True 360 sound stage. The frequency range of the Beolit 20 is 37Hz to 20 kHz. The frequency range is awe-inspiring, and it can convey both the highs and the lows of any track efficiency with real style and with the right amount of bass. The speaker array includes three 1.5-inch full-range drivers, a single 5.5-inch long-strike, and a wide-band woofer. It also consists of two 4-plus passive radiators for increasing the bass sound.
The Beolit 20 is compatible with a second Beolit 20 or even a Beolit 17 to create a powerful stereo pair. However, there’s no casting or Airplay 2 or any other such convenience with no Wi-Fi connectivity.
Bang & Olufsen Beolit 20 is a winner when it comes to minimalist design or even audio engineering. But on the downside, it’s costly, and that too comes without a Wi-Fi connection. However, one can always fall back on Bluetooth. It is relatively costly for a wireless speaker, but the sound quality and premium quality of materials used in its foundation makes up for it.
Bang & Olufsen Beolit 20: Pros
- Punchy sound with ample bass
- Classic B&O design that comes with premium materials and finishes
- Qi wireless charging pad
- Boosts battery capacity by a third compared to the predecessor
- Bluetooth connectivity
Bang & Olufsen Beolit 20: Cons
- Sound consistency varies through 360 degrees
- Expensive
- Lower volumes lack cohesion
- Wi-Fi and other connectivity is not available