Bang & Olufsen's latest speaker is waterproof and made of aluminum

Bang & Olufsen is known for its extravagant and high-end audio products, but the company also has a solid track record with compact portable Bluetooth speakers that are much more affordable. Today, B&O is introducing its latest piece of gear that's ready for your summer adventures: the Beosound Explore. Despite being a portable device, the company kept aluminum as its material of choice. And even with that refined exterior, the speaker is IP67 rated dust and waterproof. B&O says the aluminum is also scratch resistant, so it can probably withstand a journey in a bag or being clipped to the side of a backpack. 

Inside, two 1.8-inch full-range drivers are tuned for outdoor performance. More specifically, Bang & Olufsen says those components deliver 59dB of bass output, blasting sound in all directions thanks to True360 sound and the design of the speaker grille. Up top, onboard controls give you access to play/pause, volume, Bluetooth pairing and power functions. Like a lot of portable speakers, you can use two Beosound Explores together as a stereo pair. The company says you can expect up to 27 hours of battery life at "typical listening volumes," which B&O lists as around 70dB. The Explore features Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity and also works with fast pairing tech from Apple, Google and Microsoft.

The Beosound Explore is available in black and green color options for $199 (€199/£169) starting today — online and at B&O retail stores. The grey version will be available later this summer.