So I’ve been eyeing that fancy B&O A9 speaker for months, right? Looks like some futuristic wall art with those giant round legs. Before dropping serious cash, I figured I’d actually test-drive it properly instead of just drooling over ads. Here’s how my testing went down.
First Impressions & Setup Nightmare
Unboxed it feeling like a kid at Christmas until reality hit. Thing weighs a ton! Almost dropped it lugging to my living room. Plugged it in and fired up the Bang & Olufsen app – total mess. App kept freezing during WiFi setup. Took three reboots and swearing at my router before that stupid circle connected properly.
Sound Testing Mayhem
Started blasting tunes while pacing around my apartment:
- Bass rattled my bookshelf at 60% volume – neighbors probably hate me now
- Voice clarity vanished when I stood behind it (that 360° claim? Only if you’re dead center!)
- Switched to acoustic tracks – suddenly heard string scratches I never noticed before
Tried their “Adaptive Room Compensation” feature. Held my phone like an idiot walking circles while it beeped. Honestly couldn’t tell difference after calibration.
Battery Blues
Saw online it has “portable” battery option. Ordered the $300 battery pack separately. Slapped it on… lasted 4 hours playing podcasts? Felt like hauling a concrete picnic table to the backyard. Total scam unless you’ve got Hulk arms.
Google Assistant Tantrums
Enabled voice control shouting “HEY GOOGLE” across the room. Worked okay until music played – then it ignored me unless I screamed like a maniac. Privacy paranoia hit when that little mic light stayed on 24/7. Ended up disabling it completely.
The Final Dealbreaker
Two weeks in, hosting game night. Buddy spills beer near it. Panic-wiped with microfiber cloth… next day noticed stains soaked into the fabric cover. Called support about replacements – they want $150+ for new covers! Felt like buying a luxury car then paying extra for tires.
Returned it next day. Look, if you’ve got perfect-square rooms and like cleaning delicate fabrics, maybe it’s your jam. I’m sticking with my dented old Bluetooth box that survives pizza grease and doesn’t bankrupt me on batteries.
