The prestigious audio brand Bang & Olufsen has recently released its latest candy in the form of wireless headphones: Beoplay Portal. Nobody is going to question what this brand represents for audiophiles around the world, but entering the video game sector is another matter. But you are not only going to use them for video games, since these headphones have the quality and the functions that will make them your off-road headphones. For starters, they have noise cancellation, which makes them ideal for traveling or listening to music in areas with ambient noise. But, what can influence us when choosing these magnificent headphones? It is clear that quality is paid, and that is one thing that must be clear in the world of Hi End audio. Without further delay, we leave you our analysis of Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Portal.
A little history
For those who do not know, Bang & Olufsen is a Danish electronics company (televisions, car audio equipment, speakers, etc.) that has been on the market for many years and stands out for its high quality and design. It is not a brand to use, but we are talking about luxury taken to the extreme, both in components and in the final result, be it audio or video. A brand that does not stop innovating and improving every day to be the benchmark in the world of audio-video.
Now the brand is launched into the world of video games by launching wireless headphones for Xbox, although of course they will be connected to any sound source through bluetooth 5.1. To do this, the first thing we must do is link them correctly. The Easy to use It is clear since to connect them to an Xbox (either Series X | S, or One) it has a button dedicated to use, which makes connection very easy and fast.
To connect them to any other bluetooth source, you must simply have previously downloaded the “Bang & Olufsen” app, available for both Android and iOS. With this, you can equalize to your liking, regulate the level of noise cancellation, predefined listening modes, etc. By testing them here I already began to realize what I was facing.
Quality in all aspects
You open the box and realize the quality of the packaging and the product it contains. To the touch, these Beoplay feel firm and robust. With very well finished and pleasant materials (with the upper part of the headband covered in leather), a hallmark of the B&O brand. They also feel comfortable and light when you wear them (just 282g in weight) and are very ergonomic Thanks to the pads that won’t bother you after hours of use (12h of autonomy with Wireless Xbox and 24h via bluetooth). These pads are provided with a fiber fabric that protects them from the fat contained in human skin. They are also dressed in leather, which shows the quality of the product. And we haven’t even started talking about sound yet!
Features
As for controls, on the right earphone we have the power / bluetooth button, the connector for charging via USB-C (in 3 hours we will have the battery fully charged) and a touch strip to regulate the volume. In the left earpiece we find the button to link with the Xbox console (using the Xbox Wireless protocol) and another touch band to regulate the level of noise cancellation to our liking. Also the Headphone surfaces are tactile with which we can perform multiple actions depending on the source to which we are connected. Thus, we can stop or resume playback when we are connected to a source by bluetooth, mute the sound when we are connected to an Xbox, even take a call or mute the microphone while we are in a conversation with a double tap on that surface.
The sound quality is not less, obviously. When it comes to the brand that it is, we expected no less in terms of sharpness and versatility. And that’s the key to these headphones, which sound perfect in both music and video games. Key aspect when considering its acquisition. It is not exactly a cheap product (quality never is) and this requires all possible versatility. I’ve been able to test these headphones across a wide range of genres and none of them disappoint. Gears 5, Forza Horizon 4, Cyberpunk, etc … In all of them it makes playing even more enjoyable.
But I have also been able to try them with many musical styles, from rock to jazz, through pop, reggae, etc., enjoying every note like a dwarf. Of course, in Bang & Olufsen know how to do things. Too bad we couldn’t test these headphones with an uncompressed audio source. One detail that it does suffer from is a lack of bass in some cases. It is not something important, but when seeing how it handles the rest of the frequencies, it is something to take into account. By the way, they also have support for Dolby Atmos which makes them more attractive if possible.
Conclusions
To get a but, that you can already imagine what it is at this point, is its price. It is not available to everyone, so your purchase must be highly valued. Of course, as we have commented previously, they are not exclusive headphones for when you sit in front of the console. You are going to use them a lot, and you are going to be more than satisfied with the sound quality and versatility they have. Quality pays and in these Beoplay we assure you that it is appreciated at all times.
Ease of use, sound quality and versatility are the cards that Bang & Olufsen handles to tempt us with this little toy. And having tested them thoroughly, I assure you that you have to be strong not to indulge yourself. They are the Hi End brand for a reason!