Bang & Olufsen has created a unique product with the Beolit 12, but its quirks and high price make it hard to fully recommend.

The Beolit 12 is part of B&O’s effort to offer modern sound systems that cater to the digital music revolution, with most users streaming music via services like Spotify. Competing with brands like Bowers & Wilkins, Philips, and Libratone, Bang & Olufsen now offers a compact wireless system under the B&O Play brand.

The Beolit 12 stands out visually from typical B&O designs. Measuring 23 x 18.8 x 13.3 cm and weighing 2.8 kg, it packs a punch with its 120-watt Class D amplifier, two 2-inch tweeters, and a 4-inch woofer, capable of filling medium-sized rooms with high-quality sound. It uses Apple’s AirPlay for wireless streaming and also supports USB and minijack connections.

However, setting up the Beolit 12 can be cumbersome. Unlike its competitors, which offer easy wireless setup, the Beolit 12 requires an Ethernet connection to configure. It would be more convenient if the system could create its own Wi-Fi network for setup. On the bright side, it can save up to three Wi-Fi profiles, making it easy to switch between networks, such as at home and in a vacation house.

The back of the Beolit houses a port for power and Ethernet, with space to store the power cable. The built-in battery offers up to eight hours of playback on a full charge.