Bang & Olufsen just dropped its most expensive earbuds yet, and they’re not holding back on the pitch. Dubbed the Beo Grace, these true wireless headphones come in at a jaw-dropping $1,500 and according to the company, they’re “designed for the century ahead.” That claim might feel lofty, but B&O is backing it up with some eyebrow-raising features.
Beo Grace headphones ditch touchpads for gesture control
Instead of the usual tap or swipe sensors, B&O introduces something far more unusual: air gesture control. By tapping the space in front of your ears, not the buds themselves, you can control volume. It’s a strange concept, but one that might feel futuristic if it works smoothly.
Wrapped in an IP57-rated aluminum case, the Beo Grace earbuds are fully waterproof and built to endure. Still, the luxury feel doesn’t just come from materials. Inside, they pack six microphones to enable what B&O claims is ANC that’s four times more effective than previous models. Meanwhile, “TrueTransparency” mode aims to deliver a more natural ambient experience.
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Audio performance pushes boundaries, but with codec limits
The Beo Grace buds support spatial audio and offer customizable sound through a smartphone app with EQ settings. Titanium drivers, each 12mm wide, promise deep, accurate bass that supposedly reaches as low as 10 Hz.
But codec support feels a step behind. You get AAC and SBC, but LC3 only works when using the charging case’s wired audio passthrough. That’s right, one of the case’s standout tricks is the ability to stream audio via USB-C or AUX, routing it to your earbuds over Bluetooth. It’s clever, and a nod to the feature seen on Bowers & Wilkins’ Pi8.
What you get with the Beo Grace:
- 12mm titanium drivers with 10 Hz bass response
- Gesture-based volume control
- ANC with a six-mic setup
- TrueTransparency ambient mode
- Spatial audio and EQ via app
- IP57 water and dust resistance
- Wired passthrough audio streaming via the case
- Up to 17 hours of battery life with the case
Premium price, premium lifespan, but no battery swaps
Battery life clocks in at 4.5 hours with ANC, extending to 17 hours using the charging case. It charges wirelessly or over USB-C, and B&O claims 2,000 charge cycles of battery longevity. But here’s the catch: you can’t replace the batteries. For a product built “for the century ahead,” that’s a short-sighted omission.
These earbuds might sound futuristic and look the par,t but at $1,500, they’re aiming at a very specific crowd. The Beo Grace wants to set a benchmark, but even at the top, compromises still echo.
