Mid-priced but premium sound system for iPhone, iPod

Solution for iPod iPhone speaker system

The Bose® SoundDock Portable has been my number one choice for a speaker system since Christmas 2007 when I tried it with my iTouch. The sound was better than anything else in the store and it was portable.

Bose controls the price of this black beauty. It has hovered around $399 to $449 for almost two years. Amazon has them for US $399 and that seems to be the only price.

So is it worth it?

The sound is what impressed me two years ago and it still does. As a caveat, Apple iPhone music compression algorithm is very good but not as good as a CD and even close to listening to vinyl on a good sound system.

Playing iPhone compressed music on the Bose SoundDock Portable is very good. These is lots of bass, the transients are realistic, the mid is a little compressed but it sounds better than any other source except excellent headphones in the $400 plus range.

That’s the beauty of the Bose SoundDock: a portable device is converted into a room filling stereo system. Being portable, it works great outside on the deck as long as neighbors don’t complain.

I listened to it for hours without fatigue. Mostly I was fascinated how great it sounded. I have a few tracks we recorded as Expecting Rain five years ago. They were just garage band recordings but they are great.

Bats for Lashes, Daniel Lanois, Slowcoaster, Bob Dylan, U2, Emmylou Harris – it sounded great with a warm immediate feeling.

In my live recording of Un Canadien Errant, you can hear string finger squeaks, the light lead guitar and someone cough. There is definition on the flute and fiddle that come in on the last chorus. The sound is real.

Bose gets both a good and bad rap. Bose low priced units definitely shape the sound but it sounds pleasing. I have a Bose LI system that blows people away with its CD sound in live folk and blues music performance.

Bose quality has always been high and so have the prices. There are cheaper solutions. We’ve tried them and this is the best one yet for our iPods, iTouch and iPhone.

The tiny remote turns it on and off, adjusts the volume, changes play lists and songs. Handy when you are across the room and feeling lazy.

Related Bose SoundDock Portable and iPad a cool music system

Another portable music player or computer can connect at the back with a stereo mini-pin. A manual is there but the unit is pretty self-evident.

Portable

The Bose SoundDock has a carrying handle and case if you want it. It feels solid and heavy at 5 lbs. Some comments warn against taking it outside too much. The battery seems to last 2 hours and can take up to 10 hours to charge.

Short review from YouTube

Where to buy the Bose SoundDock in the USA

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