Bose’s recent introduction of a portable version of its SoundDock iPod speaker system has inspired me, at long last, to post these comments about the original version. I’ve been using the SoundDock since its introduction, and during that time, I’ve also auditioned at least a dozen other speaker systems designed for iPod use. None of them has inspired me to think about replacing the SoundDock. While expensive, the $299 SoundDock combines good sound, good looks and absolute ease of use in a way that is most appealing.
Operating the SoundDock is simplicity itself. After a one-time installation of the appropriate sleeve into the dock’s iPod socket (to make sure the iPod fits securely) using the SoundDock is as simple as turning on the iPod, selecting the desired music, and slipping it into the dock. This wakes up the SoundDock, which then goes to work. The only controls on the SoundDock itself are volume up/down buttons. These are duplicated on a small remote that also sports controls for next and previous track, power, and pause.
Bose has long been renowned for the ability to coax a gallon’s worth of sound out of a pint-sized container, and the SoundDock continues in that tradition. Although it takes up but a corner of my bedside table, it can fill the (good-sized) room with sound that is rich, clear, and beautifully defined. The SoundDocks’s ability to play loudly without distortion is remarkable, but that’s not its only trick. Equally impressive is how rich and full the sound is at lower volume levels.
If the SoundDock can be said to have a flaw, it is its lack of an auxiliary input. This makes it unable to work with anything but the iPod you plug into its socket. If you’ve got an old Walkman or Discman, and want to enjoy a tape or CD, you’re out of luck. With hundreds of tapes and CDs in my library this could be a real issue. And if I didn’t have 10,000 songs on my iPod, “could be” would read “is” in the previous sentence. As it is, I can always find something to listen to on the iPod, so the SoundDock works fine for me. But if the lack of a second input would be a deal-breaker, consider the new portable version. It can run on its own internal battery, and has an auxiliary input to accept a non-iPod source. I’ll discuss the SoundDock Portable in a future post.