Bose SoundDock System for iPod or iPod mini

Rating:
Summary: Best sound in a stand alone system.
Review: Between my wife and myself we own a JBL On stage, an InMotion IM3 and this Bose SoundDock. They each have their advantages and purposes:

The Bose SoundDock has, by far, the best sound of all three: Absolutely beautiful, clear and rich, with powerful base. Note that it's too big to easily throw in your suitcase for a 2 week vacation, but is small enough to easily move between rooms. If you want great sound, are OK with generally leaving this home, and are OK with the price, this is the one to get. IMO the remote is just the best for these kinds of systems: It has an instant off button that will turn off your iPod backlight and screen while it continues to charge (this issue is a bit of a hassle on the other systems), as well as buttons for next/previous track (or scan within track) and volume control.

The InMotion IM3 is the only one I have which will play on batteries, is extremely portable and includes a decent remote. It's the most cost effective and portable of the three, and it has really decent sound.

The JBL On Stage is a nice compromise. The sound is quite noticeably better than the InMotion, most significantly in the low end. For a very small room, this unit is so good that you might not miss the Bose. It's small and light, so it's very portable, but unfortunately does NOT play on batteries, and has no remote. Note, we did have a problem with this unit as others have described (don't put your iPod in its cradle while the sound-stage is powered on.) It went bonkers, and the nice people at the apple store replaced it on the spot. No problems since. If you want this kind of portability and sound but feel you need a remote, you can buy the $50 navipod remote, which works with the on-stage for switching tracks. (It works with volume too but not if you put your ipod in the dock cradle, instead you'd need to use the on-stage's separate audio cable.)


I think one could be happy with any of these, depending on their usage and need for portability.

Pete



Rating:
Summary: Great sound and easy setup
Review: Great sound, especially bass. Easy to set up (just the power cord and appropriate adapter for your "size" iPod). Small size and nice appearance, so you can put it anywhere. Don't know why the power cord and power adapter "brick" have to be so large, but you can hide them behind the unit. I wish Bose marketed a little less: its annoying to know that so much of what you pay for it goes into those Bose stores, direct mail campaigns, etc.

Rating:
Summary: Best iPod Speakers out there
Review: I did my own field review of all Apple iPod speakers (inMotions, JBL, etc)

Sound quality wise, the Bose clearly outperformed all other speakers

However, this unit is pretty big, so for portability, I wouldn't recommend it, in comparison to many others

However, if you're looking for a stereo replacement, then look no further - this unit will provide you with sound that rivals most stereos

The price is pretty high, but if you're big on music, then its well worth it

Despite user complaints, I have found the remote to work pretty well

And yes - iPod Minis work great in this thing

Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: I recently bought this speaker at the apple store in my town after several weeks of saving up and I could not be happier with my purchase. I have a 15 gig 3rd generation ipod that i use all the time and now that I have this speaker I use it more than ever. I have it placed in the corner of my room and it sounds like I have an enormous sound system in my room but its just a tiny speaker. I love bose and I love the soundDock!

Rating:
Summary: Bose Ipod Speakers
Review: I'm so disgusted with Bose right now! I recently ordered this SoundDock System and a several days later received an e-mail from Amazon saying they were refunding my money because they couldn't get information on my order from Bose.

What a great marketing scheme.

Actually, I'm happier now because I bought a set of Creative Technology Speakers and they sound quite good for $185.00 less.

I've never been a Bose fan and I will continue that feeling.

Rating:
Summary: Many more highs then lows
Review: The Bose Sounddock is quite good if not amazing. I ordered it at Apple.com after the holidays and it came in 3 days with regular shipping. It is ridiculously easy to set up, and fits nicely anywhere, because it has a nice small size that can seem at times underwhelming. I say this because the sound is great, yet it is amazing it is coming from a little speaker. The remote is small like all bose remotes are... but it only has six buttons and you'll probobly end up just controlling the sounddock from your ipod anyway, considering that an ipods screen is so small. The one bad thing is that the bass is not good at all, and neither the treble. As an explanation, Bose says that their machines do not play them as well because they are not 'real noises' and that it 'takes away from the experience'. Just the fact that they feel like justifying themselves in a note they ship with the machine is dissapointing. All in all, however, it is a good machine, if not a little expensive at $299.

Rating:
Summary: Solid sound, great range remote control
Review: The Bose system sounds fantastic. When comparing it with bookshelf systems (that I previously used with my Ipod at work and on my desk at home), the Bose Sound Dock literally blows them away. The sound is rich and accurate, allowing you to hear all instruments clearly. The remote has a great range and is easy to use. Remote control does not allow you to move through Ipod menus, but only advance / skip tracks (forward and backward); adjust volume; play/pause and turn the unit on or off. This is fine by me as you can't typically read the Ipod menus from more than an arm's length away.

I love this unit and will use it in my office and when I need to throw a party (anywhere).

Rating:
Summary: Unit came broken, replacement broke after first use
Review: The first unit that was shipped to me did not work at all. It did not charge the iPod or play sound of any kind. I was dissappointed for what was essentially a $300 speaker. I called up Bose and after some conversation (yes, its plugged in, yes I'm sure the outlet works, yes, I matched the symbols in the back) they shipped a replacement while I shipped the old unit back. A new one came promptly, worked once quite nicely. When I moved it into the office, again it didn't work. Moved it back to where it did work. Still no sound or charging. Now I just want to return it, but its complicated because it shipped from Bose though was purchased through Amazon.

Just to be clear, our home does not have electrical problems. All our electronics and computers work fine.

Rating:
Summary: Great Sound, Simple Design
Review: This is a simple docking station for your iPod (mini or older version)with amazing sound! I walked into a Bose store and this thing was playing and I was expecting some serious speaker set-up and instead found this simple, relatively inexpensive item (Bose had for $299). It's an amazing "accessory" for your iPod and worth every penny! I'm so relieved...I'm selling my huge CD player now with it's 5 mini speakers and replacing it with this. Makes intelligent use of your iPod investment.