Bose SoundDock Docking Station for iPod: What Do I Need My Stereo System For?
Written: Sep 12 '05 (Updated Oct 12 '08)
Product Rating:
Pros: sound is rich & clear, great look and size
Cons: can't work the iPod via remote, remote could easily be lost
The Bottom Line: Bose has brought it's trademark sound to the most popular MP3 technology on the market and created a replacement for most bulky stereo systems.
AliventiAsylum's Full Review: Bose SoundDock® (Black) Docking Station for A...
One thing I used to love to do was take all the songs I liked in my record and CD collection on create tapes - and later CDs - of them in random order. When I got my iPod last winter, I was thrilled as this meant I didn’t really have to do that any more. However, it wasn’t until I received the Bose SoundDock Docking Station for iPod that I truly appreciated being able to press a button and have all of my favorite songs - and then some - at my fingertips for random play.
We picked it up at a local electronics store. The Bose name was really what sold me on it without hearing my own iPod playing in it (note to local electronics stores - this would be a huge sales tool - allowing people to hook up their own iPods). The box wasn’t terribly large so I wasn’t surprised by the size when we set it up. Much like the Bose radio, it packs a lot of sound in a small space.
Setting up the Bose SoundDock Docking Station for iPod was easy. There are the speakers and the stand. Adapters are included in the box for the various iPod models. I placed the adapter insert for my Apple iPod 20gb MP3 Player in the base of the station. I then connected the Bose SoundDock Docking Station for iPod to a power source before inserting my iPod into the base.
Once I inserted the iPod so that the docking connector on the bottom of my iPod was securely in the dock on the Bose SoundDock Docking Station for iPod, I pressed Shuffle Songs. The song happened to be one I’d converted from a CD, and it sounded richer and crisper than I’d ever heard it before. The bass is terrific and the song resonated cleanly throughout my home. I listened to Bruce Springsteen as well as Duran Duran and both sounded fantastic. The real tests for me came when I found Led Zeppelin’s What Is and What Will Never Be as well as U2’s Where The Streets Have No Name. When my husband had wanted to buy the Bose SoundDock Docking Station for iPod I had fought him, saying we didn’t need it. Now I was glad he hadn’t listened to me. The sound was amazing and clear with no distortion as I turned up the volume. He told me to keep going, but I was more afraid of blowing out a window in my home - it’s that good!
The unit is fairly small, measuring just 6.65 inches high by 11.91 inches wide and 6.48 inches deep. The Bose SoundDock Docking Station for iPod weighs just 4.56 pounds, so it should be suitable for just about any shelf in the home or apartment. It looks nice and sleek too, and won’t overpower or dominate any room it’s placed in. This is nice because of the way it integrates itself with some of the iPod features. Not only does the iPod recharge while it’s inserted in the base of the Bose SoundDock Docking Station for iPod, but by using the alarm function on iPod I’ve got a new way to be certain I bounce out of bed in the morning (or awaken softly if I lower the volume).
The remote is small - about the size of a credit card. It doesn’t work the functions of the iPod, so selecting the song I want or shuffling the songs has to be done from the click-wheel on the iPod itself. The remote only controls on and off, volume up or down, and next track or previous track. It would be nice if the remote could somehow interact with the iPod, but that would also require a way to view the songs. The remote is infrared and works quite well from across the room, even when not pointed directly at the Bose SoundDock Docking Station for iPod. There is a 3-volt battery inside which should last 1-2 years. Don’t fret if you’re like me and easily lose remotes - replacements are available from Bose for $9.98.
Depending on the iPod you own, you have to check if you have software compatible with the Bose SoundDock Docking Station for iPod. The various models and software versions are listed in the owner’s manual. The iPod software can easily be updated should you need to right from the Apple website.
The Bose SoundDock Docking Station for iPod is really easy to use and provides a crisp, clear sound. Combined with an iPod, it can easily replace any monster stereo system or shelf system and provide a sound your friends will be suitably impressed by. I don’t know if my stereo will ever make it out of the boxes once we move now that I have this!
For more on this unit, see: http://www.bose.com/controller?event=VIEW_PRODUCT_PAGE_EVENT&product=sounddock_multimedia_index
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