Bose SoundDock Portable digital music system (Gloss Black)
- UPC: 017817417778
- Brand: Bose
- Compatible Devices: Apple iPod Apple iPod Classic Apple iPod Nano Apple iPod Photo Apple iPod Touch
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96
Totally Portable Concert Hall Sound and it Charges an iPod Too!
Pros
Outstanding sound, easy to use, good battery life, charges iPod, looks cool.
Cons
A bit on the spendy side.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Even for its price, it delivers value for money in sound quality, portability and ease of use.
The original Bose SoundDock is a wonderful piece of audio engineering. It was and is considered an expensive "speaker" for an iPod but the sound quality is difficult to argue. This new version adds features, eliminates the cord, sounds better and is more expensive but it is a total winner of a product.
Abstract
Officially called the Bose SoundDock Portable Digital Music System, this is a true evolution of the original SoundDock which has been on the market for three years. Bose is tight-lipped about performance specifications, preferring customers to pass judgment on their products by listening rather than digesting data carried out to the fourth place after the decimal point. As an engineer, I like the fine details but find the approach of "Just listen to it" to be refreshing. This small wonder delivers sound, portability, good looks and does so in a light, compact form factor.
Form Factor
The Portable SoundDock is virtually identical to the original in overall dimensions but it adds the convenience of a molded carry handle in the back of the unit for easy and secure portability. In the front, the universal dock swivels back into the unit to protect it in transport. It swings out and locks easily and securely into position to dock an iPod. The only controls are the volume up and down buttons on the right side of the cabinet. There are no displays, just one multi-function indicator light which glows in red, amber or green to indicate various status conditions (more later). The Apple Universal Dock is used to provide docking for all iPodia. Color-keyed inserts are provided to fit the numerous iPodia which are available.
Compatibility
The one deviation from the original SoundDock is the lack of specific support for the "G3" iPod with black and white screen and four buttons below the screen. Some users have reported compatibility issues with this older iPod but I have not encountered any problems. The one caveat is that the G3 will not respond to commands from the remote with this or devices of other manufacturers but it can play through it. The G3 will not charge from the SoundDock Portable, however. This system is clearly designed to take advantage of the newer iPodia, specifically supporting any and all "clickwheel" iPods, the new iPod Touch and all three generations of the Nano, Classic, etc. There is a nice work-around for older iPodia and non-iPod devices. Bose added a 1/8" stereo input in the back for connecting CD players, satellite radio or any other sound source. The advantage to using the dock is the ability to control both the iPod and the SoundDock from the Bose remote. Control over the iPod functions of an iPhone is very slick and sophisticated. The iPhone can be put into iPod mode from the touchscreen or even if it is "off", pressing the buttons on the Bose remote will wake it and take it right into music mode at the top of the music index. Use of the playlist buttons navigates through the playlists as with any other iPod. However, when the iPhone has been awakened by the user, album art will appear and the screen will dim but still be quite visible, changing album art as songs change.
Power
The portable SoundDock can be operated from its own internal lithium-ion battery or from the plug-in power supply which charges the battery. The power supply has a groove around it for winding up the cord neatly. Why nobody else has thought of this simple feature yet amazes me, but it is very nice. It takes approximately ten hours to charge the internal battery. When the battery is charging the indicator light on the front the unit flashes amber. When the battery is fully charged, the indicator light goes off.
An iPod can be charged in the dock when the unit is plugged in and off or in use. Additionally, the SoundDock will charge the iPod when it is running on its own battery power, so it is a good way to top off the charge on an iPod or iPhone.
Once charged, Bose states that the Portable SoundDock will provide up to three hours of use at full volume. This is difficult to assess because this system is loud. Full volume might be okay in a school auditorium, church hall or other large venue but crank this up to full volume on the patio and you had better hope your neighbors share your taste in music. At reasonable volume, I have observed that it will play for 5-6 hours. When the battery needs to be charged, the indicator light blinks red. When this begins it still has about 10-15 minutes of reserve power.
Sound
The sound is phenomenal. Like the original SoundDock, full spectrum sound is magnificent. Bass thumps and treble is clear and crisp. Sound reproduction is faithful across the audible frequency range. Again, Bose does not quote specifications for frequency but I suspect the highs certainly exceed the response of the human ear. Sound response is balanced. If you feel a need to tweak playback, you can change the EQ setting on the iPod. There are no sound adjustments on the SoundDock itself.
Controls
The SoundDock itself has only two controls: Volume up and down. The indicator light flashes green when an up or down button is pressed and flashes repeatedly when minimum or maximum volume is reached. The bulk of the controls are found on the remote control.
The Remote is a small, thin, simple device with range I have measured up to 70 feet. There are only eight buttons, most of which mimic the controls of the iPod with the addition of a single "off" button. The off button will turn off the SoundDock, but to turn off both the SoundDock and the iPod, simply press and hold the Pause/Play button. Other buttons allow for selection of playlists, volume control and track seek, forward and back. It is a very simple, easy to use membrane-type keypad remote. A CR2032 lithium battery is used which should provide a number of years of operation before it needs to be replaced.
Subjective Impressions
Bose clearly does not want to cloud the mind of the user with a bunch of numbers. They want this product to be heard and evaluated purely on its performance. While I revel in the numbers, I have to agree that "hearing is believing" in this case. This device could not be simpler to use if it came with a human assistant to operate it. There is no fiddling involved. Just plug in an iPod and adjust the volume and enjoy. Sound is fantastic. It is room or back yard filling sound which has good presence even at a distance. Battery life is very good and the ability to extend operation indefinitely by plugging in the power supply is a nice touch. Charging an iPod or iPhone even while in battery mode is an excellent fine point. The lithium-ion battery appears to be well made and can be replaced by the owner if needed - another nice touch.
It is not cheap, but as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. Bose does not allow its products to be sold at cut-rate prices so expect to pay very close to the $400 list for this item. Then again, it is so good that it can even do double duty as a sound system for an HDTV monitor or other sound source. It is small enough to go and fit almost anywhere and man, is it nice.
Abstract
Officially called the Bose SoundDock Portable Digital Music System, this is a true evolution of the original SoundDock which has been on the market for three years. Bose is tight-lipped about performance specifications, preferring customers to pass judgment on their products by listening rather than digesting data carried out to the fourth place after the decimal point. As an engineer, I like the fine details but find the approach of "Just listen to it" to be refreshing. This small wonder delivers sound, portability, good looks and does so in a light, compact form factor.
Form Factor
The Portable SoundDock is virtually identical to the original in overall dimensions but it adds the convenience of a molded carry handle in the back of the unit for easy and secure portability. In the front, the universal dock swivels back into the unit to protect it in transport. It swings out and locks easily and securely into position to dock an iPod. The only controls are the volume up and down buttons on the right side of the cabinet. There are no displays, just one multi-function indicator light which glows in red, amber or green to indicate various status conditions (more later). The Apple Universal Dock is used to provide docking for all iPodia. Color-keyed inserts are provided to fit the numerous iPodia which are available.
Compatibility
The one deviation from the original SoundDock is the lack of specific support for the "G3" iPod with black and white screen and four buttons below the screen. Some users have reported compatibility issues with this older iPod but I have not encountered any problems. The one caveat is that the G3 will not respond to commands from the remote with this or devices of other manufacturers but it can play through it. The G3 will not charge from the SoundDock Portable, however. This system is clearly designed to take advantage of the newer iPodia, specifically supporting any and all "clickwheel" iPods, the new iPod Touch and all three generations of the Nano, Classic, etc. There is a nice work-around for older iPodia and non-iPod devices. Bose added a 1/8" stereo input in the back for connecting CD players, satellite radio or any other sound source. The advantage to using the dock is the ability to control both the iPod and the SoundDock from the Bose remote. Control over the iPod functions of an iPhone is very slick and sophisticated. The iPhone can be put into iPod mode from the touchscreen or even if it is "off", pressing the buttons on the Bose remote will wake it and take it right into music mode at the top of the music index. Use of the playlist buttons navigates through the playlists as with any other iPod. However, when the iPhone has been awakened by the user, album art will appear and the screen will dim but still be quite visible, changing album art as songs change.
Power
The portable SoundDock can be operated from its own internal lithium-ion battery or from the plug-in power supply which charges the battery. The power supply has a groove around it for winding up the cord neatly. Why nobody else has thought of this simple feature yet amazes me, but it is very nice. It takes approximately ten hours to charge the internal battery. When the battery is charging the indicator light on the front the unit flashes amber. When the battery is fully charged, the indicator light goes off.
An iPod can be charged in the dock when the unit is plugged in and off or in use. Additionally, the SoundDock will charge the iPod when it is running on its own battery power, so it is a good way to top off the charge on an iPod or iPhone.
Once charged, Bose states that the Portable SoundDock will provide up to three hours of use at full volume. This is difficult to assess because this system is loud. Full volume might be okay in a school auditorium, church hall or other large venue but crank this up to full volume on the patio and you had better hope your neighbors share your taste in music. At reasonable volume, I have observed that it will play for 5-6 hours. When the battery needs to be charged, the indicator light blinks red. When this begins it still has about 10-15 minutes of reserve power.
Sound
The sound is phenomenal. Like the original SoundDock, full spectrum sound is magnificent. Bass thumps and treble is clear and crisp. Sound reproduction is faithful across the audible frequency range. Again, Bose does not quote specifications for frequency but I suspect the highs certainly exceed the response of the human ear. Sound response is balanced. If you feel a need to tweak playback, you can change the EQ setting on the iPod. There are no sound adjustments on the SoundDock itself.
Controls
The SoundDock itself has only two controls: Volume up and down. The indicator light flashes green when an up or down button is pressed and flashes repeatedly when minimum or maximum volume is reached. The bulk of the controls are found on the remote control.
The Remote is a small, thin, simple device with range I have measured up to 70 feet. There are only eight buttons, most of which mimic the controls of the iPod with the addition of a single "off" button. The off button will turn off the SoundDock, but to turn off both the SoundDock and the iPod, simply press and hold the Pause/Play button. Other buttons allow for selection of playlists, volume control and track seek, forward and back. It is a very simple, easy to use membrane-type keypad remote. A CR2032 lithium battery is used which should provide a number of years of operation before it needs to be replaced.
Subjective Impressions
Bose clearly does not want to cloud the mind of the user with a bunch of numbers. They want this product to be heard and evaluated purely on its performance. While I revel in the numbers, I have to agree that "hearing is believing" in this case. This device could not be simpler to use if it came with a human assistant to operate it. There is no fiddling involved. Just plug in an iPod and adjust the volume and enjoy. Sound is fantastic. It is room or back yard filling sound which has good presence even at a distance. Battery life is very good and the ability to extend operation indefinitely by plugging in the power supply is a nice touch. Charging an iPod or iPhone even while in battery mode is an excellent fine point. The lithium-ion battery appears to be well made and can be replaced by the owner if needed - another nice touch.
It is not cheap, but as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. Bose does not allow its products to be sold at cut-rate prices so expect to pay very close to the $400 list for this item. Then again, it is so good that it can even do double duty as a sound system for an HDTV monitor or other sound source. It is small enough to go and fit almost anywhere and man, is it nice.
