Friday, July 25, 2008

Bose Soundock Portable Reviewed

By Rob Reger

Most people agree that when it comes to your iPod the Bose sound dock is the best set of speakers you can find. The only downside of the first iPod soundock is that it has an enormous power supply and A/C cord that limits its use as portable speakers. The new sound dock portable from Bose solves this problem. Its portable speaker system has all of the power and sound quality you'd expect from Bose and it's portable. This great portable sound and the Bose name comes at a high price...if you pay retail for the speakers you'll have to fork over $399.

The soundock portable is available in both glossy white and black. It has a very compact design and measures just 12 inches by six inches by 5 inches. The speakers weigh just over five pounds and very closely resemble the original sound dock. There is one distinguishing feature in that the dock your iPod plugs into swivels and can rotate into the unit's body when traveling.

The portable model has a simple design just like the original sound dock and lacks physical controls aside from the two volume controls. The infrared remote include has eight rubber buttons that control volume, playback, play lists, and power. The included remote control is small and simple, but it's rubber buttons are easy to operate. The remote control works by infrared light; however it works well enough to control your iPod from nearly any angle in a large room.

There are two connectors on the back of the unit; one analog input and a plug for the power charger. There are no USB ports or video outputs. The speakers are powered by a lithium ion battery pack that holds a charge for up to eight hours of normal usage. At its loudest volume settings the soundock operates for about three hours. The battery holds its charge for a very long time for considering the speakers power and the amount of bass it produces.

The only thing I don't like about the sound dock's design are the built-in volume controls. They are clumsy and not very sensitive to the touch. When your iPod is plugged into the dock the batteries are charged at the expense of play time if your charger is not plugged in. The carrying handle also serves as the speaker's Bass port which Bose cleverly calls the wave guide exit.

The Bose soundock portable has an LED light behind the speaker grill that lights up when using the remote control and flashes when the battery is depleted. One problem with the portable unit is that if you leave it unplugged for fourteen days you can only turn your speakers on by plugging the charger in. There are no iPod dock inserts included with the speakers so you'll have to use the one's that came with your iPod; however, replacement inserts are available from the Apple store. The power cord has a built in cable winder that makes it easy to travel with; however the plug is large and takes up a lot of room. With a $399 retail price tag it is well worth your while to comparison shop online for sites with the lowest prices and free shipping. There is an optional carrying case but you'll have to shell out $60 more for that.

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