Dock / Speaker System for iPod

2006-02-09 03:15:08

Hello All,

My wife (zen micro) and I (iPod photo) are strongly contemplating buying a DAP dock/speaker system for each other (or is it ourselves?) this Valentine's Day.  I just went to the deptartment store to investigate and found several models available (ranging from $80 to $150) of the type we're looking for, all of which dock the iPod and have a line-in to accept the zen micro.

Could anyone that has experience with this type of hardware offer any recommendations as to which model offers the best sound for the $?  Any links to external web pages that have user recommendations would also be greatly appreciated  (I already tried searching the HA forums on this topic with no luck).

One of the models I checked out was the JBL On Stage II (the most heavily advertised of the bunch), though I wasn't too impressed with the sound quality (acknowleging that something this small is never going to sound "great").

http://www.jbl.com/home/products/product_d...II&cat=&ser=HMM

Thanks for your help!

Dock / Speaker System for iPod

Reply #1 – 2006-02-09 04:21:51

My first thought was that you should splurge on a Klipsch iFi, but it doesn't sound like $399.99 is quite your cup of tea.  You may want to think of a great pair of computer speakers instead.  If I were you, I'd simply use the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 system for my iPod and Zen.  It has an analog cable, just as you would use with your computer, and its performance is fantastic, especially for $149.99, much better than one of those tiny iPod dock-based stereos...again, I suppose it depends on your needs.  For me, performance and sound quality trump portability and perhaps ease of use every time...

Dock / Speaker System for iPod

Reply #2 – 2006-02-09 15:20:15

Thanks daybreaker - that never crossed my mind.  I agree that some decent 2.1 desktop computer speakers would be the best sounding solution for the price.  It might be a tough sell for my wife though, I think she's set on something a little "sexier"  (for lack of a better word) i.e. a 1-piece unit.  We'd also like it to be able to move the system from room to room, so computer speakers are somewhat lacking in terms of portability.  I will however keep your advice in mind as I keep looking for the be-all...

Dock / Speaker System for iPod

Reply #3 – 2006-02-09 17:01:51

I have had good experiences from both the Bose Sound Dock and the Altec Lansing InMotion iM7.  My personal favorite was the iM7 system because it had a few features that the Bose system didn't have.  The iM7 is quite a bit larger than the Bose system.  The iM7 is also about $40 cheaper than the Bose and it can be used as a portable "boom box" for the iPod as it can run on batteries or its AC adapter.  Both produced pretty good sound quality though I found the base from the iM7's to be more prominant than the Bose.  The iM7's also have a line-in so you can hook up your wife's Creative mp3 player.  Both come with remotes that have play, pause, rewind/previous track, and fast forward/next track functionality.  The only thing I didn't like about the iM7 system is that it does not come with a small LCD letting you know the volume you are playing at, not a big deal but a personal preference.

My boss has the Bose system (he has more money) while I have the iM7 system.  We both use our iPods during presentations so I got to play with the Bose before purchasing the iM7 model.  I also recomend checking out a Apple Store if you have one near you.  The Apple stores carry pretty much all brands out there, they even have a couple brands that are exclusive to the Apple store.

Dock / Speaker System for iPod

Reply #4 – 2006-02-09 17:53:00

Thanks kornchild, will check out both of your suggestions - I've had Altec Lansing computer speakers for 4+ years now that have treated me very well.  Great idea about the Apple store, will look into that also.