Bose SoundDock Portable 30-Pin iPod/iPhone Speaker Dock

Bose has designed a very good small portable speaker system worthy of their name. You always know what you get with Bose and you can count on superior build quality and rich sound. I spent some time trying to decide between the Bose SoundDock Portable and Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin. While the Zeppelin provides the best sound quality it lacks the portable features of the SoundDock. I was convinced I was going to purchase the Zeppelin based on the design and strong reviews it consistently receives. However, I simply couldn't steer away from Bose when making the final purchase decision. The Bose SoundDock Portable provides traditional Bose sound quality which is rich in mid-range and bass even at low volume levels. There is a carry handle built into the unit centered and near the top on the back side. Build quality is evident; the top portion of the carry handle is even rubberized to maximize grip when moving the unit. I carry this unit all over my house and it sounds great everywhere. Operation couldn't be more simple. Simply dock your iPod or iPhone into the front and you are listening to great sound even if the unit is not plugged in. The battery life is impressive and it lasts far longer then the 3 hours claimed by Bose. The unit ran for nearly 8 hours over a period of two days prior to needing re-charged. Another impressive feature is the unchanged sound quality regardless of running on AC power or batteries. There is a removable battery pack on the back of the unit that can be replaced when the batteries (Li-Ion) eventually run down. The included remote is simple and provides basic control function (play, pause, on, off, skip, playlist change and volume). The remote has a high-quality feel to it and the buttons are the right size and provide an appropriate level of resistance. The face of the remote has a rubberized feel to it and the range as well as reception angle is excellent. There is one light built behind the front of the speaker grille that provides status. If you hold down the off button on the remote, it will indicate the current battery level by color. The indicator light illuminates while the unit is charging and shuts off when fully charged and also illuminates when you press a button on the remote. The SoundDock will charge your device when docked both when plugged in and running on the battery pack. The Bose SoundDock Portable provides excellent sound and is simple to operate. It is truly a portable unit and maintains identical sound quality when not plugged in. The build quality is excellent and remote is of equal quality. Battery life if impressive and operates far longer then the 3 hours claimed by Bose. It gets very loud with no distortion and should make all but the most discerning audiophile smile. The Bose SoundDock is a portable device that will bring you years of convenience and sound quality.

About me: I'm a Computer Programmer/Photographer who uses a Laptop for coding, DSLR to take pictures and Good music player to listen to music. Simply put, I use a equipment for what it's meant for (and the manufacturer is good at making it). I'm not a musician but still have a deep love for any music. For people who aren't anywhere close to getting a Bose: So if you're the kind to use a cellphone to take "awesome" pictures, DSLR to take videos and Dock Station to have Alarm and Radio, you rather go for one of those Dock Stations which has the fancy LED Display, Radio and Alarm clocks but sounds distorted when you try bumping it up beyond 60% Volume (basically Jack of All trades, master of none). They're still worth every penny if you need a Multi-purpose gadget. No complaints there. You can stop reading now. Those who are seriously considering a Bose Sounddock: Just remember, with Great Quality comes Great Price. :( If your love for music is greater than your desire to save a couple of hundred dollars of hard earned money, then this is my 2 cent. "Buy it, blindly" (else) "Go to a store nearby and compare the quality of every Dock ever manufactured. 2 hours later, you'd still buy this one" Why? Pure "Music Magic". The SDP blew away every Dock on the shelf (of similar portable size). Sounddock Portable (or) Soundlink??? Bluetooth is certainly a nice thing to have in a Dock Station, but Unfortunately SDP doesn't. But that isn't a deal-breaker and definitely not a reason you need to go for a Soundlink blindly. Soundlink sure is more portable (weight/dimension wise), but definitely slightly less on the volume front. And both Sounddock ($100 off) and Soundlink are same in price now ($299). I choose volume over portability and to fix the lack of Bluetooth, all I did was get a Sounddock Bluetooth Adapter for $15 off Amazon. So now, I have a truly portable SDP which can play music from almost anything using Bluetooth/IphoneDock/3.5mm AUX. I already have the Bose MIE2i mobile headset so I really wasn't surprised over the clarity of the SDP or the Ergonomics of Bose products. What really surprised me is the difference the Waveguide speaker technology has over other Docks. No matter which end of the room you are sitting in, it almost feels like sitting in the best seat of a Music concert... Pleasing to the ears. I still haven't jacked it up to max volume cos it's so loud, I don't want the apartment neighbors to complain. Ideal portable player for outdoor camping, BBQ, indoor parties/workout etc. It just doesn't play music... it gets you into the feel of it too. Bose has also paid attention to small practical problems of a Remote Control and frequently tangled up wires. You'll understand what I mean when you buy one. Only possible Design Flaw I noticed till now: I was a bit shocked at first, when I realized I had to keep adjusting the Iphone on the Dock for loose connection. Then I realized I hadn't docked in the iphone properly and fixed it again properly (need to apply more pressure than you would want to, on a $400 system). The Dock station pin looks a bit flimsy and MIGHT wear out eventually with heavy usage. But doesn't matter to me cos I'm only planning to use it with Bluetooth mostly. My only reason for concern before buying is that, Amazon shows this product was launched in April 18, 2005 (atleast the earliest version of it). But after a lot of research I realized that this product (new version) is just 10 years ahead of the competition and the rest are still catching up. $100 off on a Bose might mean the next version is coming soon but who cares... I ain't no professional musician and I don't think my ears can differentiate anything that sounds better/crisper/nicer than this one. 5 stars!

When the similar Bose SoundDock I'd had for many years stopped working, I was crushed knowing that with the discontinuation of iPods meant the end of new, quality products on which to play my music. I'd enjoyed it pretty much every day and loved it. Finding a great, used replacement is everything. Just want to thank the seller very much for taking the time and effort to make these available!

I listened to the Bose SoundDock Portable, the Sound Freaq SFQ-01R Sound Platform, the Logitech S715i Rechargeable, and the Bose SoundLink Wireless mobile speakers side by side in different environments. Here are my conclusions. Bose SoundDock Portable: This one had the best sound, edging out the Logitech S715i by a nose. On the down side, my iPhone had to be attached to it in order to play music. So if the phone range, or I wanted to make a call, or do anything with my iPhone, I had to detach the phone, which means no music playing, then reattach to listen again. Don't take a man's (or woman's) iPhone away from him, he needs it at all times! Second con, the dock seemed a little flimsy, like one firm blow, and she'd be detached, and you'd be sending in your system to Bose for a costly repair. Also, in terms of being portable, it's a little bulky. Sound Freaq SFQ-01R Sound Platform: Looks great, and that is as far as it goes. I had no trouble connecting my iPhone 3 to the system. I fired it up, and listened...The sound was hollow and tinny. The other three blow this one out of the water. Logitech S715i Rechargeable: I (almost) love this unit. It rocks the house! The sound is within a hair of the Bose SoundDock...until you unplug it. Unplugged, it has some sort of limiter on volume and base to help conserve your battery. Boo! I wanted to use the unit off the grid, i.e. not plugged in. It does have rechargeable in it's name after all, meaning it is intended to be used unplugged. Big disappointment on that one. On the positive side, it has a cool retro look, kinda like my old boom box from the 80s, only sleeker and better sounding! If the sound was the same unplugged as plugged, this device would be the clear winner over the Bose SoundDock Portable (because of the crazy low price, and similar sound quality, volume, and base), but alas, the unplug turns it into a wimpy, stale version of itself. Bose SoundLink Wireless: This was the overall winner for me, and the one I now own, use, and love. First, the sound is really, really good, both at low and high volume. This baby can rock both high and low frequencies (and the middles too, of course). The sound is definitely not as good as the Bose SoundDock Portable, or the Logitech S715i plugged in, but it was definitely better than the unplugged Logitech S715i. Secondly, it is super easy to link to multiple Bluetooth devices, it has a little Bluetooth button on top that you hold down for a few seconds, the light flashes, theres a beep involved, turn on your device and booya!, you are linked. Thirdly, it's super portable, and this is a portable device that I want to take places. It is about the size of a travel guide book, easy to throw in a back pack, suitcase, or even under your arm and go. Most portable of all devices I am reviewing here. I love this unit so much, I bought a second one and gave it to my girlfriend for Christmas, she takes it to work and uses it there. She has complemented its great sound on more than one occasion. BTW, if you want a leather case, consider buying the vinyl unit and then get the leather separate, it may be cheaper than buying the leather unit directly, at least based on today's pricing (December 2011).

this seller sold me the system with a bogus non-fitting and non-conforming plug - it just won't fit; bose recommends a certain model number for this unit and I'm sure the seller knew it

8-4-2024 Well... I have to report that this Bose speaker is still going strong, and still on the original battery! This speaker has done its job and then some. From keeping us entertained on the beaches in Florida, to my shop and home in Texas, this Bose SoundDock continues to amaze! It's still my GO TO speaker when quality counts. I have MANY BT speakers today and this one got it right from the start. The other's are close, but don't quite cut it as far as my ears are concerned. I recently purchased another battery in anticipation that this one has to give up one of these days!! 8-26-10 UPDATE !! Well.... I STILL LOVE IT! Since my last review I have gone to the dark side and purchased an Itouch for me and my Bose. It really completes the package. I have decent stereos in my garage and in my shop. I have found myself carrying the Bose into those areas and not using the BIGGER stereos that are already there. The Bose simply sounds better, way better. People that hear it are convinced. My cousin has since purchased one and so has a friend after hearing at a party. I have wifi at my home and I can tune in Pandora or Rhapson the Itouch, park it in the Bose, and carry uninterupted music anywhere on my property and even to our next door neighbors. I love this modern technology! A far cry from the old 8-track days!! (Original Review) My cousin had one of these at the beach recently. People kept walking up the beach to us wanting to know "where is that music coming from?? It sounds amazing and I don't see anything." He pulled up the small beach towel and the Bose was under it. They could not believe the quality of the music... even out in the wide open. How can such a small speaker make that much music? His answer was "I don't know ask BOSE"! I couldn't believe it either. I bought one as soon as I got home. I do not have an Ipod. I have a Creative Zen M. It sounds awesome. The Bose Sound Dock does not sound like a speaker in a plastic box. It has amazing, natural sound and the bass is incredible for such a small package. It will not vibrate your glass off the table but the lows are low & smooth enough to make you say WOW! I know the price hurts, but the pain goes away after 3 songs! Thank You Bose.... You have a new fan!!! I LOVE it!!

Bought as a gift and the recipient loved it. Instead of a novel I'll share quick tidbits about it: 1) It is of high quality, obviously. The weight is balanced and the product is very durable. A case is not completely necessary if transporting. 2) This version is $100 more than the other, seemingly identical model. This model has a battery, the other does not. While the use of the battery was not needed, it has been used much more frequently on battery power than expected. So it might be worth consideration. 3) The dock swivels out and back in very strongly. The internal mechanism is a cast steel, not plastic. It charges your device whether running from AC power or internal battery. 4) The battery can be removed (for purposes of fitting into slim compartments or storage) 5) The SOUND: the sound quality gets better the louder this unit plays. It seems to use a type of harmonic exciter (a frequency-specific delay) to allow the full spectrum of the audio signal to be heard. You'll find EQ settings on your device unneeded. 6) The back of the unit allows a barrel plug for the power adapter and a 1/4" stereo connection (other audio device). It works great with a playstation 3 and musical instruments (keyboards, etc). Issues to consider: 7) The touch sensitive pads on the right of the unit for volume up/down are not centered where the +/- symbols are. When tapping to adjust volume level, you may need to push a bit lower than the symbol, depression is and hold. The remote is a better control and quicker for this reason. 8) Even though the power adapter has a bracket for coiling the excess cabling (and the cable is long), do not wind it around it. It will cause capacitance and resistance, which will cause heat and magnetic disturbance to unshielded devices nearby (the latter may or may not be important unless you're recording or listening to something sensitive). Awesome...overpriced...but very, very awesome.

A friend has a smaller Bose sound dock and when I was sitting at his table listing to music over the iPhone 4 speakers he took the phone off the table and put it on his sound dock and I was sold! I went home and searched for a Bose sound dock that I could play my iPhone or iPad on and found this sound dock. It offered something else I was looking for - portability. With its battery, I can move it throughout the house or outside. The second you plug your iPhone or other i-device in your world is a better place. It's like hearing color for the first time. Rich bass, distinctive tones, the sound is unbelievable. I debated for a couple of days over whether it worth spending the money or not for this but after using my bluetooth speakers and how intermittent they can be I decided it was something I would use for a long time and would improve my listening every single day so I bit the bullet and ordered this. I've never been sorry - we work hard in life, shouldn't we have something good to unwind? I have found a couple frustrations - sometimes I wish it were bluetooth. That'd probably add to cost but an extra couple of bucks would be worth it. Another frustration was when I used to dock my iPhone, I'd have to take the cover off each time. I solved that by getting an extension cord -- that let me continue using my phone or iPad while also listening to podcasts or music. With an extension cord you can listen to either iPad or iPhone and still use the devices which is really nice. The dock will charge the iPhone, it doesn't charge the iPad. I didn't buy the dock to charge my iPad so could care less that it doesn't have the amps to charge the larger device - I've seen other reviews that criticize devices like this for not charging devices they were never designed for which is dumb. One other suggestion - the iPhone has a built-in iPod -- which includes an equalizer. You can tailor the sound to what you're listening to so I suggest experimenting with the various settings to customize to what you're listening to. Other than that, I highly recommend this sound dock- like I said,it's like your ears hearing 'color' after monotone for so long!