Bose SoundDock Portable (white)
Manufacturer: Bose Corp. Part number: 43091
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Bose SoundDock Portable is a really good iPod speaker, but it should cost less than $400.
Read more
Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Marketplace |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 12/08/2009 |
 | Not yet rated | In stock | as of 12/08/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Bose SoundDock Portable (white) price range: $360.00 - $399.00
- Reviewed by: David Carnoy
- Edited by: John P. Falcone
- Reviewed on: 09/10/2007
- Released on: 09/20/2007
The good: Relatively compact and portable iPod speaker with a detachable replaceable lithium-ion rechargeable battery that powers the speaker and iPod; includes auxiliary input and remote control; 30-day risk-free trial.
The bad: Expensive; no bass/treble controls; no clock or AM/FM radio; only three hours of battery life at full volume.
The bottom line: The Bose SoundDock Portable is a really good iPod speaker, but it should cost less than $400.
We rarely feature price so prominently in the opening paragraph of a review, but in this case it seems appropriate considering price is this product's main sticking point--or at least the one thing everybody seems to balk at when we mention it. And that's too bad, because the SoundDock Portable is an attractive iPod accessory. Available in black or white, it has nice clean lines, a nifty little hideaway dock that swivels open and closed when you press on one corner, a simple-to-use remote, an auxiliary input for connecting other portable devices, and decent performance. But tell someone it costs $400 (after they listen to it) and you'll get plenty of head shakes. And to be clear, that's a firm $400--you won't find this discounted at Amazon or Buy.com.
So, are you a sucker if you decide to buy this thing? Not exactly, but you sort of have to embrace the idea of overpaying for a product and not worrying about it. It helps that the SoundDock Portable is well-built. Pick it up and you'll notice that it's got a nice heft to it. Weighing a tad less than five pounds and measuring 6.75 inches tall, 12 inches wide, and just more than 4 inches deep, it's almost the perfect size: light enough to carry around but heavy enough to make you feel that it's made up of quality components.
There are smaller--and much less expensive--portable iPod speaker options out there; the Altec Lansing iM600 ($120 street) and the Logitech mm50 (soon to be replaced by the Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere) come to mind. Those flatter models are easier to pack in a suitcase, while the fatter Bose is probably better-suited to being moved from room to room at home (or out on the deck). Its bigger size means it'll offer a richer sound, with more clarity and better bass--and play flat-out louder, too. While the Altec Lansing's built-in rechargeable battery is rated at 7 hours and the Logitech's at 10, the Bose's is rated at just 3 hours--though Bose says you'll get several hours more if you keep the volume at mid to lower levels. As for the SoundDock Portable's battery, we did appreciate that it's detachable and replaceable, though they'll cost a steep $89. (Thankfully, you should get several years of use before needing a replacement.)
It's worth mentioning that when your iPod is docked and the SoundDock isn't plugged in, its battery not only powers the speaker but keeps your iPod charged at the same time. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but chances are the speaker's going to lose its charge before your iPod does, so it might not be the most efficient use of power.
A couple of other nitpicks: a lot of today's iPod speaker systems have built-in AM/FM radios. This one doesn't. Also, you won't find any bass and treble controls on the unit or its remote. If you want to play around with the EQ settings on your iPod, you can (we turned the EQ to "off" because any other setting seemed to have an adverse effect on the sound), but the speaker's settings are fixed and you get the impression that the speaker is processing/filtering your music to optimize it for the speaker's frequency range. That's mostly a good thing, but some audio purists might find the lack of flexible controls unsettling.
The body of the speaker itself has only two buttons--volume up and down--while the remote has just eight buttons that offer basic control over your iPod. You can skip tracks forward and back, pause and play tracks, do some rudimentary menu navigating, raise and lower the volume, and turn the speaker off. The remote is well-designed, with a rubberized coating on its face and buttons below that feel nice and tactile. No complaints there, but just remember you'll need to walk up to the unit to see the iPod's screen if you're looking for a particular song.
As far as the sound goes, we tested the SoundDock Portable with a variety of musical styles, and it did well compared to other compact iPod speakers. We went through a mix of songs--a variety including the Arcade Fire, Snoop Dogg, Annie Lennox, Prince, the Fray, and Angelo Badalamenti (the Twin Peaks theme), and more. A couple of severely bass-heavy tracks on Prince's 3121 album brought the little Bose to its knees (read: things got a little crunchy), but all in all, the low end held together well, even at relatively high volumes.
We expected the system to sound best with acoustic material, which tends not to challenge small speakers, but we were surprised to find that it actually did better with the pop and hip-hop stuff; the midrange just isn't as tight as you'd hope. That said, the speaker does play fairly loudly, particularly for its size, and is well-suited for deck and poolside listening. It will also fill a small to midsize room with sound, but like a lot of other compact iPod speakers, you won't get much stereo separation unless you stand directly in front of the speaker, a few feet away from it.
The Bose SoundDock Portable is easy to sum up. This is a nice product with good sound and solid build quality. It's missing one key feature--a built-in AM/FM radio--and it's at least $100 overpriced. What can we say? Buy it if you can live without the radio and don't mind paying a premium for the Bose name. Those on a tighter budget would do better with something along the lines of the aforementioned Altec Lansing or Logitech solutions, or even the dockless Tivoli Audio iPAL.
User reviews
-
-
Good Product, wish it had external charging dock
by DeadPhan on October 27, 2009
Pros: Great Sound. Portability.
Cons: dont like that i hve multiple batteries and cant charge except through system. Wish they had seperate charging dock or port on battery itself. the dock connecter is a little flimsy n breaks.Speaker blew on one set also after approx 4 months.
Summary: great product for portability and sound. wish they had seperate dock connecter as i have purchased 2 more batteries and i wish i could leave the ones that need charging ...
Summary: great product for portability and sound. wish they had seperate dock connecter as i have purchased 2 more batteries and i wish i could leave the ones that need charging at home while im out and charge them in a seperate charging dock. instead i must charge thru sounddock wich i think is ridiculous. also, the dock connecter itself is not very durable and is compromised over time from regular use. speakers blew on my longest had set after approx 4 months. i have been through 3 or 4 systems already because of these problems, between dock connect and speaker blowing. i am glad i purchased the 40 dollar extra warranty from best buy as i can bring it back anytime i want for up to a year. and after 1 year i get 1 more for following year. i guess ill just have to be super careful with my last one, and probaly not play it at its loudest. all in all great product but much room for advancement
-
Sounds great, speaker blew within 4 months
by alpine2012 on September 1, 2009
Pros: Great sound and battery life. Charges Ipod, smart remote.
Cons: Speaker blew within four months of heavy use - for this price, should last a lifetime.
-
High Quality Sound in a Small Package
by rqbird on August 24, 2009
Pros: * Portable; easy to transport to any location with a full compliment of accessories in the carrying case
* Durable; takes loud music and always delivers quality sound - great indoors or out
* Works with my iPod and iPhone very well; charges bothCons: * Price - not for the faint of wallet, but if you find it on sale, which occasionally it is, worth every penny
Summary: I bought this unit last summer when the unit included the carrying case, so that was a HUGE plus as it is almost a necessity when going portable. It does ...
Summary: I bought this unit last summer when the unit included the carrying case, so that was a HUGE plus as it is almost a necessity when going portable. It does have fantastic sound and will please you at most volumes. People tend to think of the sound quality when they play it loud only, and this unit does that very well but what is particularly pleasing is that if you play it with the volume set lower in a quieter setting the nuances of bass and clarity in the music still holds true.
That is what makes this a GREAT system to me, very versatile! -
Expensive, but worth the money for me.
by leviathan69 on July 22, 2009
Pros: I listened to many portable units. This offers the most room filling sound, while still being portable.
Cons: Wish aux/ipod could be mixed. So I could have microphones connected at the same time music is playing. It is expensive.
Summary: Overall, this met all of our needs, when others could not. Either they did not have rechargeable batteries, or, they lacked sound quality, or volume level. The sound of this ...
Summary: Overall, this met all of our needs, when others could not. Either they did not have rechargeable batteries, or, they lacked sound quality, or volume level. The sound of this unit is very impressive, and can fill a room of medium size for a dancing crowd. As an aside, I bought the $420 package that included the spare battery and carry case. So, for $20 I got another $89 battery and $60 case. (Granted these are inflated bose prices).
-
The Best Portale IPhone speakers period
by ehrose on July 13, 2009
Pros: top notch sound from a pretty small package, portability. And it really can be cranked up
Cons: No FM radio - but I didnt want one anyway price is the only real negative at $399 and to some thats a big one. If price is a complete disaster for you the $200 On Stage 400P is the next best choice, no portability but excellent sound
Summary: it cost a ton but seems to be the best overall IPhone speaker dock with portability added. Is there any other speaker out there that can offer this combination of ...
Summary: it cost a ton but seems to be the best overall IPhone speaker dock with portability added. Is there any other speaker out there that can offer this combination of high quality music from such a small package WITH portability - I dont think so
-
Fantastic Sound!!!
by kahearn on April 12, 2009
Pros: 1. Sound - Rocks
2. Portability
3. Can charge my iphone when traveling (battery to battery)
4. Can plug computer in and use iTunes (great for djing) or watch tv episodes on-line.
5. Great designCons: They say it is iPhone compatible, but you must switch to Airplane mode when using it and lose the ability to get incoming calls - Definitely not what I call iPhone fully compatible. Bass, treble and mid-range controls would be nice.
Summary: Although the price made me choke, I have to say I've gotten incredible use out of this. The sound is fabulous. I can dj on the fly (through the ...
Summary: Although the price made me choke, I have to say I've gotten incredible use out of this. The sound is fabulous. I can dj on the fly (through the iPod, but more importantly, through iTunes on my computer) I've charged my iPhone on the road. I now watch tv episodes over the internet with great sound. I've traveled abroad and it's fully compatible. Many of my friends who have listened to it are buying one, too. Just wish it would be fully compatible with iPhone (receiving calls) and have bass, mid-range and treble controls.
-
Great sound, poor engineering as far as usability goes
by dharmeshsampat on January 2, 2009
Pros: Good Sound Quality. Nice Exterior
Cons: 1. Portable? How do you carry it around? 2. Using the Aux input, you have to get rid of the iPod from the Dock. No switch fto switch between inputs. 3. No FM radio. 4. No feedback indicator for volume
Summary: At $400 I wonder if Bose understands the market or knows how to engineer. The least they need to do is include a bag for the protable unit! It's ...
Summary: At $400 I wonder if Bose understands the market or knows how to engineer. The least they need to do is include a bag for the protable unit! It's even weird that they have no feedback indicator. So let's say if I need to keep tab of the volume level of the unit, my ears are the only indicator and I need to figure out what volume suits me. Poor Poor Product Engineering. I think the team responsible for the Soundock development needs to go back to the drawing board and provide more value for the money.
The Altec Lansing im600 is an excellent example of good design compared to the Bose, but is inferior in sound quality. I think Bose needs to do something about this produc if they think they are serious about it. I wish this feedback somehow reaches the product managers at Bose and they act on it.
The sound quality is phenomenal -
Great system, worth my money!
by pgauthier37 on December 15, 2008
Pros: I get 5 hrs from 1 battery, I bought a second one, which I charge before going to a party or on a trip.
Cons: Dissapointed in sound quality compared to the Bose Companion 3 computer speakers.
I have compared many I-pod speakers, and this one is the best available.Summary: Love my Bose Portable Sound Dock, definitely worth my money, BUY A SECOND BATTERY! You won't regret it.
Summary: Love my Bose Portable Sound Dock, definitely worth my money, BUY A SECOND BATTERY! You won't regret it.
-
THE SOUND WILL BLOW YOU AWAY!
by gingie7 on December 13, 2008
Pros: It really is hard to believe the sound that comes out of these little tiny speakers. Worth every penny and I'd buy them again in minute. No regrets here.
Cons: FM would of been nice, but I purchased this item because it was compatible with my iPhone or iPod and both work great. Some type of case would of been nice, but regardless, the pros outweigh a few small cons.
Summary: BOSE sound blows all others away in my opinion. It's hard to believe this is a little portable sound system when you hear it. It has big stereo sound.
Summary: BOSE sound blows all others away in my opinion. It's hard to believe this is a little portable sound system when you hear it. It has big stereo sound.
-
Worth the money
by DowningB on April 24, 2008
Pros: Great sound for a portable speaker
Cons: The travel case should be included
Summary: Sure, it's overpriced but that's just how it goes with Bose. If your wallet can take the hit, go with the SoundDock. Once your bank account recovers, you'...
Summary: Sure, it's overpriced but that's just how it goes with Bose. If your wallet can take the hit, go with the SoundDock. Once your bank account recovers, you'll be glad you did.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Bose Corp.
- Part number: 43091
- Description: The SoundDock Portable digital music system reproduces music with fullness and clarity unmatched by other battery-powered iPod speakers, from a design even slimmer than the original. Proprietary Bose technologies let you enjoy your iPod out loud in more locations - without compromising sound quality. A rechargeable lithium-ion battery (included) provides more power and longer playing time than most other rechargeable batteries. The rotating dock disappears for storage and protection during transit. And a molded handle makes it easy to carry the system from place to place. Just dock and play. The iPod charges as it plays for uninterrupted music enjoyment. A custom remote easily controls the system and basic iPod functions. Auxiliary input lets you play other portable sources, too. The SoundDock Portable digital music system. Unsurpassed performance and portability for the serious iPod listener - from the most respected name in sound.
General
- Product Type Portable speakers with digital player dock
- Width 12.1 in
- Depth 5.9 in
- Height 6.9 in
- Weight 5.2 lbs
- Enclosure Color White gloss
Speaker System
- Speaker Type Active
- Magnetic Shield Yes
- Audio Amplifier Integrated
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x IPod docking, 1 x Audio line-in ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm )
Miscellaneous
- MP3 Player Compatibility iPod mini, iPod nano, iPod photo, iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod with video (5G)
- Remote Control Remote control - Infrared
Power
- Power Device Power adapter - External
- Power AC 120/230 V
Battery
- Type Speaker battery - Rechargeable - Lithium ion
- Required Qty 1
- Included Qty 1
Product series
-
Bose SoundDock Portable (black)
Manufacturer: Bose Corp.
Specs: portable speakers with digital player dock, 12.1 in x 5.9 in x 6.9 in, Gloss black, Active
-
Bose SoundDock Portable (white)
Manufacturer: Bose Corp.
Specs: portable speakers with digital player dock, 12.1 in x 5.9 in x 6.9 in, White gloss, Active
Manufacturer info
- Bose Corp.
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Bose Corp. products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://www.bose.com/
- Address:
The Mountain, Framingham, MA 01701 - Phone: 1-800-999-2673
%20-%20Compare%20prices,%20reviews,%20user%20opinions%20-%20Shopper.com&srcUrl=http://shopper.cnet.com/mp3-player-accessories/bose-sounddock-portable-white/4014-6519_9-32591600.html){kind=small}