Bose Sound Dock Portable Review

By Rob Reger | July 14, 2008

by Rob Reger

Ask nearly any iPod enthusiast and you’ll find that the Bose sound dock is the best speaker system you can buy. The only limitation is that the speakers aren’t portable with a large power supply and cord. The new Bose soundock portable solves this problem with all of the power and punchy sound of the original model. This is simply the best sounding speaker system available for your IPod and it’s portable. These speakers come with a high price tag; at $399 retail you’re not only paying for great sound but the Bose name at the same time.

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 soundock has the same simplistic design as the first sound dock. There are no physical controls aside from volume up and down. There is a small remote control included that operates the volume, playlists, playback control, and power on and off. This remote is small but has rubber buttons that make it easy to use and operate as long as you don’t misplace it. The remote works well enough and I was able to control my iPod from nearly any angle in the room.

On the back of the soundock you’ll find only two connectors. There are no USB ports or video connections, only a power connector and analog input. The sound dock is powered by a lithium batter pack that gets you about 8 hours of normal use or 3 hours at the highest volume setting. As lithium-ion batteries go this is pretty good considering the quality of sound and Bass response you get from the speakers.

The only downside of the sound dock’s design are the clumsy volume controls. You can easily overcome this limitation with the included remote control. The speakers charge your iPod whenever it’s plugged in; however, this will deplete the lithium battery faster if not plugged into the charger. The speaker’s bass port also serves as a carrying handle which is one of the features that makes it portable. Bose refers to the Bass Port as the speaker’s 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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