4. Bose SoundDock: Excellence In Sound

Simplicity at its simplest

The Bose SoundDock’s angular design is not very elegant. However, its finish and ease of use are excellent. Its functions are controlled with the iPod’s remote control. The only buttons on the dock itself are for volume adjustment.

Functions reduced to the minimum

Compatible only with iPods, this dock has few additional functions - no radio and no output connectivity. It offers the bare minimum: You set the iPod on the dock and you listen to your music.

Sound quality at the summit

The Bose SoundDock is hands down the best-performing audio system for iPod we tested. The sound is clear and free of distortion. The lows and highs don’t saturate, even when playing selections where both are highly pronounced.