As with most purchases, you generally get what you pay for with speaker docks. This is especially true where audio quality is concerned. The more cash you plunk down, the better audio quality you should expect in return. Bowers & Wilkins’ Zeppelin (www.bowers-wilkins.com), for example, is one of the most well-regarded speaker docks now for sale but sells for a stiff $599.95. B&W, which counts Skywalker Ranch and Abbey Road Studios users of its speaker systems, fills the Zeppelin with five dedicated drivers—one 50W subwoofer and dual pairs of 25W midranges/tweeters—that output sound in three directions.

Altec Lansing’s inMotion iM600 ($149.95; www.alteclansing.com), meanwhile, is $450 cheaper but still outputs great sound for the price. As other speaker docks do, the iM600 uses audio-enhancement technology to bolster the sound it outputs. The iM600 uses SFX (Stereo Field Expander) and bass-enhancement technologies. Typically, such technologies give the music an expanded, surround-sound feel and add muscle to the bass, particularly if the speaker dock doesn’t have a built-in, dedicated subwoofer. Ultimately, your ears are the best judge of what type of sound is most satisfying to you. Once you know how much you’re willing to spend, the best advice is to visit a few local retailers and try as many docks as possible in your price range. Additionally, take your iPod and ask to test the dock with the music you’ll be playing on it. Also, ask to listen to the docks individually, searching for strong volume levels that don’t crack or distort as you increase the volume. Also, listen for treble that’s distinct and lively vs. generic and lifeless, and bass that “thumps” and resonates vs. “thacks” and vanishes.

Behind The Music

If docks were only able to amplify music on your iPod through speakers, they’d still be money well spent. Fortunately, they do much more. Depending on the model, you’ll find clock radios; alarm clocks, some with configuration options; displays; CD/DVD players; equalizers; and more. Some docks also ship with a remote control, although some remotes only control the dock, while others control the dock and iPod. Tannoy’s i30 ($400; www.tannoydigital.com), for example, has no tactile buttons. Instead, an included IR (infrared) remote takes care of all functions.

Typically, docks offer one or more ports. The i30 has a built-in USB port, which lets you connect the i30 to a computer and sync files directly to the iPod from iTunes. Many docks also have a composite video port. So, if you own an iPod touch ($299 and up; www.apple.com), nano ($149 and up), or classic ($249 and up), you can connect it to a television and watch iTunes movie rentals you download to the iPod on your TV screen. Fewer docks have an S-Video port, but most have an auxiliary port that lets you connect non-iPod devices, such as notebooks, portable DVD players, and other music players.

Match Your Space

Whether you’re in the kitchen, bedroom, living room, den, office, bathroom, garage, or deck, there’s a speaker dock to match the space. The iHome Hidro-fi iH20W ($69.99; www.ihomeaudio.com), for example, is a waterproof dock suitable for hanging in a shower. Homedics SoundSpa With iPod Dock ($79.99; www.homedics.com), meanwhile, is better suited for bedrooms. In addition to an AM/FM radio, dual-alarm (with snooze) system, and 15/30/45/60-minute nap feature, the SoundSpa With iPod Dock displays the current time on a ceiling using a built-in, blue LED projector. Further, six sounds of nature—ocean, rain, night, waterfall, brook, and sunrise—are built in for therapeutic listening. Elsewhere, Sony’s Bluetooth Micro Hi-Fi Shelf System CMT-BX50BTi ($179.99; www.sonystyle.com) is a conglomeration of appliances, with a touch of wireless technology to boot, that you might find in a living room, den, or home entertainment room. In addition to integrating an iPod dock, AM/FM tuner, and CD player, the CMT-BX50BTi can play wireless audio streams from a Bluetooth-enabled computer, MP3 player, or cell phone. Doing this may hinge on you using an optional Bluetooth adapter, however, depending on the device you're streaming from.

A Dash Of Design

One of the best traits of iPod speaker docks is that they come in so many styles. With enough looking, you’ll likely find something to match your personality, no matter your tastes. DLO’s dome-shaped iBoom JukeBox ($199.99; www.dlo.com), for example, resembles an old-school jukebox sitting in the corner of a local drinking establishment. This JukeBox, however, comes with an RF (radio frequency) remote that includes an OLED (organic light-emitting diode) display for visually navigating your iPod library. mStation’s 2.1 Stereo orb ($129.95; www.mstation.com), on the other hand, is a globe-shaped ball of fury that comes in seven colors and measures just 8 inches across its diameter. mStation’s 2.1 Stereo Tower ($299.95), however, is a floor-standing speaker dock that sports a modern, industrial design that builds a 5.25-inch subwoofer into its aluminum frame.

If you want to leave your earbuds at home but not your iPod, portable speaker dock designs, such as those from Sonic Impact, are a good option. The company’s i-F3 ($169.99; www.si5.com) builds a dock into a hard-shelled zippered case that also packs an FM radio, alarm clock function, and display. Sonic Impact also makes the i-P23 ($119.99), a portable speaker system constructed in a zippered case with a printed floral Roxy design on the exterior.

by Blaine Flamig