Bose SoundLink Digital Music System Ipod Dock

Review: Bose SoundLink Dock Review

To spend £249.95 on a mobile speaker, you’ve either got to be very rich, or very dedicated to your music. So, which of the aforementioned options applies to customers currently buying the Bose SoundLink Wireless Mobile speaker? We sent in our own very rich, very dedicated reviewer to find out...

Introduction

In terms of design, you really can’t beat Bose speakers, whereas other companies produce throwaway ‘bargain’ or ‘budget’ models (often bundles of cheaply made crap that fall to pieces within two minutes of use), every single Bose speaker is perfectly designed, meticulously constructed and costs a friggin’ bomb.

An obsessive-compulsive attention to detail, together with the work of the finest designers and engineers has given Bose a special reputation over the years. Yes, they don’t make products for the riff raff, but if you’ve got a big enough bank account, they do make speakers and docks worthy of kings.

On the outside, this square, slightly curt design wouldn’t look out of place on a circa 1980’s Hi Fi unit, except that it is small and somewhat more compact than the photos here suggest.

On the inside, however, we start to see how uniquely elegant this product is. Special radiators inside the dual speakers actually boost the clarity of the lower frequencies, meaning that your bass sounds can be deep and booming without sounding swampy or flabby (a common problem with other portable units).

In addition, the Bluetooth wireless connector and powerful lithium battery (it lasts for 8 hours of continuous use) create a device that is wonderfully portable and user-friendly. The wireless connection has a range of 10 metres or so and you can even phone or text without interrupting your music playback.

Oh dear, oh dear. As previously mentioned, this bad boy costs the princely sum of £250. Ok, so that prices it out of the market for most of us mere mortals, but, if you really are a true, dyed-in-the-wool audiophile (and you happen to have that sort of cash just lying around), then you really are getting a treat.

Hardware / Design

I find the Bose SoundLink to be a product somewhat at odds with itself. Although cunningly designed to be compact, travel friendly and ridiculously easy to set up (it automatically connects with your phone/device and can memorize up to six distinct signals), the Bose SoundLink is still a very sensitive, intricately designed speaker worth £250. Yes, it comes with a really nice carry case that protects it (and then doubles as a stand), but no, it probably won’t survive having beer spilled on it at your New Year’s Eve party or falling off the wall into next door’s garden. If it breaks, its broken and, as it would represent such a massive investment, I’d be afraid to take it anywhere that I wanted loud music playing.

The sound quality, however, is incredible and the product is a great marriage of modernity (the Bluetooth function) and classical, good-sense engineering (the lovely speakers themselves). The SoundLink is also fairly light and therefore quite easy to carry.

...In which we head on over to our chums at Amazon and see what their users say.

Top 1000 Reviewer ‘Doug’ (5/5) wrote a really positive review for this piece, saying that he takes it with him when he travels and uses it to watch movies in hotel rooms (there really was no other way to phrase that, sorry. - Just remember: its your own mind that makes it sound rude!). He says that the sound is “astounding” and the only negative point he made was that he had to get the tan leather case instead of the nylon one (first world problems!)

‘YorkshireRoutesMan’ (also 5/5) praised the terrific sound, as well as the Bluetooth, saying that he could still use the speaker in his bedroom from his living room. With the sort of money this fella’s likely packing, that’s a heckuva feat, as it probably has to change postcodes in the process!

‘PJRankine’ (a Top 500 Reviewer), slyly christened his 5/5 review “Bluetooth for grown ups” and goes on to say how easy the whole thing is to set up and use.

On the negative side, ‘DisappointedLad’ (the name is a big giveaway) wrote a fair 3/5 review, which detailed his buying a faulty model that, when it did work, produced unparalleled sound and, when replaced, simply sounded crappy. A legitimate tough break, but definitely not in line with the majority of reviews out there. Having said that, ‘Railwaystationmaster’ (1/5) also had the same problem as our poor ‘Lad’.

Finally, a cautionary tale was told by ‘Paul Gaughan’, who warns that if you do receive a faulty model, it is Bose’s company policy to have you return it to their HQ in Belgium before you can get a refund – something that could be a real pain and warrants mentioning here, I feel.

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Tags: iPod Dock, Bose SoundLink Digital Music System Ipod Dock, Docking Station

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Customer Reviews

Honest reviews of the Bose SoundLink Digital Music System Ipod Dock from previous customers

"I use my speakers in my office to play music during the work day and this is the perfect speaker. The sound quality is great, it's very simple to use and it's loud but not too loud. Plus, it charges my iPod when it's in there, so I don't have to worry about running down the battery."

Review by Jonathan Holden

"This was exactly what I was looking for!! It lets me use my iPod anywhere and lets others hear my music too. I wanted something to allow me to listen to my music without ear buds and with great sound."

Review by Daisy Fowler

"This was the second speaker set-up that I bought to play my iPod on at home. The first one was a different brand and was junk and lost all sound quality within 2 months."

Review by Callum Naylor

"After using it for a day, I bought another one for my girlfriend. I'm considering making it my XMAS gift for several friends this year."

Review by Mohammed Barlow

 

See all 254 Customer Reviews

We encourage you to read them prior to making your final purchasing decision.