Philips DS3020/05 Fidelio Portable Ipod Dock

Review: Philips DS3020/05 Fidelio Dock Review

Our team of self-appointed experts has taken it upon themselves to locate and review the best iPod Docks on the market right now! Since their inception, iPod/MP3 docks have become one of the dominant forms of music playback in the world, so its only right that we play guardian to your wallet and give you the low down on which ones sound great and, conversely, which ones will have you reaching for the earplugs.

Introduction

One thing that can always be relied upon to tell you about a product’s effectiveness (at least in terms of design) is if you can remember where you were when you first saw it. In the case of the Phillips Fidelio, you definitely will. Indeed, I do.

One of my best friends wanted to buy a new laptop and was meticulously going through the selection in every single high street shop. As a professional computer programmer and self-described ‘techie’, it is bizarrely vital for his self-esteem to get the best deal possible and, as such, he wanted to do a thorough search in the physical retailers before looking online (he ended up getting an £800 laptop for £200 – how’s that for nerd cred?). I came with him for want of something better to do and we trotted off into the nearest Comet.

As my friend wandered off muttering under his breath in a deranged way, I became transfixed by the Fidelio’s design. The dock was perched on the end of one of the aisles like a falcon overlooking a field of pigeons. Not only was the design beautiful and unique, it was also practical and clearly produced by people who knew a thing or two about sound reproduction.

In addition to looking beautiful, the Fidelio has been designed to create an incredibly clear range of sound, from subtle pin drops to mighty rock n roll thunderclaps. Neodymium speakers (which produce a magnetic field that increases sound clarity) connect to a ‘Dynamic Bass Boost’ option that will bring even your heaviest records through with impressive precision. You can plug your Fidelio into your PC and then use it to synch your smartphone or iPod directly to the computer. It can also act as a spare set of PC speakers if you want to watch a DVD, or if you’re throwing a party.

Hardware / Design

In a world where uniform design seems commonplace, with flatscreen TV, smartphones and MP3 players increasingly difficult to tell apart, the Fidelio iPod dock stands out from the crowd. It is high performance, designed with an incredible attention to detail and, considering how good it actually is, is available at a very reasonable price. The design is practical, as well as eye catching, as sound will travel better from the speakers’ unusual shape and the machine has clearly been crafted with a great deal of care and attention.

The Fidelio’s big drawback is that it finds itself in a sort of ‘no man’s land’ in terms of function vs price. As a home-based device, the Fidelio is probably not high quality enough to replace your Hi-Fi or sound system and yet, as a portable device, it is large and ungainly. The Fidelio is not especially portable. In fact, it would be a pain to carry. If you are looking for some speakers for your bedroom or the living room of a small flat, then these babies are the ones for you, if, however, you need a primary source of music (or speakers) there are better speakers out there, I’m afraid to say.

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Tags: iPod Dock, Philips DS3020/05 Fidelio Portable Ipod Dock, Docking Station

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Customer Reviews

Honest reviews of the Philips DS3020/05 Fidelio Portable Ipod Dock from previous customers

"I love, love, love this docking speaker! I use it for my iPod Nano and it has great sound, without being at all tinny. It also charges my iPod Nano, which is something that I constantly forget to do."

Review by Daniel Parker

"I consider myself an audiophile and I was skeptical when I saw this pair of speakers is only pushing 6 watts. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, as I was, at the sound quality. The bass won't knock your head off but this little package puts out some serious volume for it's diminutive size."

Review by Archie Connolly

"Not only does this unit work with several iPod models but it also comes with an external audio input adapter so you can plug in any device with a headphone jack. And for the price, I doubt you'll find anything better."

Review by Tyler Barry

"If you want a great pair of speakers for your iPods, iTouch or iPhone to take by the pool, to the beach, or wherever you do not want to have to waste a lot of time setting up your music playback, then this is the unit I recommend!"

Review by Rachel Turner

 

See all 98 Customer Reviews

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