I did quite a bit of research before getting the Bose SoundDock II. I wanted a dock that would work with my iPod touch 2G, have superb sound quality, and preferably charge my iPod while docked. Well I have to say that I got all i wanted and then some with this unit.
I read some reviews online written by "audiophiles" and supposed "sound experts" bashing Bose for selling overpriced and underpowered equipment. These people just don't get it. I won't go on to bore you in detail about the ridiculous things that were said but I will mention that these people are comparing the SoundDock to a home stereo setup that entails having a receiver with two separate wired speakers. Is this a fair comparison? I beg to differ.
To summarize this product it's a compact unit you can have in virtually any room in the house minus a bathroom (for safety purposes) and its sound can be described as warm and beautiful with deep enough bass to make your sound come alive but not wake the neighbors. Clear, never distorted at any volume. You get what you pay for.
Thanks Bose! Bose SoundDock Series II Digital Music System for iPod (Black)
The Bose SoundDock has the Bose quality sound you would expect. It is a great way to play your IPOD, just plug it into the dock and play. You do not have any control over bass and treble, just volume. The remote has a good feel to it and responds well. There is a small green light in the dock that lights up each time you press a remote button. You will usually use the remote to change the volume, select the next or previous track and turn it on/off. The SoundDock itself only has 2 buttons for volume up and down.
The volume goes louder than I expected and I never have turned it up all the way, even when the kids are playing their IPODs.
There are a few things they could have improved......The power cord has the transformer built into the middle of the cord, it should have been built into the unit. The power cord plugs straight into the back of the SoundDock with a small round plug and it will come out easily if the unit is moved. The docking station is a seperate piece that is attached and it moves around a little which makes it feel loose. There isn't an on/off switch on the unit, just the remote, so you have to turn the IPOD off or use the remote to turn them both off, or just pull the IPOD out. My SoundDock was missing one of the stick on rubber feet on the bottom. I called Bose support and they mailed me one free.
Overall it's a great quality unit where it counts but Bose cut corners where they could on the rest of it.
We do love it and use it almost everyday.
The sound quality is very good for the price point and the size. That said, the remote does not interface correctly with my ipod. Specifically it does not allow the user to move through the menus as it is supposed to. I thought at first the Bose system was defective so I returned it for a new one but the second one has the same problem. All the other remote functions work properly but in order to navigate through the menus on the ipod I either have to hold onto it in the docking station (it doesn't have a snug fit-another drawback) so that the pins don't come loose, or else I have to take the ipod out of the docking station all together, make my music selection and then put it back in the dock. This is a major flaw in an otherwise good product.
Received the Bose SoundDock II (Silver) as a gift. What an exceptional powerhouse! It fills the house or can be quiet enough for just the den. I have Bose noise-canceling headphones. The Bose quality and engineering is exceptional. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is because the system lacks AM/FM radio like other (less expensive) docks (please take a hint, Bose!).
Have the 1st Bose SoundDock for 2 older iPods. When bought new iPhone 3GS, bought the new Bose SoundDock II. Excellent sound! Fills 2300 sqft house fully, plus the yard. Rich clear music. Can get very loud, impressive. Kept my iPhone on it for a couple months, then discovered AirTunes, the Apple way of wirelessly turning every speaker in the house into broadcasting station for iTunes playlists and radio etc. AWESOME !!! Just buy an AirPort Express and connect it to the SoundDock II via Belkin Mini-Stereo Cable and you can stream all your playlists / songs to this great speaker PLUS all your other speakers in every room of your house, all at once, individually, or in selected groups. The roof is about to fly off with the volume of intensely great music raising the rafters here!
Then your iPhone is free to use as a Remote, free Apple app, to control your music on all speakers. Heaven! Have a long kirtan / mantra / bhajan playlist and having it going all throughout the house and yard for hours (actually days) non-stop is an amazing boon.
The Bose SoundDock II is expensive but we are very glad we bought it. It is getting a workout now along with all our other systems / speakers, all at once. Plus, we can take the Bose out on the deck, or to the office. - Ipod Speakers - Sounddock 2 - Bose - Ipod Dock'
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