01 Mar 10 The Best iPod Docking Stations

The iPod was the first in a series of innovative and enormously successful products Apple Corp. has launched in the past decade. The iPhone is another one, which has dominated the “smart phone” market, but no Apple product has dominated quite as much as the iPod. Of the dozens of accessories made for this MP3 player, one of the most useful is the docking station, which allows you to use your iPod as part of a stereo system in your home. There are a great many models to choose from, and this article discusses which are the best iPod docking stations for different budgets.

For those on a budget of under $150, one of the best iPod docking stations overall is the mStation 2.1 Stereo Orb. It has excellent bass for a unit this size, a remote that works well, and a stylish spherical design, and costs about $130. Another plus for this price range is that you can adjust bass and treble levels. Almost as good in terms of sound quality for those on a budget is the Samson StudioDock 3i, but it is much less stylish. It costs about $150.

If you can spend up to $250, one of the best is the TEAC CD-X10i, which includes a raft of features, including a CD player and speakers you can mount on the wall. The remote is somewhat bulky and confusing though. This model costs about $200. The Phillips DC570 is a very good alternative in this range, for about $180.

If money is no object, the best ipod docking station with speakers is the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin, which does indeed look like a zeppelin. This is one of the best iPod docking stations money can buy, at least in terms of sound quality, although the remote can be hard to use. It costs about $600. A considerably cheaper high-end alternative, costing around $300, is the SoundDock 2 by the venerable company Bose.

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