Bose SoundDock or iPod Hi-Fi?

Apple introduced two new products at their special event on 28th, the first being the Intel powered Mac Mini and the second being the iPod Hi-Fi, which is no more than a home stereo system for your iPod. Recently, I had been considering getting a nice speaker system for my iPod and my choice was between the Altec Lansing inMotion (Rs. 8000) and the Bose SoundDock (Rs. 15000). The introduction of the Hi-Fi brings more options, but also raises new questions.

Apple does not have much of a history when it comes to audio systems, whereas Bose is the undisputed leader in psychoacoustics, and some of the best audio systems in the world. Most reviewers however mention that the iPod Hi-Fi offers excellent music quality:

However, with those caveats noted, my initial impressions were that the Hi-Fi offers better bass response and louder volume levels than Bose’s SoundDock, the Hi-Fi’s most similar competitor. This isn’t surprising considering the Hi-Fi’s design, which uses two 80mm midrange drivers in sealed enclosures along with a 130mm dual-voice-coil, ported woofer in a larger overall enclosure. Beyond that, I don’t want to make any judgments; our upcoming full review will have a more thorough and controlled comparison between the Hi-Fi and the SoundDock, as well as comparisons with other systems in the same general price range, such as Klipsch’s $400 iFi, which features separate satellites and a hefty subwoofer.

Source : PlaylistMag

It’s just that hearing a Bose always gives me a different feeling from anyone else’s systems. Maybe I’ll head over to the iStore here when the Hi-Fi arrives to check it out. Despite being more powerful than the SoundDock, it is “transportable”. I say that and not portable, because with 6 D-Batteries, it weighs in at a hefty 17 pounds! The SoundDock, despite being an excellent product, is not the best audio system from Bose but it certainly sounds of a Bose! On another note, although I like the clean, boxy design of the Hi-Fi, I don’t like the iPod sticking out at the top (looks really unsymmetric), and thus this round too goes to the sound dock!

So, it boils down to trusting the well known brand or going with the latest over-hyped product from Apple. Both brands rely heavily on their image, Bose with it’s audio loving fanatics and Apple’s die-hard army. As for me, for now I’m content with hooking up my iPod to my 2.1 PC speakers. I’d rather buy a new notebook with double that money!