Bose SoundDock 10 Review 2012

I began this comparison as a totally neutral party. My goal was to find a one piece music system that provided the very best sound. I researched different options for several months and narrowed my choices to the Bose SoundDock 10 and the B&W Zeppelin. These were both "high-end" systems, but I knew it would take a good system to serve as a suitable replacement for high quality separate components. To begin my evaluation I made a playlist including 50 songs encoded in apple lossless format from my CD collection. Then I critically listened to portions of each of those songs on my home reference system which is a pair of Dynaudio Contour 1.8MkII towers, NAD amplification, NAD preamp, and Marantz CD player with Crystal DAC. I made sure that I listened at a volume that was comparable to the volume that I would be using during evaluation of the two systems. I played pink noise through each system for 50 hours to break everything in and then I level matched the systems for volume using a pink noise track and SPL meter. Then I listened to portions of all 50 songs on both systems. Then I had my wife listen to 5 of her favorite songs through both the Sound dock 10 and the Zeppelin. I made sure that she was unable to determine which system was playing. She doesn't care about sound systems in the least and she did not know anything about either system, so I knew that she would be a relatively unbiased reviewer. After my listening tests three things were apparent, 1) The Bose system could go louder, 2) The Bose could produce more and slightly deeper bass, 3)The Bose sounded hollow, unbalanced, and anemic, compared to the refined and absolutely musical performance of the B&W. Even where the bass was less pronounced it was musical, tight, and tonally correct. The Bose was loud and "boomy", but fell flat at producing real MUSIC. I was amazed at how every single song sounded better on the B&W, Some songs more than others. Acoustic instruments, synth, classical, pop, vocals, bass guitar, big band and dance all sounded better, more accurate, and more dynamic on the B&W. Not once did the Bose sound better to my ears, but perhaps my wife, who was under the impression that B&W made cars, will like the Bose sound that so many people flock to. So...how did my wife feel about these two systems? Without the benefit of her eyes to bias her, she picked the B&W as sounding far better every single time. I finally threw in a Jack Johnson track that I thought really brought out the best in the Bose and created a little low frequency resonance in the B&W, but even then the B&W resolved his voice and guitar licks so fluidly that we preferred the Zeppelin version. Her exact words were "it is rich, and the instruments sound like they are in the room. In fact they remind me of your big speakers." Enough said!!! In some cerebral way, the B&W was likened to an $8,000 stereo. In its defense the Bose SoundDock 10 has some characteristics that may make it the right choice for you. It is quite a bit louder than the Zeppelin, and doesn't sweat a bit when the volume is up. It just doesn't sound as good at any of the volumes that the B&W can attain. The B&W is loud enough for me. Needless to say the SoundDock is going back to Bose today, and the B&W will be staying right where it is! I hope this help the folks out there that were struggling with the same decision that I was. Thanks!

More :

Best Price Uniden PC78LTW 40-Channel CB Radio
Best Price Sony MDR-NC60 Noise Canceling Headphone
Best Price Philips Docking system DC291/37 for iPod iPhone
Best Price Philips PD9012/37 9-Inch LCD Dual Screen Portable
Best Price Philips AS140/37 Fidelio Docking System for Android
Best Price Phiaton PS 20 NC Active Noise Cancelling
Best Price JBL On Stage IV Portable Loudspeaker Dock
Best Price Creative Labs WP-300 Pure Wireless Bluetooth Heaphones
Best Price JBL On Air Wireless JBLONAIRWBLKAM
Best Price Apple iPod Video 80 GB White MA448LL/A
Best Price TDK Life on Record 77000015360 3-Speaker Boombox
Best Price Beats by Dr. Dre Solo White On-Ear
Best Price Monster Turbine Pro Gold Audiophile In Ear
Best Price Sony NWZE463BLK Walkman MP3 player
Best Price Qmadix QM-KPAPIPAD2-R Portfolio with Removable Bluetooth Keyboard
Best Price Beats Solo by Dr. Dre On-Ear Headphones
Best Price Sony MDRNC100D Digital Noise Canceling Earbuds
Best Price Waterfi 100% Waterproof MP3 Player Swim System
Best Price Disney C7100PD 7-Inch Portable DVD Player Red
Best Price Monster Cable Beats Solo High-Definition On-Ear Headphones
Best Price Brand New Sony Walkman Digital Music Player
Best Price Apple iPod nano 8 GB Yellow 4th
Best Price Pioneer HDJ-1000-K Black DJ Headphones
Best Price Sennheiser HD25-1 II Closed-Back Headphones
Best Price Beyerdynamic T50p Tesla Portable Stereo Headphone
Best Price Sennheiser PXC 310 Compact Noise-Canceling Travel Headphones
Best Price Philips 7" PAL/NTSC Region Free Code Free
Best Price Creative ZiiSound D5 Wireless Multimedia Speaker System
Best Price Monsterยฎ Mobile Jamzโ„ข High Performance Mobile Phone
Best Price Motorola MR356 2-Way CAMO FRS/GMRS Radio Camo
Best Price Koss ESP-950 Electrostatic Stereophone
Best Price Focal XS Satellite Speakers with Dock for
Best Price Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Recorder
Best Price Sennheiser HDR 160 Supplemental RS160 Wireless Headphones
Best Price Jaybird Sportsband Stereo Bluetooth Headphone Bulk Packaging
Best Price Olympus Pearlcorder T1000 Microcassette transcriber black
Best Price Onkyo DS-A3 Universal iPod Dock
Best Price Philips AS111/37 Fidelio Docking Speaker for Android
Best Price Spider International E Series E-EAPH-0001 realvoice Audiophile
Best Price Pioneer HDJ-2000 Reference Professional Dj Headphones
Best Price Pyle PSPL05R Digital Sound Level Meter with
Best Price Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 8 White
Best Price Grundig S450DLX Deluxe AM/FM Shortwave Radio Black
Best Price Coby TFTV791 7-Inch Portable Widescreen LCD TV
Best Price Apple iPod nano 8 GB Purple 5th
Best Price SSV Works WP-ORZ Stereo Speaker System Overhead
Best Price Jaybird Sportsband Stereo Bluetooth Headphone Bulk Packaging
Best Price iHealth HS3 Wireless Bluetooth Scale for iOS.
Best Price SOUL by Ludacris SL100RB Ultra Dynamic On-Ear
Best Price Sangean H201 AM/FM Digital Shower Radio
Best Price Cambridge Audio iD100 Digital iPod/iPad Dock Black
Best Price Etรณn Soulra Solar Powered Sound System for
Best Price Standard Horizon STD-HX370S VHF Marine Radio
Best Price Sennheiser Adidas HD 25 Orginals Headphones Black/Blue
Best Price Satechi Bluetooth Hands-free Car Stereo Fm Transmitter
Best Price Westone UM3X Triple Driver Monitor Earbuds with
Best Price OKEBA Black RUBBER TPU GEL HARD CASE
Best Price Rf Wireless Remote Control-ipo
Best Price Panasonic RR930 Panasonic Microcassette Transcriber/Recorder
Best Price Yamaha TSX-70BR Desktop Audio System for iPod/iPhone
Best Price VIZIO XVTHB100 Bluetooth Stereo Headphones Black
Best Price Denon AH-D1100 Advanced Over-Ear Headphones Black
Best Price Shure P2TR215CL-H2 PSM 200 Hybrid Bodypack System
Best Price Skullcandy Product Out Of Date Newer Version
Best Price Vsonic Gr07 R07 Pro Dynamic Noise Isolation
Best Price Sound Logic 72-4798 iTower Speaker for iPhone
Best Price KJB Security D1300 Slim Pen Voice Recorder
Best Price Boston Acoustics SOLO2W Solo II AM/FM Radio
Best Price Apple iPod touch 64GB 4th Generation Black
Best Price PYLE PSBV400 6 Way 300 Watt Multi