N00bie question about MP3 players and docking stations

[Soul Reputation]

I'll admit that I'm not up to speed with hardware components designed for listening to music. Actually I'm way behind! I didn't know what a docking station was until today.

I heard someone say this this:
"If I were single... ipod witha BOSE dock all the way for your house or apartment! No questions asked. Not as good as a full system but its something your guests will love!"

Question: do you really need a Bose or Altec Lansing docking station if you already have a quality 5.1 speaker system hooked up to your computer? For example, I have the Logitech Z5500's. I've never owned an MP3 player, that's how inexperienced I am with this subject. Thanks in advance.

my z5500's: http://www.amazon.com/review/p...bmissionDateDescending

docking station:
http://www.amazon.com/Bose-Sou...bmissionDateDescending

 

[Elderly Newt]

If you want to play the mp3 player through those speakers, you'll have to to unplug them from the computer and plug them into the headphone jack on your mp3 player. No need for a docking station, which are designed to be used as a portable, compact speaker system for mp3 players. Or of course you could just play the mp3s directly from your computer.

 

[Soul Reputation]

Originally posted by: Elderly Newt
If you want to play the mp3 player through those speakers, you'll have to to unplug them from the computer and plug them into the headphone jack on your mp3 player.

No need for a docking station, which are designed to be used as a portable, compact speaker system for mp3 players.

Or of course you could just play the mp3s directly from your computer.

>I dunno, are you referrring to the sound dock when you refer to 'those' speaker or are you referring to my Logitech 5.1's????

>It's my understanding, from what I've heard, that a docking station provides SUPERIOR sound quality. I don't know it that's correct or not. Anyone know?

 

[Slugbait]

My sister has a Bose docking station for her iPod. Sounds very nice. Only looked at it for a few seconds, and immediately realized that you have to spend time with it to turn the volume up and down (lots of wheel action, dumb design). Doesn't sound as good at high volume...not sure if that's because of the docking station or the compression.

I have the 680, which has negligible difference in sound quality as the 5500. It will blow away the Bose, especially for bass. At this point, portability becomes the only real advantage to buying the docking station.

If you want to play the mp3 player through those speakers, you'll have to to unplug them from the computer and plug them into the headphone jack on your mp3 player.

Incorrect, the Z-5500 has six input options. The easiest option is to plug your player into the analog stereo-mini input (on side panel of control center). Then you can chose between stereo or stereo x2 on the control center.

 

[0roo0roo]

bose is overpriced junk.
the only good ipod speakers were the klipsch ifi, sadly discontinued.
theres no magic in it, just get a regular stereo and use a headphone to stereo l/r plug to hook it up to the line in for better sound.

 

[Soul Reputation]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
bose is overpriced junk.
the only good ipod speakers were the klipsch ifi, sadly discontinued.
theres no magic in it, just get a regular stereo and use a headphone to stereo l/r plug to hook it up to the line in for better sound.

Update for those who live in an apartment, have space issues, or are interested in docking stations:

According to a PC Magazine article I just discovered, the Logitech Pure-Fi Elite docking station blows the Bose docking station away. And, the Bose docking station is an inferior docking station on the whole, according to PC Magazine.

The short article is titled, "This iPod Dock Rocks". It's in the March 2008 issue, page 47. I'll note that they comment on the inability of the Bose unit to provide quality, ear pleasing bass. The article I'm referring to is not available online. Some quotes from the hard copy edition of PC Mag:

>compared with the Bose SoundDock, the Pure-Fi Elite has deeper bass extension

>it also sounded smoother and more detailed than the SoundDock in the upper midrange

>one gripe: the system did not always power on quickly

>we were also disappointed that the set doesn't have an alarm clock...

>the bottom line is that the looks, punch, and price steal the show here. The Logitech Pure-Fi Elite turns heads and pumps out top-notch sound quality at an attractive price

Those are the quotes as stated in said issue of PC Magazine. As always, let the buyer beware.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2216367,00.asp
http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=12...pure-fi%20elite&page=1
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2333641,00.asp

 

[DaveSimmons]

These little dock speakers are convenient but no where near the quality of a real set of speakers and a receiver, or even a $300 5.1 PC speaker set.

They could easily sound better for music than the $70 Logitech 5.1 speaker set I have hooked up to my gaming PC, since the midrange isn't great on the little satellites.

 

[Soul Reputation]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
These little dock speakers are convenient but no where near the quality of a real set of speakers and a receiver, or even a $300 5.1 PC speaker set.

They could easily sound better for music than the $70 Logitech 5.1 speaker set I have hooked up to my gaming PC, since the midrange isn't great on the little satellites.

Gotta wonder if you're basing your statement on experience. Which sounddock have you listened to extensively, DaveSimmons? And when I say 'extensively', I mean for a prolonged period of time in a setting that's relaxed, where you can kick back, take it all in, and aint in a hurry - like in your house or apartment.

Look, you might be right 'cause I have not yet listened to a sounddock.

I haven't even seen a sounddock up close - never even held one in my hands. That'll probrably change in a week or two when I go to Best Buy and/or Frys, pick three or more of 'em out, bring 'em home and test 'em the way they should be tested. The question that must be answered, one that everyone's wondering: do they or do they not sound better than the worlds most expensive, elite ghetto blaster? The ghetto blasters that were made back in the 80's is what I'm talkin' about. A ghetto blaster that a young Will Smith would have approved of. If they don't sound better than the worlds best ghetto blaster, then a sounddock is a complete waste of money.

But ya know, there are way too many users at Amazon, Cnet, Newegg and elsehwere who have great things to say about an MP3/iPod sounddock. The videos below make me think there's a good chance that a sounddock made by Bose, Altec Lansing, Logitech, Cyber Acoustics or Boston Acoustics just might sound a little better - or a lot better - than what you describe - so I'm gonna keep an open mind (and once again, god bless the makers of YouTube for their great invention that benefits all of mankind):


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmxE6mRCzNQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...bcungQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/results...ry=bose+sounddock&aq=f

rave with 30 reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Altec-La...bmissionDateDescending

rave with 441 reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Altec-La...bmissionDateDescending

rave with 54 reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Boston-A...bmissionDateDescending

rave with 65 reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech...bmissionDateDescending

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: Soul Reputation

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
bose is overpriced junk.
the only good ipod speakers were the klipsch ifi, sadly discontinued.
theres no magic in it, just get a regular stereo and use a headphone to stereo l/r plug to hook it up to the line in for better sound.

Update for those who live in an apartment, have space issues, or are interested in docking stations:

According to a PC Magazine article I just discovered, the Logitech Pure-Fi Elite docking station blows the Bose docking station away. And, the Bose docking station is an inferior docking station on the whole, according to PC Magazine.

The short article is titled, "This iPod Dock Rocks". It's in the March 2008 issue, page 47. I'll note that they comment on the inability of the Bose unit to provide quality, ear pleasing bass. The article I'm referring to is not available online. Some quotes from the hard copy edition of PC Mag:

>compared with the Bose SoundDock, the Pure-Fi Elite has deeper bass extension

>it also sounded smoother and more detailed than the SoundDock in the upper midrange

>one gripe: the system did not always power on quickly

>we were also disappointed that the set doesn't have an alarm clock...

>the bottom line is that the looks, punch, and price steal the show here. The Logitech Pure-Fi Elite turns heads and pumps out top-notch sound quality at an attractive price

Those are the quotes as stated in said issue of PC Magazine. As always, let the buyer beware.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2216367,00.asp
http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=12...pure-fi%20elite&page=1
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2333641,00.asp

still junk.

speakers are still mechanical and obey basic physics. you don't get something for nothing. you don't cram speakers into a tiny box and expect good sound, you only get compromises and of course a higher price. the whole "dock" thing is a massive trade off for low sound quality for supposed convenience. its integration for integrations sake, it sacrifices the one
thing that matters, sound quality.

bigger chunkier speakers, decent sized midrange woofer, tweeter, subwoofer, good solid construction and amplification are what matters, not how well the aesthetics fit with an ipod😛 the way speakers work and how to achieve quality has been worked out for quite a while. you don't cut corners and get magic from a tiny all in one device like that.


amazon reviews for such things are next to useless. the people who buy such things really don't give a rats ass about sound quality and just care that it looks cute or whatever. you can find ridiculous reviews of people pleased with the most mediocre sound products on amazon because some people don't care or know any better. just look at how many people stick with their bundled ipod headphones which sound like garbage. youtube is an even worse source of information for this stuff. all your links are basically massively overpriced clock radio quality junk. you are far better off with even a regular set of computer speakers say like a klipsch 2.1 or logitech of decent size or simply get a stereo receiver and bookshelf speakers and plug it into one of the inputs. you won't get a cute little "stand" for your ipod..but so what. docks have their place...as fancy clock radios. as secondary sources of music where it doesn't matter at all what it sounds like. but for your main system for listening to music you don't want to settle for that.

in any case the z5500 already have an aux plug. use that.
if u wish buy a dock and compare. consider it an expensive lesson in sound quality.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
speakers are still mechanical and obey basic physics. you don't get something for nothing. you don't cram speakers into a tiny box and expect good sound

:thumbsup:

A month ago I provided music for a party using a 12 year old stereo receiver and a 5 year old pair of cheap KLH branded 2-way bookshelf speakers with 5¼" woofers that cost $40 back then for the pair. Anyone who knows KLH will know them to be... rather budget. Still, those things blew away some random iPod dock that my sister provided, in both sound quality and volume level. Plus, at higher volumes the iPod dock was audibly distorting like a cheap boombox while the KLH speakers played a lot louder while still being fairly clean. Only issue was that at higher volumes they started sounding "bright" but I'm thinking that was because they don't have that great bass response.