Ipod dock sound system; BOSE alternative

[Volta]

I have a friend who wants to buy the sounddock II digital system by BOSE.
She has an ipod and just wants to be able to play her music from a compact, good sounding unit. I told her to hold off, and to give me a chance to look around for alternatives. I wondered if anyone here can recommend a compact ipod dock with speakers that is better than the BOSE system.
That unit is about 300 bucks so that is her budget limit.
I know there has to be something better, so I thought I'd ask here for recommendations.
Thanks!

 

[GlocksRock]

Does it have to be a dock? There are some really good sounding PC speakers that can be connected to the headphone jack that would sound way better than any ipod dock. I would reccomend the Klipsch promedia PC speakers which run about $150 and sound great.

 

[johndoe]

docks are convenient, but...

My in-laws got me the Bose dock for my b-day, and they're the kind of people that would get offended if I had returned it.
I did a little research, and I found there are Yamaha docks that more than likely meet or exceed the bose performance. One sells for about $200, the other for about $300. I couldn't try them b/c I got the present first.
By the way, the bose dock does an acceptable job for "music in the night stand", and it charges my Iphone very quickly. It has the usual bose "sound" (lots of color). For a while I hooked up my old mp3 player to a cheap ($30) 2.1 Creative computer speaker system. It sounds way better than the bose dock for 1/10th the price, but I can see the convenience of the dock if you move it around the house. It was a present, so I have to keep it and like it.
Has your friend considered a boombox with docking capabilities?

 

[GlocksRock]

...I hooked up my old mp3 player to a cheap ($30) 2.1 Creative computer speaker system. It sounds way better than the bose dock for 1/10th the price...

This is exactly what I was saying.

 

[yepimonfire]

Does it have to be a dock? There are some really good sounding PC speakers that can be connected to the headphone jack that would sound way better than any ipod dock. I would reccomend the Klipsch promedia PC speakers which run about $150 and sound great.

or better yet, get a pair of active studio monitors.

 

[dkane360]

Adding on to yepimonfire, I think these could do the trick (although I've never heard them):
http://www.theaudioinsider.com/product_info.php/loudspeakers/swan-active-desktop/p/swan-m200mkii/cPath/21_24/products_id/80

I will also cast my vote for the Klipsch Promedias if it doesnt have to be a dock. Klipsch also makes some docks, which I have had a fair amount of success with. You can find the Igroove SXT for relatively cheap on ebay.

http://www.klipsch.com/na-en/products/igroove-sxt-overview/

 

[yepimonfire]

behringer B2030A's would be good, everyone here knows they are good speakers.

 

[GlocksRock]

or audioengine A5s if you want active monitors.

 

[Seth=L]

It's hard for audioholics to keep to the specifications. Trust me fellas. If she's settled on the Boze then she probably doesn't want separate speakers. Simplicity and function is what we are gunning for here.

For an all in one solution, at half the cost, I'd look no further than the Panasonic SC-HC30. It's a sleek all in one unit that utilizes Bamboo drivers that Panasonic has been toying with recently. It also has passive radiators instead of ports. The unit is very impressive for it's size and will interface as well as charge the iPod or iPhone connected. I like that the door covers and protects the iPod as well. The door slides two ways, one for the iPod and the other for the CD player. Panasonic has made a few slim desktop stereos recently and I feel this one is a triumph over the others. I'm glad they stuck with it. There is a higher model, the SC-HC40, that adds bluetooth and a USB host function, which adds $50 to the MSRP. The difference in street price is a little less.

My 26" Panasonic LCD TV from 2006 uses a similar acoustic design to the SC-HC30 and I believe it to be one of the best sounding TVs I've ever heard. Most TV speakers sound hollow and boxy or they sound so tiny and piercing you can't stand it. The ones inside the TV I have I can actually stand to use without a stereo (it sounds crazy, but it's true).

 

[skizzerflake]

For a fairly small gadget, "IHome" has a very good table radio that retails for 90 - 120 dollars. It has two connectors, recharges while you listen, has OK sound (for a unit with 3 inch speakers that are 10 inches apart) and also works quite well as a table radio. You can see details at http://www.ihomeaudio.com/iP88 but you do not have to pay $149 it.