What is the best iPod base?

I don't have a lot of experience with either but co-workers have the Bose SoundDock and the JBL On Stage. Both seem to work well but, relatively speaking, the JBL is a much better value. Costco has them for $99 at the moment, about 1/3 the price of the Bose. For anything short of plugging the iPod into a real system, I'd buy the JBL for myself. There are some negative review about the JBL on the consumer sites but most seem to be based on the first production run that was later recalled.

For my office I use the iPod mini base with an audio cable going into the aux input on my Bose wave radio. Pretty good sound!

What a topic in a high end forum!
You better plug into a mid fi system than in one of these (nice looking) bases!

Using a high-quality table radio is a good alternative to one of the dedicated bases. I really don't have an anti-Bose bias but I have found that the radios from Cambridge Soundworks, either the older Model 88 or the current CD-740 work and sound better than the Bose Wave, for less money.

I've used a Model 88 quite a bit with both a portable CD player and an MP3 player and it makes for a very pleasant, convenient sound system, great FM reception and a nice remote control.

I own the folding system by Altec Lansing. I like it because the sound is good for the office, it's very portable (vacations and business trips), and it charges the iPod while its docked.

I read a review on ipodlounge.com that said you get a much better stereo projection from the jbl OnStage. Plus, I think it actually looks much better. That actually might have been my first choice, but mine came up cheaper on eBay first.

Notwithstanding their technology, Bose seems like a lot of cash just to play an iPod. I suspect you might be able to do as well for less $ by buying a good mini system with a line-in. Plus you likely get a tuner and cd player to boot.

For $168, you can get swan m200 - the best computer speaker I found. Google search it for the best price.

If you want bass, then go for the Klipsch 2.1 computer speaker at less than $200.

If you are looking for a small all in one setup, the Bose one for $299 is pretty loud sounding one - will fill a small room. Bose is not that bad - just over priced, no?

We audiophiles loved to hate Bose for their hype and their price, but they are at least better than entry level stuff from Japan at BB, CC, or GG. I am not gonna defend Bose - I will be dead in a few hours in this forum - but as far as the Ipod docking system goes, Bose goes a lot louder than altec, and looks sleek too.

Try to hear it at Goodguys if you are near one.

But the champion is Zvoxaudio at half the price. You can hook up varius sources to it - unlike Bose which can only be used with an ipod.

Zvox 315 got a good review too - http://www.zvoxaudio.com/

http://shopper.cnet.com/4014-7868_9-31134328.html?messageSiteID=7&messageID=1232523&tag=1232523&cval=1232523&ctype=msgid&rvwtp=4864-7868_9-31134328

So here are the choices :
zvox ($149)
swan m200 (book shelf with bigger woofer) ($168)
Klipsch 2.1 (for bass and transparent bright highs) ($180)
Bose ($299 - as usual, over priced)
Many other powered monitors for more money.

or

If you really want to get good sound, get a receiver and quality speakers - on a hifi shows, a famous speaker maker demonstrated that you can get good sounds from an Ipod - with parasound amps, and their speakers.

Thanks Gonglee for atleast having the basic intelligence to say something other than drive-by swipes at Bose, I do not own, or will own a Bose product, but I once had a pair of surround speakers and they did what I needed them to do when I was 23 yrs old..... and you are correct that they are better quality then SOME items you culd otherwise get
(i mean,ya could do worse) lol!

Thanks for all the good advice. I ended up getting the JBL On Stage. While it is far from high end, it does cover up the sound of my huffing and puffing as I work out. Which is what I wanted it for in the first place. Actually, a neat little bit of engineering.

Pure I-20