- 40 Watt (20W + 20W) high quality sound output
- Rechargeable battery for convenient portability
- Digital FM Radio (20 station presets)
- Retractable flip-down dock for iPod/iPhone charging
- 3G Certified
I had agonized over the ideal dock for my iPod Touch with the stipulations that it had to be a reasonable size (I've lost some interest in big component systems.), and it would need at least an FM radio. While I've wanted to try HD radio, my understanding of availability in my area was that it could be if-y. So, good FM access would be fine. It seems like a small thing, but I'm legally blind and don't drive, so casual access to something like a car radio is fairly rare for me. My first, and most familiar, choice was a product that I had some familiarity with the VERS system, with newer models incorporating a highly visible FM tuner. I had eventually tired of shipping delays for this device and gone to Best Buy to find the Sony.
Not only did the Sony dock have better sound than the VERS that I once owned, it was smaller, stylish and has the best receiving FM tuner that I've ever found in a portable or non-portable device. I've tended to live in older homes with older wiring and cloth wrapped interference bleeding electrical systems. The reception on the Sony dock is unlike any that I've ever owned, even with the convenient telescoping antenna in the stowed position. And the sound is rich and vibrant certainly comparable to the similar Bose device that sports no FM tuner at twice the price.
The controls at the top of the dock are easily accessed and perform all of the functions found on the remote. As I noted above, I'm legally blind, but depend just enough on the tiny amount of eyesight that I do have to make use of digital displays. This one, unfortunately, and while not a deal-breaker, is terrible. It could be larger, though it's not unreasonably small. The problem is that it's abysmally dim of almost no use to me. If this was an adjustable and it wouldn't have hurt if it was larger the dock would have received 5 stars from me.
In all, the RDP-XF100iP dock is not just a fine dock that does what I'd expect a dock to do, but is a nicely put together package that represents Sony quality first represented for me in my first Trinitron to my latest HD television. Highly recommended.
Buy Sony RDP-XF100IP Portable iPod Docking Station Now
I have an Ipod touch 3rd generation 32mb. I have been looking at several docking stations and the cheap ones sounded like cheap ones and the expensive ones (Bose) sound awesome but are 4 to 5 times the cost ($399). The Sony came out just recently and it definitely sounds just as good as the Bose and is at least $150 less expensive. The bass is full and deep and the highs are crystal clear even at high volumes. Besides a cheaper price, another bonus this has over the Bose is the FM tuner, which the Bose lacks. It is portable and the battery can easily run 6-7 hours straight. Bottom line is if you are willing to spend a little more for the Sony over the cheaper ones, you will not be disappointed!
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I purchased the Sony RDP-XF100IP a couple of weeks ago and I really put it to the test !!!! I compared it along side of my Bose SoundDock Portable! I had read so many good things about the Sony RDP-XF100IP, and some even dared to compare it to the more costly Bose SoundDock Portable.
So how does the Sony RDP-XF100IP sound ? It sounds really good and for the money and the size of the unit it sounds great! When I was in "Best Buy" I listened to the Logitech s715i and I compared it to the Sony RDP-XF100IP, the Sony won hands down, the Logitech s715i sounded a little tiny and weak compared it to the Sony RDP-XF100IP !
But still I can say that the Logitech s715i sounds better than any portable speaker it's size that I have ever heard ! As far as the Logitech s715i goes I would never buy that unit because when it is ran by battery power it cuts the bass in half and it also cuts the volume down, to me that is a deal breaker,but if the Logitech s715i gave me a choice to turn off the battery saver mode, I would buy it in a heartbeat !
I hate the fact that when you run some units by battery they automatically go into battery saver mode and then they cut the bass and volume way down "Harman Kardon's Go + Play" does the same thing and I hate it !
I used my mp3 player, playing the same songs, when I compared the Sony RDP-XF100IP sound to the Bose, I noticed at first that the Sony,s mid-range sounded a little colored, you might say a little dark or bass heavy, while the Bose sounded perfect. After I adjusted my mp3 player and removed some of the bass, the Sony sounded almost as good as the Bose, and with some songs just as good if not better. But I must say over all I think the Bose sounded just a little bit better !
But for half the price I think Sony did a really good job!
I also compared the over all volume of each speaker !
This is where Bose beats the Sony hands down !!!!
When I was indoors the Sony played reasonably loud but when I went outdoors around a lot of traffic, and playing the Sony at "Full Volume", the Sony got drowned out!!!
For some reason the Sony can't play really loud !
On the other hand the Bose can scream,I have taken my Bose around heavy traffic many times with no problem what so ever!
Matter of fact the Bose gets so loud until I'm afraid I might get in trouble for disturbing the peace !
If 10 was the loudest volume the Bose could play at , I would say in comparison, the Sony plays at about 6 1/2 to 7 !
Now lets talk about the Rechargeable lithium-ion Battery's !
The Sony comes with a very small Battery that fits inside of the unit, on the other hand the Bose has a very large Battery that fits on the back of the unit!
The Sony battery lasted less than 2 hours while playing at a high volume for the Sony !
On the other hand I have played the Bose for 5 and six hours "with battery power left over" at a louder volume than I played the Sony at for less than 2 hours!!!!
The Bose battery is far superior to the Sony's !!!!!!
The comparatively low volume and the weak battery life of the Sony was a deal breaker for me, so I returned the Sony !
But if you can put up with the volume of the Sony and the weak battery life you could save $200 !
You have to decide for yourself !
Now lets talk about the Bose a little more , I have owned the Bose SoundDock Portable for about a year now and it is without a doubt the best sounding portable speaker for it's size !!!!! There are a few larger portable speakers that sound a little bit better than the Bose when ran by AC ! To name a few that may sound a little better, Harman Kardon's Go + Play, Kicker iK501, Altec Lansing iMT800, Bowers & Wilkins'Zeppelin, iPod Hi-Fi, Altec Lansing inMotion iM7 !
What do all of those speakers have in common? They are all much larger than the Bose, about twice as large!!!! None of them run on a long lasting Rechargeable lithium-ion Battery like the Bose does !
Bottom line is Bose is the Best "Pound per Pound" battery powered portable speaker system for it's size !!!! I have the Harman Kardon's Go + Play, I had the Altec Lansing inMotion iM7,the Sony RDP-XF100IP, plus I have many others and I can't find a small "around 5.2 pounds" speaker system for any price that beats the Bose !!!
I don't want to carry around a unit that is larger or heaver than the Bose SoundDock Portable, so if you think you know of a "Better" Battery Powered Portable Speaker System that weighs around the same or less than the Bose with the battery included, please let me know, I don't think one exists at this time !
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I think this review comes down to one question, how does the Sony dock compare to the Bose SoundDock Portable? Here's my answer, based on a few days of testing.
I have a friend with the Bose dock, so I had a few days to mess around with that, so I've spent equal time with each unit. At the time of writing, the Bose rechargeable SoundDock was $359, and this Sony unit was just less than half the price. So the price tag has a huge margin, definite plus. Craftsmanship doesn't appear to be anything but top notch on both units. On the Sony, the actual dock recesses so it's flush with the unit... Bose does the same thing. The Sony has an FM tuner, Bose doesn't. The Sony's rechargeable battery pack can be replaced, and as far as I know, Bose does not offer that (at least to the average customer). Another minor pro with the sony, is that it has a small LED screen, forward facing, so it tells you what function you're using (FM, iPod), and volume... its nice to get positive feedback when changing the volume. The screen also tells you battery life remaining, or charging status. Bose doesn't offer that. Both have remotes, and are very easy to carry around due to small cutouts in the back for a nice grip.
Down to sound: The Bose has superior sound to the Sony, period. You're not going to get the same sound for half the price. Having said that, many of you may not notice the difference, or may find the difference negligible. In my experience with both, the Bose has a crisper sound; better highs, with comparable lows. The Sony seemed to put a lot of work into the lows, which sound great for a small box, but didn't clean up the high end as much. You audiophiles out there would describe both as having a LOTS of woofer frequency bass, with sub frequencies (60Hz and below) becoming inaudible. The Bose unit won't produce these either, FYI. You really need a powered sub for this. 30-60Hz are the frequencies that shake the room and make the good party songs sound GOOD. Both units will crank out volume... they will both play very loud, inside and outside. The reaction to turning on both units for the first time is, WOW.
Bose uses the same formula for all of its sound. Deep, clear lows, and bright, crisp highs. They don't leave much in the mid-range, and this frequency separation sounds good to most people. They did the same with the Bose dock. Sony puts a little more in the mid-range (a flat frequency response), and so you don't have that frequency separation, which make the sound seem "muddier", or not as clean in the high end. Which is truer sound? It depends on who you ask. The Sony does have built in EQ's if you want to take out that mid, and it does improve the sound a bit.
It comes down to this: if the Bose were rated a static 10 for sound, I would rate the Sony at 9. For all of the other options and features, including price, the Sony would be a static 10, and the Bose would be 8. At low volumes, you won't notice the sound difference. At high volumes, both units will produce very good music that will typically impress, rather than annoy. To someone with a decent ear, the Bose will sound slightly better. Is it almost $200 better? Not in my opinion. I chose the Sony and I'm pleased with my choice.
Based on the full package of quality, price, features, and sound, this product gets 5 stars.
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I compared this radio to the one from Bose that lists for $399 at Best Buy. I wanted a unit that had an internal rechargeable battery, remote, and the ability to have high volume without distortion. The Sony delivers on all three for $150 less. Plus, the Sony has a fm radio built in and the rechargeable battery can be replaced unlike the Bose.
Those of you expecting impeccable sound quality, c'mon. You're not gonna get that from a cheapie shower radio. Otherwise, great deal for the price. I've been enjoying it practically every shower since I bought it, and it still works great. Here's a tip: find a spot in your shower where it will receive most of the stations you listen to, and LEAVE IT THERE. You can use the suction cups, or it comes with a stand as well. The dials are a bit slippery when wet, and it's real easy to scroll by a station. The sound quality is loud enough to be heard over the shower, and there is a clock to help keep you on time. It's a good deal, and you can probably find a color to match your decor (i did!).
