The iPod Speaker market has changed quite a bit over the years as number of brands and options have grown in line with the popularity of the iPod, iPhone and other Apple gadgets. In the beginning functionality was mostly the same on all of them, with the ability to dock, charge, and play music from your iPod through the speakers. These days there are a lot more options, both in terms of functionality as well as design.
Some of the key questions to ask yourself before buying an iPod speaker or sound system are:
- What type of iPod speaker should i be getting? What are you looking to use it for?
- Am i looking for high-end sound or low cost?
- What is my budget?
- Is brand important to me?
What type of iPod Speaker are you after?
These days there are several categories of iPod speakers depending on what you are looking to use it for. Are you looking for a main home sound system, or perhaps an iPod speaker for the office? Do you need to be able to dock your iPhone or perhaps iPad with it as well, or perhaps you need to use it as a bedside alarm clock to wake you up in the morning? It is important to have an idea of what type of solution you are looking for so that you can start narrowing down your search.
Here is an overview of some of the main categories of iPod speakers.
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| Best iPod speaker docks | Best iPhone speakers | Best iPad speaker docks | Apple AirPlay speakers | Bluetooth wireless speakers |
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| Best DAB speaker dock | Best iPod alarm clocks | Best portable speaker dock | Budget iPod speaker dock | High-end iPod speakers |
Home iPod speaker
A quite broad category that generally covers iPod speakers that are stationary for use at home, and often in the living room or other rooms where you tend to listen to music and want to have a better sound quality. The price range can vary a lot depending on how much power you want and brand.
See home iPod speakers >>
Portable iPod speaker
A portable iPod speaker is one that supports running on battery or even to be powered by the iPod/iPhone itself. They will range from tiny systems that plug in using the 3.5mm audio jack to more advanced system with a docking station and rechargeable batteries. The most popular ones tend to be rechargeable and small enough to easily transport.
See portable iPod speakers >>
Wireless iPod speaker
These have become more popular and of improved quality over the years, both in terms of bluetooth based ones as well as the new category of Apple AirPlay speakers now in the market that is built to specifically work well with the Apple iPod/iPhone/iPad. You can find these systems both in the home and portable iPod speaker category.
See bluetooth wireless iPod speakers >>
See Apple AirPlay speakers >>
iPhone speakers
Although most iPod speaker docks can accommodate the iPhone, not all of them support the iPhone fully, which means that you have to put your iPhone in flight mode to avoid disturbance. So if the iPhone is your primary source of music then you want to make sure that your speakers have the necessary network shielding.
See iPhone speakers >>
iPad speakers
With the size of the Apple iPad it means that a lot of older iPod speakers and docking stations can not support the iPad, either because of lack of stability support or because the docking station itself is crated (usually with adaptors for different iPod/iPhone models). There are however more and more options in the market for iPad speakers these days.
See iPad speakers >>
DAB iPod speakers
Digital radio DAB & DAB+ has become a popular feature to integrate with iPod speakers these days, so if you want the option to add radio as well as the music from your iPod/iPhone then DAB speaker docks might be for you.
See DAB iPod speakers >>
iPod alarm clocks
Bedside iPod alarm clocks serve many purposes other than just providing you with your music in the bedroom/kitchen. Most of them will allow you to retire your old school alarm clock, and of course they ensure that your iPod/iPhone is fully charged for the day ahead when you wake up in the morning.
See iPod alarm clocks >>
iPod speaker brands & manufacturers
If you already have an idea about what brand of iPod speakers you are going for, but want to see what options the different brands have, then find your brand here to see what iPod speakers we have listed for each brand.
How much to spend on iPod speakers – price ranges
iPod Speakers come in pretty much all price ranges these days, from around £10 to £1000+ depending on design, brand, style, and how much oomph you want them to have. You are likely to find that most systems sits around the £100 mark, but as more functionality is added the prices are coming up as well.
As with most products, price also often reflect quality (although not always), so if you have a high quality music collection that you enjoy to listen to you might want to look at the high-end iPod speakers instead of the more budget friendly solutions out there.
Select your price bracket below to find some of our favourite iPod speakers at different price ranges.
- iPod speakers under £50
- iPod speakers between £50 – £100
- iPod speakers between £100 – £300
- iPod speakers over £300
We hope this guide and the links within it has helped you find the right iPod speakers for you and always we appreciate both positive and negative feedback, so feel free to get in touch on Twitter.
Latest iPod speakers news
Sony RDP-XA700IP AirPlay speaker dock
The Sony RDP-XA700IP might be the little brother amongst the latest Sony AirPlay speaker docks, but there is still plenty to be excited about as it comes packed with dual drivers with damperless magnetic fluid technology. Find out more inside.
Gear4 HouseParty 4-Evo speaker dock [review]
The Gear 4 HouseParty 4-Evo speaker dock is a decent budget level solution with good power, quality build, app enhancement, but with an audio performance that overall feels a bit flat. This is more a system for the teenage bedroom than the living room.
Sony promises improved sound with new magnetic fluid speaker docks
The latest two iOS speaker docks from Sony features their new magnetic fluid speakers promising improved sound reproduction as well as allowing for slimmer features of the speaker dock design itself. Find out more about the two new Sony speaker dock models inside.
Beats by Dre Beatbox Portable to take on portable bluetooth speaker market
Beats by Dre have launched their latest speaker dock, the Beatbox Portable, into a tough and competitive bluetooth speaker dock market, and only time will tell if their strong brand recognition and celebrity status will turn it into a success.
Sonastand iPhone 4/4S amplifier dock – Another great Kickstarter iPhone accessory
The Sonastand iPhone 4/4S amplifier dock is another Kickstarter project for an iPhone accessory that is picking up a lot of interest. Its beauty lies in the design and its simplicity, allowing you to enhance the audio of your iPhone speaker without any power connection or batteries.
Sony RDP-XA900iP: An Airplay speaker dock that comes with big expectations
When it comes to speaker docks, Sony has been delivering some of the most popular and best iPod speaker docks for years now. With the Sony RDP-XA900iP they are looking to take over the Airplay speaker market as well.
Philips DS6100 iOS speaker dock looks promising
With the DS6100 speaker dock Philips have created another stylish and sleek solution for iOS owners out there. Made out aluminum, this cross between a soundbar and the more recognizable Fidelio speaker docks is close to a perfect fit with your iMac.
Vita Audio adopts new brand name Ruark Audio
The Vita Audio R2i and R4i table top speaker docks with built in DAB is about to get a name change to Ruark Audio, a move that is believed to be part of an international strategy. Ruark Audio was already the parent brand of Vita Audio and a well known traditional hifi speaker brand.
JVC’s NX-BX3 redefines the table-top speaker dock
With the JVC NX-BX3 you get a lot more than just a speaker dock. This is a piece of furniture that you can rest a book on, your coffee mug, or perhaps a gold fish bowl (depending on weight tolerance of course). Just be careful when you crank up the volume and things start shaking!
