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Believe it or not, iPod speakers were once rare objects--and Bose's SoundDock was one of the first to hit the market back in 2004. Since then, the company has followed up with the SoundDock II ($299) and the SoundDock Portable ($399), even as the iPod speaker category has become completely commoditized (nowadays, there are plenty of sub-$100 clock radios with built-in iPod docks). For the 2009-2010 buying season, Bose has gone back to the drawing board and produced the SoundDock 10.

Bose says it worked for several years on this new speaker system for the iPod and iPhone, with the lofty goal of building a product that can deliver "audio performance previously unattainable from a one-piece speaker system for iPod." The SoundDock 10 is bigger and more expensive (costing a whopping $599) than previous SoundDock models, but it's still relatively compact, measuring 17 inches wide by 9 inches high by 10 inches deep, and has a nice clean, understated design that gives the whole system a classy look.

The centerpiece of the unit is a hefty, custom woofer, bracketed by two Bose Twiddler transducers (no, that's not a new social-networking site; it's a combination of a high-frequency transducer and midrange driver). The woofer alone adds a lot of weight to the unit, and while the speaker can be moved around the house easily enough, the SoundDock 10 weighs a beefy 18.9 pounds (that's three times as much as the aforementioned SoundDock Series II and SoundDock Portable). Held in hand, this model feels quite substantial and well built.

So, does Bose deliver on its lofty sound goals?

Read the full review to find out (or just watch the embedded video).

Small size, big sound: Bose's $599 SoundDock 10.

(Credit: Bose)

Bose has been busy the last few weeks. First, it announced its new QuietComfort 15 noise-canceling headphones. And now it's introduced another high-profile product with a double-digit model number, the SoundDock 10.

Bose says it's been working for several years on this new speaker system for the iPod and iPhone (yes, it has GSM shielding), and its goal was to build a product that delivered "audio performance previously attainable from a one-piece speaker system for iPod."

The SoundDock is bigger and more expensive ($599) than previous SoundDock models, but it's still relatively compact, measuring 17 inches wide, 9 inches high, and 10 inches deep. The centerpiece of the unit is a hefty, custom subwoofer, and two Bose Twiddler transducers (no, that's not a new social-networking site, it's a combination of a high-frequency transducer and midrange driver).

The subwoofer alone adds a lot of weight to the unit, and while the speaker can be moved around the house easily enough, Bose reps told me the SoundDock 10 weighs three times as much as the SoundDock Series II ($299) and SoundDock Portable ($399). In case you're wondering, those models will stay in the line.

The QuietComfort 15s look almost identical to the QC2s that they are replacing.

(Credit: Bose)

In designing its fourth-generation consumer noise-canceling headphones, the QuietComfort 15s, Bose has done something interesting. Instead of coming up with a whole new look for its headphones as it did with the QuietComfort 3s, Bose has left the basic design of its popular QuietComfort 2s intact and simply redesigned them on the inside, adding even more effective noise-canceling circuitry and improving their sound quality.

The QuietComfort 15s look identical to the QuietComfort 2s, with the same over-the-ear design, including earcups that swivel and fold flat to fit in a stylish case. (To be clear: the QC15s replace the QC2s, which will no longer be sold.) Bose has redesigned the case so it's easier to plop the headphones in it and close it up. The resulting package is slightly bigger than a CD wallet, which makes it easier to tote, though it's still not terribly compact.

Read the full review of the Bose QuietComfort 15s headphones to find out how they sound.

If you've flown on a commercial airline since 2000, you've probably seen people wearing Bose QuietComfort headphones. They're expensive and large, and I don't like them.

Their noise-cancellation circuitry actually generates noise of its own, and my ears are good enough to hear it as long as I'm not seated too near the engines.

I started wearing earplugs on airplanes in the 1980s when I discovered the squishy memory-foam type. They block noise better than headphones ever could, and they don't make any noise themselves.

Klipsch Image S4i In-Ear Headset

(Credit: Klipsch Group)

But when I bought my first iPod, that strategy didn't seem quite so perfect anymore. The ear-bud headphones that came with the iPod never fit me at all; they just fell out. After some experimentation with small folding travel headphones, I decided I was happiest with in-ear headphones. They gave me most of the noise reduction of the foam earplugs along with the ability to listen to music.

The problem with in-ear headphones is finding a model that fits me. I gather that this is a common problem with this type of product. I went through several low- and mid-priced models before settling on the old Apple In-Ear headphones--they just worked the best for me. (Interestingly, I had the same experience as CNET's Steve Guttenberg when he reviewed them: they only fit well when inserted upside-down.)... Read more

The QuietComfort 15s look almost identical to the QC2s, which are going away.

(Credit: Bose)

If you were thinking that the next pair of Bose noise-canceling headphones would be called the QuietComfort 4s, you'd be wrong. Instead, Bose has decided to go with with QuietComfort 15, though they're technically Bose's fourth pair of consumer noise-canceling headphones to hit the market.

Why the jump in number? Well, it appears that even though the QC15 headphones share the same design as the QC2s, which they will replace, Bose really wanted to set them apart from earlier models, declaring that they offer the best noise-canceling and sound quality of any QuietComfort headphones to date. The number 15 seems kind of random, but we're not marketing pros, so who are we to judge?

I tried a pair at Bose's launch event at its store in Time Warner Center in New York City. The company locked us in a small backroom and fired up some pseudo-airplane-cabin noise ranging from 84 decibels to around 91 decibels. The simulation indeed revealed that the new headphones are better at blocking out noise. They also sounded pretty good, too, though we'll have to run them through our own sound tests to determine just how good they really are.

Priced at $299.95, the QuietComfort 15s arrive in stores tomorrow. We should have a full review up soon.

(Credit: Ultrasone)

Q: I have been digging through the CNET Web site for a perfect set of on-ear or over-the-ear headphones for listening to music on the subway--but I just can't find a pair that fits all my needs. I'm not an audiophile, but I do need the headphones to be comfortable for extending listening, durable (head band that won't snap easily), and portable (not too bulky). Since I am using them on the subway, it'd be great if they offer some kind of noise cancellation (passive or active, whichever). And I'm a student, so I'm working with a budget of around $100. -- Anonymous, via e-mail

A: By nature of the fact that on-ear headphones are also semi-open, they are highly unlikely to offer anything in the way of passive sound isolation, though the thickness and material of the earpad may contribute very slightly in this area. Unfortunately, I have not come across any on-ear models with active noise-cancellation in the price range you are looking at. The closest would be the Sennheiser PXC-300s, which can be found for around $125 online. (The Bose QuietComfort 3s would also be a great option, if they didn't blow the budget out of the water.)

Now, if you remove the noise-canceling feature, you get a couple of excellent options that fall at, or below, $100. The first is the Koss PortaPro, which has kind of a funky, retro look, but is very reasonably priced and offers good sound quality. (Plus, Koss headphones come with a lifetime warranty, so if the headband does break from normal wear and tear, the company will replace it.) If you're after something newer with a more low-key style, the Ultrasone Zino is a fantastic choice that also offers impressive sound quality and a flexible headband.

(Credit: Bose)

The digital music revolution has made is easy to amass hundreds of hours of tunes on your computer, but it's not always as painless to listen to your collection away from your PC. Bose's newly announced SoundLink Wireless Music System (coming August 27) is focused on solving that problem as simply as possible; just plug a USB dongle into your computer, and it promises to stream your digital music collection and streaming audio services (like Pandora or Internet radio stations) to the included speaker. Even better, the speaker has a built-in, lithium ion rechargeable battery, making it easy to carry it to another room or out to the deck.

The press release doesn't get much more detailed than that. The SoundLink system doesn't use your home Wi-Fi network, but we imagine it most likely creates its own 2.4GHz network to transmit the audio from your PC to the speaker--no word on the expected range. Bose also claims to need no additional software; that's not surprising, as the USB dongle probably acts like a "USB speaker," meaning that whatever audio can be played over your PC speakers can be transmitted over the network. However, we'll be interested to see how well playback controls from the remote work in a variety of playback scenarios, included Web-based music services like Pandora. The SoundLink system does include an auxiliary input, which is a nice plus if, for example, a friend brings over an iPod or you want to use the speaker out of range of the wireless network.

As much as we like the SoundLink's style and thoughtful feature package (it reminds us of the Sony VGF-WA1), the $550 price seems way too high, especially with products like Mint 220 offering much of the same functionality for a little over $100. Not to mention that there are plenty of inexpensive Wi-Fi radios that offer wireless music streaming, although in Bose's defense, there currently isn't an easily recommendable battery-powered unit available. If the SoundLink Wireless music system hits all the right usability notes, it might be the right product for deep-pocketed digital music fans that don't want to deal with networking issues, but we'll have to do a hands-on test to see how it works in the real world.

Q: Recently I have been considering a new pair of headphones because I am getting quite tired of the standard Apple earphones that the iPods come with. I have three products in mind, and I am having trouble deciding which one is the best choice. They include the Bose QuietComfort 3, the Beats by Dr. Dre, and the Shure SE530. As you can tell, they aren't the cheapest ones out there, but price at this point really isn't an issue. Which one out of the three is the most comfortable, has the best audio quality, and is the most durable; again, price really isn't a factor. Thank you very much for your help. -- John, via e-mail.

A: Comfort is a very personal thing, especially when you are comparing such different styles of headphones--in this case, an in-ear canalphone, an on-ear (supra-aural) set, and a full-size (circumaural) pair. Personally, I think they all offer excellent sound quality, although my personal preference probably pushes the Shure to the top with the Bose very slightly under that and then the Monster Beats very slightly beneath those. In any case, you are going to get great audio quality, so narrowing it down will probably come to comfort.

The safest bets in terms of comfort are probably the on-ear style (Bose) and the full-size set (Beats), but here I would eliminate the Beats because I noticed a slight rattle in the right earcup (where the noise-cancellation module is) whenever I walked around with the headphones on. Although it's only a minor annoyance, this leads me to think that Monster needs to fine-tune the design of those headphones before they are a sure-fire winner. Also, some people find that full-size cans make their ears sweat, which can lead to discomfort.

By process of elimination, that leaves us with the Bose, though if you have average-to-large size ears and are looking for something very compact, you would probably be quite satisfied with the Shures as well. However, the large earpieces will not fit all listeners comfortably.

MP3 Mailbox Monday is a recurring feature in which I answer a selection of questions about MP3 players and accessories, such as headphones, speakers, and music services and software. Check back often to see if the advice presented here might be of some use to you, or send your questions directly to me. (Note: We never include last names, but if you prefer to remain completely anonymous, please state as much in your e-mail.)

Whether you're BBQ'ing, lazing by the pool, or showing those (un)fortunate souls all of your summer vacation photos, this episode has a little something for everyone.

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EPISODE 139

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Bose unveils SoundDock Series II for iPod–and iPhone

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