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What iPod dock do you recommend?

A DeGeeked reader recently asked, "Which iPod dock do you recommend? I would like an eye-catching design and amazing sound with a small price tag." That's a great question, and one we should have answered long ago. The answer, however, isn't quite as simple as you would think.

As with most technology, it really depends on how you plan to use it. Are you looking for portability? How large of an area do you hope to fill with those Britney Spears jams using your new dock? Do you need a home stereo that features an iPod dock or something simpler? Are you the guy whose ear notices the sigh five seconds into Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here?

Without answers to these questions it's tough to make a perfect suggestion for every reader, but check out the three options below:

• For the budget-conscious, we recommend the JBL On Stage Micro. It is relatively cheap, and can be very small, so you can pump the jams anywhere you please. Buyer beware: the sound quality is a bit lacking on this little guy, and the volume has its limits.
• Designers and fashionistas should go with the Vers hand-crafted wood dock. it has the style that makes it more like room decor and less like a piece of electronics. This dock is great for a living, sitting, or dining room and comes in a number of natural wood finishes.
  
• The audiophile might want to consider making the investment in Bose SoundDock Series II. It's small, but don't let that fool you. It packs an auditory punch. This is the iPod verision of the Bose Wave Radio you have seen in TV commercials for years. At under $300, it's not cheap, but the sound quality is worth it, especially if you have a keen ear for that sort of thing.
  

There are hundreds of choices out there, and depending on your needs you can likely score a good deal on what you are looking for, as prices have been driven down by the iPod's popularity. You might also want to consider making the investment in a home theater system with an iPod dock and kill two birds with one stone.

What about you readers? Do you have a dock you love? Or maybe one you hate? Tell us about it in the comments below.