Looking for dock station/speakers for I Phone

Rule3 · May 16, 2016

IPhone 6s. Would like a station that has decent sound and does not cost a whole lot. Some are crazy priced. Not sure if I want a portable or plug in the wall? Main thing is it needs a cable to charge the phone as most stations will not allow the phone to dock if it has a case on it. Does anyone carry a phone with no outer protection case these days??

Anyway I looked on Amazon and promptly got confused.

Any suggestions?

Rule3 · May 17, 2016

No one uses these?

Hillbilly77 · May 17, 2016

Is a docking station a requirement?
Your iPhone has bluetooth capability, so no need for docking or being tethered by a cable.

I don't have external speakers or a sound bar. I use headphones instead.
The sound quality is amazing and the range is impressive as well. They are great for any time you want to drown out noise and/or live in your own little musical world.

I wear them when I mow the lawn or run my tractor. The noise reduction and speaker quality combined are so good that I have to turn the music down so I can still hear the tractor running.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Tough-Sounds-Protection-Headphones/dp/B00L9MFATO"]Amazon.com: Ion Audio Tough Sounds Hearing Protection Headphones with Bluetooth and Radio: Musical Instruments@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31TIumR4b7L.@@AMEPARAM@@31TIumR4b7L[/ame]

ChattanoogaPhil · May 17, 2016

Rule3 said:
No one uses these?

I don't think docking stations are all that popular.

Rather than tethering the iPhone to the dock of a speaker system, I use Bluetooth and Apple Airplay. To listen to music with my iPhone, I use my home stereo system via Apple TV. You can get an Apple TV for $69. If I'm in the shop or garage I'll use my portable Bose SoundLink Mini with Bluetooth. Surprisingly good sound in a small package. $199. You can get a Bluetooth enabled home stereo receiver from Bestbuy for a $100, and then add some inexpensive bookshelf speakers to it. It will sound 100x better than most inexpensive docking systems.

As far as charging... For great quality Lightening charge cables of any length from 4 inches to 10 feet, AmazonBasics has the best prices, quality and choices. But that's a separate consideration from listening to music. For most uses, the idea using a sound system with a dock to charge the iPhone isn't as convenient as it looks.

Rule3 · May 17, 2016

Oh, OK, I was concerned about keeping the battery charged. Yes, I can link via Blue Fang but then I guess I need a longer charging cable?? or what.

I am new to this music on a phone thing. I use Pandora on my computer and have great speakers/woofer attached to a desk top and also a lap top in the back reloading room. I play Pandora on the TV also.

Guess I was thinking about the garage. I have not transferred songs to the phone yet.

Rule3 · May 17, 2016

Hillbilly77 said:
Is a docking station a requirement?
Your iPhone has bluetooth capability, so no need for docking or being tethered by a cable.

I don't have external speakers or a sound bar. I use headphones instead.
The sound quality is amazing and the range is impressive as well. They are great for any time you want to drown out noise and/or live in your own little musical world.

I wear them when I mow the lawn or run my tractor. The noise reduction and speaker quality combined are so good that I have to turn the music down so I can still hear the tractor running.

Amazon.com: Ion Audio Tough Sounds Hearing Protection Headphones with Bluetooth and Radio: Musical Instruments

Hey, I can wear these at the range and blow out more of my ear drums with rock music rather than gun shots! Heck, I am a RSO I don't need to listen to anyone!

ChattanoogaPhil · May 17, 2016

Rule3 said:
Oh, OK, I was concerned about keeping the battery charged. Yes, I can link via Blue Fang but then I guess I need a longer charging cable?? or what.

Guess I was thinking about the garage. I have not transferred songs to the phone yet.

I don't know what you mean about needing a long charging cable. Are you trying to use the electric company's power pole on the street and then run a cable into your home/garage? Trying to save a buck on electricity again, eh?

You can charge your phone anywhere you have an AC outlet. All you need is a AC/USB plug and Lightening cable. You got those with your iPhone, right? We use em throughout the house... bedrooms, kitchen, living room and office. Wife bought a 5-pack of AC/USB for something like $20. Keep in mind that Bluetooth range is 30-50ft and even further if not going through walls.

Another solution for charging in the garage or where there might not be an AC outlet is something like a PNY Powerpack T2600 for $5-10. That'll keep your iPhone juiced up without any power outlet needed. Here's one on sale for $4.99. We use them and they are quite good.

PNY PowerPack T2600 USB Rechargeable External Battery Green P-B-2600-1-G01-RL - Best Buy

Now if you'd prefer not to use your iPhone at all, take a look at Internet radios like Grace. We have a couple of them. Pandora and iHeart radio and all the rest... and Grace will stream your music from your home computer. All via your wireless home network. Visit Grace's website. Memorial Day is a few days away. They usually have sales around 25% off.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Grace-Digital-GDI-IRC7500-3-5-Inch-Display/dp/B00HZN1WXE"]Amazon.com: Grace Digital GDI-IRC7500 Stereo Wi-Fi Music System with 3.5-Inch Color Display (Black): Electronics@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41sDEG5OgmL.@@AMEPARAM@@41sDEG5OgmL[/ame]

ChattanoogaPhil · May 17, 2016

Rule3 said:
Hey, I can wear these at the range and blow out more of my ear drums with rock music rather than gun shots! Heck, I am a RSO I don't need to listen to anyone!

See now we're getting somewhere!

Funny you guys mention this. Quite often I'll have the Club to myself on weekdays. Sometimes I'll be on the 300yd range shooting my suppressed Savage .22 rocking out to the Stones via HD bluetooth earpiece and my iPhone.

Rule3 · May 17, 2016

Yes, I have the charge cord and the ear buds

Hmmm my neighbors are never home I can run an extension cord to their outside outlet!

So rather than a dock, just get some Blue Tooth Speakers?

Hillbilly77 · May 17, 2016

Rule3 said:
Hmmm my neighbors are never home I can run an extension cord to their outside outlet!

So rather than a dock, just get some Blue Tooth Speakers?

Yes to both questions.

P.S.
The headphones I mentioned also can take phone calls via Bluetooth.
The phone will ring right into the speakers and there is a microphone built into the headset. One push of a button will answer the phone and another push of the button picks your music back up where it left off.

Or you can put your phone on "Do not disturb" and pesky calls won't interrupt your music.

ChattanoogaPhil · May 17, 2016

Rule3 said:
So rather than a dock, just get some Blue Tooth Speakers?

If you want to use your phone that's what I'd do. That way you got music in the garage or back porch for grilling and drinking beer.

For something super small and portable with rechargeable battery operation, I didn't hear anything that sounded better at BestBuy than the Bose Soundlink Mini. But for the garage where miniature size may not be much of a criteria and if ya got a wall outlet to plug it in, there's larger systems that sound better for a lot less money. Think boombox with Bluetooth $50-$100. Or.... if a boombox has an Auxiliary audio-in jack then you can just plug your iPhone right into it. That's what we do in the Wife's car, just plug the iPhone into the AUX jack. And by not using Bluetooth saves on iPhone battery use too.

Ghlover · May 17, 2016

Or get some Caldwell E-Max Low Profile Electronic Ear Muffs. They have a headphone jack to allow your iPhone to plug in or a radio or such. Plus you can use them for shooting!

forestswin · May 21, 2016

A word to the wise ....
It seems all phones, ipads, tablets, etc change the connector type every other year...and you have to buy new car chargers and cables everytime you get a new phone

So consider future compatibility and whether you'd have to get an adapter down the road.......some docking stations are now obsolete

Smoke · May 21, 2016

Home Music System for iPod and iPhone

I have this and for the price I am very impressed. Not sure if it lets you plug in with a case on though. The sound quality is good enough that my artillery ears can't distinguish it from my top of the line (20 years ago) Kenwood

vt_shooter · May 21, 2016

I had the same question a few months ago about docking stations, and I realized I was still thinking a few generations back with iPhones. Docking stations have pretty much been replaced by connecting to a portable speaker by bluetooth. I bought a Bose Soundlink Color speaker - they work nice and sound pretty good. It connects via bluetooth, or if you don't want to use battery power on bluetooth you can connect the iPhone and speaker via an aux cable.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=bose+colorlink+color&rh=i:aps,k:bose+colorlink+color"]Amazon.com: bose colorlink color@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51e3S-JSopL.@@AMEPARAM@@51e3S-JSopL[/ame]

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-3-5mm-Stereo-Cable-3-Foot/dp/B0047T79I6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00"]Amazon.com: Belkin 3.5mm AUX Stereo Cable (3-Foot): Cell Phones & Accessories@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21H6UsnPl6L.@@AMEPARAM@@21H6UsnPl6L[/ame]

birdshooter · May 21, 2016

Check out the Polk Boom Swimmer Duo. It's around $50. Bluetooth connection to your phone. It's shockproof and waterproof. Portable and comes with a flexistrap or suction cup to mount if you wish. You can link two of them for surround sound. Great sound. Rechargeable battery via USB.

Smoke · May 21, 2016

The thing I like about docking stations is that you can charge your phone on them and you have to charge your phone anyway

Rule3 · May 23, 2016

Ended up going to Best Buy (which I dislike) I liked Circuit City better

Got the JBL and since they were cheap got a store brand Insigna for $25 for the garage. It actually sounds OK and has good battery life (will also charge) For the price it seems pretty well made and is disposable,

There were a few that were better sound but $100 more than I wanted to spend.

JBL Charge 2+ | Splashproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker with USB Charger

Insignia

ChattanoogaPhil · May 23, 2016

Nice. The JBL will be good to go for the next hurricane in Florida.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Rule3 · May 23, 2016

ChattanoogaPhil said:
Nice. The JBL will be good to go for the next hurricane in Florida.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I need to tap into my neighbors generator.

The cheap speaker has a longer battery life.

I kinda wanted the Altec, it was cool had a mounting bracket for all my Mountain Biking and would go with a Go Pro.

Expensive and didn't sound as good as the JBL

Could bring it on the boat and it is Siri enabled, 40 hour battery life.

http://www.alteclansing.com/en/al-products/boomjacket/

Looking for dock station/speakers for I Phone

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