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Apple iPhone speaker docks used to be incredibly popular. Originally these used the 30-pin connector, which allowed you to charge your phone and listen to your music on your phone at the same time. The 0-pin connector was last used on the iPhone 4 back in 2010 and was replaced with the Lightning 9-pin connector on the iPhone 5 in 2012.

iPhone speaker docks continued to be popular for several more years. One of the issues faced with speaker docks was that iPhones started to be launched in multiple sizes making the docking part harder to design.

At the same time, many people were ditching the brand-specific docks in favour of Bluetooth speakers and smart speakers

With the introduction of QI and wireless charging, companies started to shift the design away from the Lightning dock in favour of this new charging standard that would support phones from different brands.

Due to this, many brands stopped marketing these products as iPhone Speaker Docks, because they now had universal compatibility.

The Belkin SoundForm Elite is one of the last speakers with a phone dock that I can remember launching.

A speaker with built-in QI charging is a handy gadget to have, but even these fell out of fashion. Belkin still list the SoundForm Elite but it is out of stock on their site, Amazon still has it available for around $120.

Therefore the below recommendation list, is largely out of date. I am leaving it here as it was part of the Make the City Sound Better website, which is now part of Mighty Gadget.

Best iPhone Speaker Dock 2023 Buying Guide

Well, you can do all that using simple and very convenient iPhone dock speakers. This is exactly why we decided to find the best ones on the market today.

1) Belkin SoundForm Elite: Check Price On Amazon

Best iPhone Speaker Dock 2023

The Belkin SoundForm Elite isn’t strictly an iPhone speaker dock, but a smart speaker with a built-in QI wireless charging dock. It works with the iPhone, but also any other phone that supports QI charging.

One Apple-specific feature is that this supports AirPlay  2 which has CD-quality sample rates of 16-bit, 44,100 Hz (44.1 kHz) resolution.

The SoundForm Elite features integrated fast wireless charging for iPhone at 7.5 Watts, Samsung at 9 Watts, and Google at 10 Watts. Vibration-cancelling technology in the speaker ensures your device charges without interruption.

This wireless speaker allows you to use Bluetooth technology to play and control your music while experiencing stunning, room-filling sound throughout your home.

It also has Amazon Alexa built-in, so there is no need to touch your phone when you want to play music.

Belkin used technology from audio experts Devialet to make this dock. This has the Devialet signature Push-Push vibration-cancelling dual-woofer configuration ensuring deep bass without the need for a separate sub-speaker.

2) JBL OnBeat Venue: Check Price On Amazon

Formed in the USA by James Bullough Lansing way back in the 1940s, JBL is a company that not only shifted trends in the world of professional audio equipment, but they also keep doing it to this day.

But while they’re most famous for studio and live equipment for musicians, they’ve also ventured deeper into the world of hi-fi equipment.

Among many of their multimedia devices and other products that are integral to home entertainment systems, we’re looking into their amazing OnBeat Venue dock speakers.

Of course, these are made especially for iOS devices, and any standard iPhone, iPod, and iPad will work with them like a charm. By its basic formation, this is a wireless speaker that connects using Bluetooth connection.

However, you’ll also find the standard line audio or auxiliary (aux) cable jack, as well as a connector that lets you connect it to a TV set. At the same time, you can also dock it using a standard 30-pin connector on the speaker and your iPhone.

This speaker may be a little pricy to some users, but we can assure you – it’s definitely worth the price. It has a wide frequency response and covers anything between 60 Hz and 20 kHz. At the same time, its drivers are designed in such a way to cover most of the spectrum as evenly as possible.

The full range is enabled using its dual configuration on both channels. It’s in full stereo and features strong bass and very open mids and highs. The only downside is that it doesn’t cover anything below 60 Hz, but that’s not much of a deal-breaker since it’s amazing in pretty much every other aspect.

Pros

  • Great deal for the price
  • Drivers are designed in such a way to cover most of the audible spectrum quite well
  • Wireless connectivity using Bluetooth, as well as other connectivity features

Cons

  • It doesn’t cover anything below 60 Hz, which may be a problem for some music

3) Sony RDP-M7IPN Lightning: Check Price On Amazon

As you might already suspect, Sony is another amazing manufacturer that became famous not only for its hi-fi equipment but many other electronic gadgets and appliances on the market.

They’re fully dedicated to entertainment, and it’s no surprise that their compact speaker systems are so popular as well. The one that interests us the most is the RDP-M7IPN Lightning.

This is a fairly compact and stylish dock speaker for iPhones that also works with iPods. It features a pretty great battery life, lasting about 10 hours at a normal volume level. Because it can get somewhat loud, this is a pretty decent deal.

As far as the connections go, we have two options. The first one is the regular Lightning connector that works with iPhones and iPods.

Of course, aside from this one, we can also find a regular 3.5 mm stereo jack, the regular auxiliary line in.

What’s pretty good about this one is that it comes with a quality remote that has all the necessary functions on it. At the same time, it doesn’t feature too many controls, making it a fairly simple one to use.

However, the downside is that there’s no Bluetooth connection. But because you have a remote, it’s not much of a big deal.

The speakers are great as well, although they might get a little “thin” in some songs since there’s a slight lack of bass. Other than that, it’s a very functional and useful dock speaker for iPhones that’s also easy to carry around with you due to its design.

It’s not that expensive as well and it’s able to do more than just a decent job for anyone’s needs.

Pros

  • Compact and practical design
  • Comes with a very simple yet functional remote control
  • Good sound quality
  • 10 hours of battery time at average volume levels

Cons

  • It’s slightly lacking in the lower-ends
  • Doesn’t feature Bluetooth connection, although it’s not that big of a deal since it has a remote

4) iHome iPL23V2BX: Check Price On Amazon

While they might not be as widespread and famous compared to some other brands that we’re mentioning here, iHome is still worth mentioning due to its amazing qualities.

It’s a bit of a misconception that they’re made by Apple, which they’re not, but they’re still compatible with Apple devices.

And the iHome docking station speaker that we’re singling out for this list is iPL23V2BX. Although with somewhat of a weirder name, it’s intended as a very practical and functional, yet also pretty practical one for everyday needs.

The first thing that gets our attention is its more compact design, resembling those old school radios and alarm clocks. In its essence, the device is designed to replicate those vibes, which makes it a great choice for mid-aged or older generations that are somewhat nostalgic for the ’80s and ’90s vibes.

On top of it, there’s a docking port for iPhones, starting with iPhone 5 and going onwards to newer versions. This is a standard Lightning connector that’s useful for any Apple device. Of course, it also works with iPads and iPods.

What’s also interesting is that it a USB charging port with a capacity of 1000 mA. What’s more, you also get the Auto Sync option that works well with some of the iOS devices. It even supports some relatively older iPod touch generations, like the 5th generation.

Other than these features, it comes with a great set of the company’s speakers. However, we would argue that these could have been done just a bit better. It’s not a bad audio quality by any means, it’s just not as much as we have expected, but it’s still okay.

Pros

  • Old school-oriented design
  • Compatibility with older iOS devices
  • Additional USB charging port for other devices

Cons

  • Audio quality could be a bit better

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5) Bose SoundDock XT Speaker: Check Price On Amazon

And then there’s the inevitable mention of Bose when it comes to almost any type of a hi-fi audio product. After all, they’ve pretty much cemented their name in the world of audio equipment due to some of the best products that money can buy.

Although kind of expensive and weird-looking (some would even say ugly), it’s one of the best docking speakers for iPhones that money can buy these days.

But while we’re at it, such a design comes with a good reason. Everything is done with great care to bring the best out of its drivers.

To put it simply, this little docking station manages to push things over the limits and bring a great sound no matter the musical style or type of a file that you’re playing.

And it’s a perfect one for iPhones and iPods. All you need to do is just dock it onto the Lightning connector and you’re ready to go.

And the somewhat weird design then gets rounded up with your iPhone or iPod standing at its docking place. And basically, any iPhones or iPods released from 2012 and onwards are compatible with it.

Overall, this is one of the best devices in this category that we could recommend. Sure, it might get a little price for some users, but in our opinion, it’s worth saving up. What’s more, you even have a standard aux line input that works with any other devices that support it.

Pros

  • Great sound quality
  • Very compact and practical
  • Its design revolves around the sonic qualities which further enhances them

Cons

  • The design might feel a little weird to some users

6) LuguLake 610: Check Price On Amazon

And finally, we would like to mention LuguLake and their somewhat unusual, yet very stylish and practical dock speaker model 610. The main focus here is on simplicity and low cost. Sure, you won’t get that premium quality sound or some extremely versatile features.

However, if you’re not feeling like splurging out a larger sum to have a nice music-listening experience at home, LuguLake 610 will do the trick. Just plug in your iPhone and you’re ready to get your party started.

Additionally, this little bad boy supports iPads, iPods, and even standard mp3 players or any other devices that come with 3.5 mm cable jacks. It comes with two small speakers, forming a stereo configuration, each bearing 3 watts of output power.

While this doesn’t seem like a lot, it can get things sounding loud due to its special design and configuration. What’s more, they also come with a special bass boost that even covers the lower frequencies. While certainly not the best sound quality, it’s more than amazing for the price.

Another thing that we’d like to point out here is this dock speaker’s design. They’re made in such a way to be compact and stylish at the same time. This is all encompassed with its aluminum casing that not only looks great but makes the device fairly durable.

So in case you’re looking for a budget option and don’t feel like spending a lot, this is the one that you’ll want to be looking into.

Pros

  • Very compact and practical
  • Great design and build quality
  • Decent sound quality
  • Very cheap and worth the price

Cons

  • The sound quality could be a bit better, but it’s definitely more than expected for this price level

Things to Look for In an iPhone Speaker Dock

However, before anyone gets excited about the features and other stuff that comes with such devices, it would be the best idea to find out more about iPhone dock speakers, what they are, and what are some of the features to look into.

And one of the first things to think about is the compatibility.

Since you’re looking into a very specific product by a company that likes to experiment and change things around, you always need to check whether your iPhone version is supported, both in terms of software and hardware.

You’ll especially need to be careful if you’re using an older iPhone version.

Of course, audio quality and the types of drivers are important as well. And, as you might suspect, better drivers and sound quality come with a higher price, but it’s always worth it.

Aside from the frequency spectrum that they cover, it’s important to know how they respond in specific areas.

In addition to the sound quality, you’ll need to think of additional features that come with these dock speakers. For instance, some of the best ones come with the so-called AirPlay features, iPad compatibility, and even Bluetooth connectivity.

And the rule is always the same – the more features you get, the price gets higher, at least in most of the cases.

And while we’re at it, your desired budget is one of the most important things to think about.

While it may get harder, you’re able to find quality stuff in all price ranges. It’s tricky, but we brought something for everyone’s tastes and needs below.

Conclusion: Best iPhone Speaker Dock

Looking for the “perfect” iPhone dock speaker might not exactly be the easiest task. However, in case you’re looking for the best product on the market in this particular category, then we’d recommend JBL and its OnBeat Venue dock speaker.

In our ears, it brings the best audio qualities that you can find, while also retaining some great functionalities in there.

Yes, it might be expensive, but it’s still something that will get the job done with more than just decent qualities

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