We're not convinced Cambridge SoundWorks' PlayDock PD200 meets a need that genuinely exists. Its speaker-system --designed to work in tandem with a Nomad JukeBox-- delivers high-quality audio with a funky design. It can operate for about 10 hours with batteries at a moderate volume--although more bass equals less life for your battery--or run off AC power.
The Nomad fits into a rubber sleeve perched atop the single-piece PlayDock unit. The sleeve leaves all the control buttons and wheels exposed, and two captive cables channel the power and audio signal. Although the Playdock isn't designed for this purpose, you can use it with any device that has a line-out jack, as long as it also has an independent power source.
Heavyweight portable
To produce a relatively rich sound, the PlayDock incorporates a center bass speaker in addition to the left and right channels. You can mute the speakers and adjust the volume, and a Wide mode provides broader sound dispersion. Its sound quality and ability to power the Nomad represent the PlayDock's primary advantages over the alternatives (such as smaller, more tepid wireless speakers).
Unfortunately, the PlayDock's strengths are also its weaknesses. You get the great sound and long battery life because of the bass speaker and lead-acid battery, which bring the PlayDock's weight up to a not especially portable 14 pounds. For the device's price, you could purchase a comparable boom box that would offer more options and weigh a lot less. If you were incredibly pedantic, you might d have to forage for the rare models with line-out jacks in order to plug in your Nomad JukeBox, but a garden variety RCA-to-stereo jacks are common and will set you back about AU$5.
Conclusion
The PlayDock makes a fine piece of audio furniture for the home or office, but if you've got the outlets, you can plug your Nomad into any decent three-piece speaker system for a lot less money. The PlayDock PD200 is something of digital audio novelty, but that's not a terribly compelling reason to buy it.
Pros
Compact
Good sound
Long-lasting battery
Cons
Heavy
Redundant if you already own a portable stereo with external inputs
Cambridge SoundWorks PlayDock PD200
Company: Creative Australia
Price: AU$499
Distributor: Selected Creative resellers
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