The Monster Beatbox has a simple mission that goes something like this: deliver big sound from a small box. We'd call it monster sound, but the Beatbox doesn't quite go that far. But it certainly is compact and it certainly plays loud, filling even a fairly big room with sound.
That in itself is an impressive feat, and the $400 Beatbox may just be the loudest-playing iPod dock for its size. The first thing you'll notice about it when you pick it up--yes, there's a convenient carrying handle at the top--is that it's heavy, weighing in at a solid 13 pounds. Though it's not battery powered (the power supply is in the unit, which contributes to the weight), it's designed to be portable and turn into party box wherever you take it.