Soundfreaq Sound Platform (photos)

The Sound Platform ($199) by Soundfreaq is a tabletop speaker system with a dock for your iPhone or iPod, as well as a Bluetooth connection that works with the iPad or any other A2DP-compatible Bluetooth device.

The knobs are here to adjust bass and treble EQ, or kick in the special sound enhancement mode. They're small and tightly spaced, but it's unlikely you'll use them often. Mostly they're here for looks.

On the other side, you have concave buttons for power, track skip, audio source, volume, and Bluetooth pairing. The source button takes you through Bluetooth, iPod dock, FM radio, and aux input, and you can see them cycle through on the display. The display is pretty dim, and it isn't helped by the slim font that's used, but it's nice to have.

There's a hidden compartment on the side of the Sound Platform. It's illuminated, so technically it's not exactly hidden.

The compartment opens with a push and keeps your remote control out of the way with a magnetic backing. The remote is your standard IR type, with buttons for volume, power, track skip, play/pause, and EQ.

The back of the Sound Platform looks nice, too. Here you can see the ported speaker design.

On the bottom, you have a place to plug in the power adapter, as well as an aux input and a socket for the radio antenna.

The Sound Platform retails for $199, which is a very attractive price for the features and sound quality you're getting. The dock is compatible with any iPhone or iPod made in the past few years. Bluetooth compatibility allows the speaker to work with the Apple iPad, as well as any A2DP-compatible smartphone.

Also included is the power adapter, an FM radio antenna wire, and three dock inserts--one for the iPhone 3G, one for most iPods or the iPhone 4, and a flat insert if you plan on just using Bluetooth and want to keep the design clean.

Overall, the sound quality stands up against the competition in the $200 space. You don't get the portability of some Bluetooth speakers, such as the Logitech Z515, but the sonic performance, FM radio, iPhone/iPod dock, and slick design are all worthwhile.