Bang and Olufsen BeoSound 8

The basics

The Bang and Olufsen BeoSound 8 sits firmly at the premium end of the iPod dock market. It looks like nothing else around, putting even the iconic B&W Zeppelin in the shade. It costs a lot of money – at nearly £900 – but if you can afford it, there's a lot to like.

The good

The slimline speakers sit at both ends of the dock, and look like nothing more than two minimalist discs. Look from the back of the dock, and they're actually cone shaped, with a bar that runs between to join them together. It's on this that your iPod sits, with a simple control wheel in the centre to manage your music.

One of the things we love the most about the Bang and Olufsen BeoSound 8 is the fact it's simple. You control it in the same way that you control your iPod – there are no unnecessary buttons, no unnecessary displays; everything is very much a perfect mix of form and function.

All this would be no use for lots of us if the Bang and Olufsen BeoSound 8 didn't perform when it comes to audio. Thankfully, it sounds every bit as good as it looks, with epic sound quality on offer. It's easily loud enough for most uses, with virtually no sign of distortion at higher levels, and it offers a great mix of bass, mid and high-range sounds.

The bad

It near impossible to make a criticism agains the Bang and Olufsen BeoSound 8. It looks great, it's beautifully well made, and sounds every bit as good as it looks. The only downside? The price – but even then, there are lots of other high-end rivals that cost more.

The bottom line

Overall, the Bang and Olufsen BeoSound 8 is an absolute stunner of an iPod dock. It may be difficult to justify spending this amount of money on an iPod dock, but if you don't mind splashing the cash, we doubt you'll find anything that looks or sounds better.