I've never been one for ipod docks but, when I bought my iphone the inbuilt speaker wasn't as good as I'd hoped and so I went out and bought the cheapest dock I could find with the idea that I would use it every now and then around the house. So, after a quick search online I found the proline tube speakers for £15. Not a bad price and so before long I found myself in the store buying some.

The speakers themselves are very easy to use. They claim to fit every ipod/iphone and whilst I have only been able to test them with the iPhone 3GS and iPod touch the fit on these was very good and they both stayed connected even whilst in a moving car. It also comes with a lead to connect other devices such as an mp3. Again, after testing an mp3 through these speakers this works equally well.

When I first played these speakers I was very impressed. I had, after all, only been after the cheapest dock I could find and so I wasn't expecting that much for the price I had paid. However, the quality is much better then that from my computer and almost equal to that of my stereo. There are buttons on the front to adjust the volume and it is more then loud enough to fill a large room with music. So far, I haven't tested it to maximum as I've had no need to since its a lot louder then you expect for the size!

The speakers also double up as a charger when they are connected to the mains.

The speakers are very compact which helps with their portability, I have to admit I was also attracted by their cylindrical shape as this is unusual.

As for the negative aspects, the speakers take 4AAA batteries. I have found that the battery life isn't brilliant when in use although I use rechargable batteries so this may be due to the fact that the batteries are reaching the end of their life? I've also found that when volume is increased to where the speakers are loud there is distortion when using batteries although this disappeares as soon as it is plugged back into the mains.

Also, the speakers themselves are on the end of the tube and have very little protection, therefore they can be easily damaged.

Overall, I love these speakers and would highly recommend them. I expected a lot less for the price I paid