When Sony asked if we would review the MS430 speaker dock we didn’t really know what to expect, we expected something small but not this small. We literally had to dig around in the box of shredded packing paper to find the tiny presentation box it comes in. So first impressions were good, it is certainly had the form factor of portable speaker and when we took it out of the box it looked the part too.
In the Box
– Quick start guide
– Sony MS 430 Speaker Dock
– 3X AAA batteries
Design
As mentioned earlier the size of the MS430 dock is the main selling point, it is around the same height of a smart phone and is cylindrical in shape. The brushed aluminium body remains blank apart from an etched Sony Ericsson logo and two small black dots that show whether the battery compartment is locked or open.
One end contains an open white speaker whilst the other only shows the Sony Ericsson logo. It’s the latter end that pulls and twists open to reveal the 3.5mm jack and second speaker.
Function
The system is simple, twist to open and the 3.5mm jack is revealed. You then slip it into your phone of choice and away you go, it is designed to work with Sony phones but we found it worked well with the iPhone too. Once installed the MS430 acts as a speaker and stand all in one, it looks nice and works well as both. The sound is crisp, not loud but certainly good enough for a travel or portable speaker – even on full volume the sound remains clear. Not bad for a dock that costs less than £24.
Verdict
The MS430 is a great looking speaker dock, the only slight niggle we have is that it doesn’t come with a sleeve or case to transport it around in. This would have been the icing on the cake because you really need one to protect the dock from scratches and knocks. The dock is by no means a replacement for a hi-fi and nor will it fill a room with loud sound. It does provide a good upgrade from standard mobile speakers and should be used as a decent travel or portable speaker you can pick up and move around with ease.
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Get it for £24 from Amazon, Play.com and Expansys.
