Preview: Philips latest high-end dock speaker systems

However, we’re still not sure that we’d spend £300 on a single-unit dock. Senior Manager of Sound & Acoustics Julien Bergere told us the Bowers & Wilkins’ Zeppelin Mini, “is our key competitor” for the D9, and the the Philips dock had performed well in blind consumer listening tests against its rival.

Both the D9 and the D9010 were overshadowed by the day’s real star: the Fidelio SoundSphere DS9800. It won’t be in the shops until next month, but the DS9800’s speakers both look and sound extraordinary. The tweeters have been removed from the main body of the chassis and perch like eye-stalks on top of the barrel-like case containing the 5in woofer.

They’re separate units that use Apple’s AirPlay system to receive audio – the small dock is purely to provide a stand for your device and to charge it. This means that the only wires you have to connect are the power leads, although there is an optional auxiliary input. You can move them anywhere in the room, which gives you plenty of scope to create a perfect acoustic sweet spot. A wireless iPod/iPad dock is also provided.

They sound fantastic, although the £700 price is high even for a pair of ultra-high-end stereo speakers. Nonetheless, we’d love to put them through their paces against the best that the likes of Behringer and Teufel have to offer.