While iPod docks are a 10-a-penny, B&W’s Zeppelin is very much another sort of dock. More of a marina than a mere dock, the Zep punts out top drawer sonic loveliness and looks the part, too, forged from a solid slab of purest black. If you absolutely must be negative about it, it doesn’t deliver prodigious amounts of bass, but as iPod docks go, they don’t come more stylish than Zeppelin.

The Eclipse eggs have been top of many people’s must-have list since the dawn of time, largely thanks to their eggsquisite design and more importantly their flawless acoustics. The curved enclosure is designed to reduce, nor destroy, troublesome standing waves (the enemy of Hi-Fi addicts). Their diminutive dimensions mean that deep, rumbling bass is out of the question without the addition of a meaty subwoofer, and they’re a touch fussy about what kit you pair them with, but if you’re looking for clean lines and even cleaner sonics, these two-thousand-dollar Eclipse TD 510s are definitely your cup of tea.

As always, there were plenty of outlandish speaker designs and cabinets on display at this year’s IFA show. However, Harman Kardon’s new GLA-55 active speakers stood out more than most. Looking more like something that Indiana Jones might pilfer than a traditional desktop speaker, the GLA-55 will only be available in extremely limited numbers, maybe around 2,000 to 30,000 pairs and should cost around $800. They are designed for use with a computer, iPod or anything else with a standard 3.5mm output.

Say hello to the Sony Sountina. It’s a transparent glass tube that emanates 360 degree sound, instead of a traditional speaker’s straight-on noise. This it does by vibrating along its one meter length, creating “full circle sonic”. More importantly, you can choose different colored lights to put in it, for an exquisite audio visual experience. Sountina is only available in Japan for the moment, for about $9,000.