Sonoro are fast becoming one of my favourite audio-tech producers. Having reviewed the cubodock a while back, it was with great interest I unpacked the new Troy model, a smaller, more desk-friendly model in the Sonoro range.

The first thing that strikes you, is how stylish it looks. Available in a large range of colour combinations, the one I unpacked was a combination of red and white. At the front, there’s a reasonably big single speaker, underneath is a power switch and on the side is the volume control, a simple old fashioned rotating controller.

The top is where the interesting features lie, however. The Troy comes with a small shelf-style piece that slots over a small gully that hides cables and is where you’ll find the attachments.

Unlike the cubodock, the Troy requires you to wire whichever audio device you are using with the included phono cable. This poses an issue of sound quality, which may not be noticeable to everyone, but if you’ve used a high-end audio device before, you’ll notice that the Troy doesn’t produce perfect audio. The cable also presents a second issue, that you’ll hear audible buzz when connecting it, if you’ve not powered off the device before connecting. Sadly, if the unit takes a knock, sometimes that can cause a buzz too.

But that’s about it, in terms of negatives. Next to the audio input slot, there are two USB slots, which means you can charge two devices at once, and if they are phones, you could even hide one underneath the shelf. It’s safe to say that although the Troy can make use of anything that is USB chargeable and has a headphones slot, it’s definitely been designed with Apple products in mind.

Sure, it hasn’t got a dock for the Apple devices like the cubodock, but the shelf section also houses a stand area, which is perfect for a new iPad to sit in. Indeed, having my iPad cabled up and constantly charging, whilst using the iTunes sharing options available to me is exactly how I made best use of the Troy.

Volume isn’t an issue for the Troy, allowing you to really pump out the tunes. It’s not as loud as other units, but the Troy is clearly designed for office use, or as a small mantlepiece option; it’s not designed to be the audio hub of the home, and at high volumes the audio quality comes into questions.

Pros:

• Lovely design, multiple aesthetic options
• Works superbly with Apple devices
• Can charge multiple devices at once
• Excellent for office use

Cons: 

• Cable audio = not top quality
• Shelf doesn’t click into place, can come loose
• Little bit pricey for what it does

VERDICT: The Sonoro Troy isn’t in the same league as its superb big brother, the cubodock, but then it isn’t supposed to be. An excellent solution for the office deskspace, especially given that it could charge both tablet and phone at the same time. It won’t break the bank, but it’s also not a cheap item either, but it’ll look pretty doing its job admirably well.