Altec Lansing ACS 495

My God, these speakers rock. The are able to produce sound at an amazing depth and quality, and are perfect for gamers or musicians. In a small office, you can't stand to be in the same room if these things are turned up more than bout 4 notches (out of 10).

The subwoofer connects via USB so that you will have not only better quality sound (as opposed to using RCA jacks), but you will have greater control over the sound and volume. The speakers come with integrated volume control software that allows you to control the sound and quality without physically turning any knobs. I prefer to have the bass set about 2/3 of the way up and the volume at about 1/4th...and I like my music and Unreal Tournament explosions LOUD. This speaker set could easily double as a way of turning your home PC into a bookshelf stereo system.

Now this set sports what they call a 'multidimensional audio system', which is a nice way of saying that it's not quite surround sound. It does have 4 speaker cones, but they are paired up in a box. One speaker points forward while the other goes off to the side. Sure, it sounds great, but nothing compares to actually having a speaker to the side or behind you. NOTHING. All that virtual surround junk is worthless when compared to the real thing.

Still, this sound system is excellent and reasonably prices when you consider the quality. The size of the speakers and subwoofer is also small enough to make them easy to place without getting in the way.