I recently went to my local Best Buy electronics store to get some computer speakers, and the set I went to first was the lauded Klipsch Promedia. I hit the power button with high hopes, but was disappointed by overly strong bass that drowned out the muddy midrange and highs. I decided to look at other brands. It came down to the Altec Lansing ATP-3 and JBL Sonnet. The ATP-3 did a good job of recreating hard rock, but the soundstage was narrow. The Sonnet speakers reproduced hard rock about 95% as well as the ATP-3, easily beat the ATP-3 in acoustic music and vocal reproduction, and had a much wider soundstage. $100 later, the JBL Sonnet was mine.

Hooking the Sonnet set up to my PC was a snap. I followed the five steps on the enclosed easy installation card (I could've done it without the card) and was up and running in about three minutes. The connections were clearly marked, and the sockets that the satellites plug into are shaped so they can't be connected to the wrong sockets.

The subwoofer and satellites are elegantly shaped to complement the design of current PC and Mac hardware. The subwoofer has treble and bass knobs (more desirable than a single tone knob), and the volume is adjusted via two pushbuttons on top of the right satellite (pressing both at the same time mutes the system). The buttons function adequately, but I would prefer knobs that bring the volume up and down more smoothly, rather than the incremental steps of pushbutton controls. Lastly, the power button is located at the rear of the subwoofer; it would be more convenient if the button were on the front or top of the subwoofer.

Plugged into my PIII 800 Windows 98 system and driven by my Philips Rhythmic Edge sound card, the Sonnet set fills my small computer room with beautifully detailed and accurate sound. MP3 files play beautifully, CD's are warm and smooth, and DVD audio brings you right into the movie. I listened to rock, trance, classical, and country, then watched The Color Purple, Gone in 60 Seconds, and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon; they all sounded great. Voices had a lot of range and clarity, instrumentals were vibrant and convincing, and explosions thumped with power. I also played a little Serious Sam, Need for Speed III, and Deer Hunter 5, and I was pleased with the level of sonic immersion. Many gamers insist on at least a 4.1 system, but the Sonnet easily made the grade.

These speakers won't cave your chest in with excessive bass. They're much more mature than that. The Sonnet's forte is warmly reproduced, well balanced sound. The bass works with the highs and lows, rather than drowning them out. The JBL Sonnet exceeds most computer users' needs and will do a fantastic job of making your PC a formidable music system. Pick up a set, pop in a CD, and enjoy.