First, we decided on a budget range of $100 to $400. Afterwards, we chose the best 3-piece systems from nine manufacturers. Now, keep in mind that some of these speakers are pretty old while others are fairly fresh designs. But what matters most is the overall sound quality, not whether it’s brand new or not-so-brand-new. Here they are: a lean, mean bunch of speakers that can seriously annoy your neighbors. All right, let’s party!
 

Altec Lansing ADA 305 Bose Acoustimass-3  Boston Acoustics Media Theater Cambridge SoundWorks MicroWorks system Labtech ATX-5820 Microsoft Digital Sound System 80 MidiLand S2 4100 JBL Media System 2000

$150 $399 $299 $190 $160 $110 $399 $220

 
Wow, that’s $2000 worth of speakers. Sure beats the Socket 7 motherboard roundup budget that I’m planning for next week. Oh, well –like I said, sound matters. 
 

Some points to remember

Before we go any further, I’d like to clarify a few points. First of all, many people still have the idea that bigger is always better. Not true. This is an age where small is beautiful and there are plenty of compact speaker systems capable of overshadowing those big and bulky baffles of your home stereo. Another point is the power output, where people may tend to go with the products that features the highest wattage. Again, this is the “bigger is better” philosophy in effect. Don’t get caught in this mess: the overall power and sound quality depends mostly on the speaker design. Don’t be surprised if a 50 RMS (Root Mean Square) system outperforms a 100 RMS package.

Next, you have to think about the controls of the speakers- unless, of course, you like reaching behind the subwoofer to adjust the volume or setting treble and bass controls. It helps to get a speaker system with at least a volume control unit, such as the Cambridge SoundWorks speakers, or a software utility to control the speakers.  And of course, if you plan on placing the speakers close to your monitor, make sure the satellites are magnetically shielded. 

Most speaker manufacturers boast about virtual Dolby Surround modes and various 3D Enhancement controls. Many people tend to go instinctively for speakers with these features. This is all right, but remember that it is far from the real 5-speaker experience. Sometimes, indeed, when these modes are selected on 3-piece systems the end result really sucks. So I recommend that you choose the best speakers that sound right to you without paying undue attention to such hyped-up virtual surround sound environments. 

Oh, and one more thing. If you’re going to buy the speakers from a store, take along a CD that you’re very familiar with and play it to test the speakers. This way, you’ll notice differences between systems better, since you’re already used to the music.