Computer Speakers Buying Guide

Under £30

This is great place to start if you are either purchasing speakers for your computer for the first time or just want a simple, decent sounding set-up:

Cyber Acoustics CA-4400 E - Webact!ve  4.1 speaker system Excellent sound for price range Master volume and rear volume controls located on right front speaker	Logitech LS21 2.1 Stereo Speaker System  Full, balanced 2.1 sound for desktop speakers Auxilary input and headphone jack convienient desktop volume control	Creative Inspire A200  Sleek desktop speaker design minimizes clutter Volume knob located on speaker Powerful subwoofer for deep bass

£30-£60

Speakers in this price range tend to offer better speaker construction and sound quality.  They are also perfect if you listen to music or watch videos on your computer somewhat frequently:

Creative GigaWorks T20 2.0 Speaker Set  High quality material; woven glass fibre speaker cones Tuned for high-definition audio playback BasXPort technology	Altec Lansing VS4121 2.1 Speaker System  Low profile design Engineered micro-drivers optimize sound dispersement Loud and powerful speakers	Logitech Z 3 - PC Multimedia Speaker System  Brushed aluminium speaker faces Patented award-winning sub woofer Speakers have removable grills and cast metal speaker stands

Over £60

These computer speakers deliver premium sound at a premium price.  Consider these speakers if most (if not all) of your music collection is on your computer:

Creative I-Trigue L3800 MP3/PC Speaker System IR  Brushed aluminium finish Speaker bi-amplification Auxiliary input Remote controlled	Harman Kardon Soundsticks II  Sleek, modern design Computer-optimized multi-band parametric equalization Unique "capacitance touch" control buttons allow for direct access to volume control Ultra high-quality stereo sound	Logitech Z-10  Studio-quality audio Digital crossover EQ Displays digital music track information Internet radio pre-sets

Other Considerations

• Space / Room Size
• If your computer is located in a small space like a dorm or flat, consider speakers with lower wattage.  A little sound goes a long way.

• Use
• If you have integrated your television, computer, and/or music into a single audio system, consider purchasing a home theatre audio system. 

• Placement
• Only purchase a 'surround sound' (4.1, 5.1..etc.) speaker set if you can place the speakers in an acceptable configuration provided by the manufacturer.
• Bad placement will almost certainly ruin the sound.

Set-up & Listening Tips

• Purchase rubber feet  if they are not included with your computer speaker set.
• Although most speaker manufacturers already include some sort of sound dampening feature, others do not.
• This will give your audio a more crisp sound and keep speaker vibration to a minimum.

• Make sure the volume on your computer is not at its maximum level.
• Increasing the device volume too much on your computer can cause audio break-up once the signal is amplified through your speakers
• Ideally, you should have your computer's volume (device volume) fixed at approx %70-%80, and then adjust the levels on the speakers to reach a desired volume.

• Check the sound configuration on your computer.
• Windows XP operating system (for example) allows users to configure the audio signal based on what type of external speakers you connect to the computer.
• Start -> Control Panel -> Sounds and Audio Devices (in case you were wondering).

Related Products/Guides

Headphones Buying Guide	Speaker Stands	Audio/Video Receivers	Computers	Audio Adapters

External Links

• PCMech.com: How to buy computer speakers.
• CNET.com:  PC speakers reviews.