Back to School: Speakers

August 28 2009, 7:00am

It’s that time of year again. The time where you need to get up and out of bed before midday like you’ve been doing for so long over the summer vacation. Speakers can make all the difference when it comes to waking up and getting the motivation to get out of bed because whether they’re sounding the alarm or plainly sending sweet music to your ears, good speakers will do the job. To help with choosing the best audio equipment to suit you, we’ve compiled a nice list of the best speakers from a low price to a high price. 1) iHome iHM77 Stereo Mini Speakers – $49.95

Small but powerful, these mini speakers are a perfect match for your Macbook, iPod or iPhone. They magnetically stick together to make portability an easy task, and separate and extend to get maximum usage and sound. If your Macbook is starting to sound a little tinny and weak then these might be for you as a starter to build up that awesome party feeling. If their friendliness towards portability wasn’t enough, they also come with built-in rechargeable batteries, vacuum bass expansion, USB charging, and a carrying case! Also, they’re available in black, silver, purple, and red. These are a true testament to size not being an issue, after all, it’s what you do with them that count. 2) iHome iP41 Rotating Alarm Clock – $79.95

First off, you don’t have to play Lady GaGa through these speakers (and really, we’d rather you didn’t) even though that would be a shock to wake up quickly to. By docking your iPhone or iPod, you can safely charge and listen to music or watch videos by rotating the dock itself. If you’re a late riser and need a little boost to get out of bed in the morning, this alarm clock is sure to give you plenty of musical warning with its iP41’s Reson8 speaker technology and EXB expanded bass circuitry. It’s sleek and sophisticated, and you don’t have to rob a bank to get your hands on one. 3) iHome iP71 Computer Speakers – $129.95

I bet you’re thinking we really like iHome aren’t you? Well, yes, when it comes to value for money iHome have got it in the bag. When you’ve spent all your Summer pocket money on penny chews and cans of mountain dew there’s not a lot left for audio gadgets. Boasting ‘premium sound’ and an iPod/iPhone dock, these Reson8 computer speakers sound great with 15 Watts of stereo power output. Whether you’ve connected them to your Macbook Pro to watch a movie or are listening to the album of a catchy new band you just discovered, the quality of sound will truly catch you off guard. 4) Harman Kardon Soundsticks II – $169.95

No speaker run-down is complete without a set of these bad boys. Not only are they aesthetically beautiful, but once you play the first song on them you’ll discover sounds you never heard before (particularly if you play Imogen Heap, Harman Kardon only add to her genius). Sleek and advanced, we’re not ashamed to call these speakers sexy, and if you’re looking to splash out on something special as well as good-looking these are it. You can thank computer-optimized multi-band parametric equalization for the excellence of these speakers, and you can also thank the designer for the ease of use. Simply plug in the stereo jack and you’re away. Easy. 5) Razer Mako 2.1 THX Speaker System – $299.95

Another set up where size doesn’t matter, and if you’re a gamer these speakers will really make you tremble. This 300-watt, THX-certified system has omnidirectional speakers to make surround sound really reach the far places. Developed by audio scientists (oooh), these speakers deliver rich audio that make your desktop experience a cut above the rest. Fed up of distortion from the mini plastic iPod speakers you bought last year? Well, distortion is a thing of the past when it comes to these. The price tag leaves a lot to be desired but really if you’ve got the money to spend, you’ll be wise to spend here. Featuring classHD digital amplifier technology with digital DSP control, a downward-firing design with optimized acoustic enclosure, and an all-in-one remote control pod with touch-sensitive LED dial, these speakers will deliver the goods with authority as well as sitting pretty on the desk. 6) Bose SoundDock Series II Digital Music System – $299.95

This is the big one, the Godfather of all music systems. Don’t let this one out at night, really. In fact, it’s worthy of a few bullet points… Featuring: unique combination of small size and powerful performance accepts iPod touch, iPhone, and any iPod model with a click wheel lets you play other audio sources. e.g. DVD player, CD, MP3 player charges docked iPod or iPhone when the system is plugged in remote control – navigation from almost anywhere in the room proprietary signal processing – enjoyable listening experience at any volume level Don’t say we didn’t warn you! If that was a lot to take in just breathe deeply and have another read. Oh, and have another deep breath if you want to peek at the price! (we’re having palpitations over here). However, Bose are known for their amazing products and amazing quality so to be completely honest, if you’re thinking about blowing the budget on this music system, congratulations. You’re in for a hell of a sound experience. So thats it, the countdown of the best speakers from a low price to a high (yeah, pretty high) price. Trust us when we say there’s nothing like experiencing a well crafted album through a fantastic pair of speakers, the world sounds so much better.