I just wanted to throw in my 2 cents because I have been in search for the best computer speakers for my MBP / small room setup (<$500). I've demo'ed / tried out lots of speakers and I realize what a pain it is to try all these different speaker systems, so hopefully this will help someone out.
First off, I tried the traditional 2.0 and 2.1 sets. The ones I was looking into included the entire Bose line, Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 THX, AudioEngine 2, B&W MM-1, and Altec Lansing.
Bose MediaMates- I've had these for close to 10 years. I think the latest iteration is called the Companion 2 ($90). Personally I think for about $90 (or less if you shop around), these are great for the casual listener in a small room or close-field. You definitely get the "Bose" sound, which is a very wide soundstage. You don't get "thumping" bass for those that really need that kind of sound, but again for casual listening, I found the sound overall to be clear. I've read that the Companion 2's have had their spacial enhancing circuitry effects reduced, but overall the older MediaMates sounded better to me because the soundstage just seemed wider and honestly I liked the look of the old models (black). The new Companion 2's don't look that nice in my opinion.
Bose Companion 20 ($225) & 5 ($360)- I think the 20 and 5 are pretty much proportionally bigger and better (and more expensive) versions of the base model Bose computer speakers. The Companion 20's were very big (didn't realize how big they were until they sat on my desk). I was surprised to hear the sound of the Companion 20's. At times, when I was playing certain tracks, I heard the rumble that I usually hear from computer subs. That was impressive coming from a 2.0 system. However, you can't adjust the output of the bass from this model (like most Bose systems), and so sometimes the bass just couldn't keep up with the treble. Like, I would turn up the volume to get more thump but the treble would start blasting painfully loud. The main downside of the 20's for me were that the speakers were just too big sitting on my desk. The Companion 5's sounded proportionally bigger again, and with the sub (bass dial on max) you really got that thump when you needed it for any kind of music. I've read that because the 5's have their own sound card and are designed for movies, sometimes they don't reproduce sound as nicely for music. I didn't find that to be the case; The sound on the 5's was definitely different from the other Bose speakers. It's hard to explain but the sound just seemed more "digital" sounding . I liked the wide soundstage and think that this system would be amazing for movies / games. However, the main downside to this system is the outrageous price (I would look for deals).
AudioEngine A2's- I demo'ed these at a friend's place and honestly, for some reason I was not impressed. I know these are the "it" speakers these days among lots of people. Obviously these are very traditionally designed 2-way speakers, I believe. I think they also have kevlar drivers, but don't quote me on that one. Build wise, they looked good, lots of high quality materials and gold plated plugs. However, these speakers also have a bigger footprint than I'd like and to be honest they look like they were basically shrunken down bookshelf speakers (but powered). The volume control is behind the speaker, which can be a nuisance. I thought that these speakers were weak on bass, I guess I just expected more bells and whistles for $200. Of course for the audiophile out there, this is a non-issue. I'm not sure what to think of these speakers yet, they just didn't stick out for me.
Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 THX- I'm curious to know more about these. I demo'ed these at the store and the bass seemed pretty damn good. However, I've heard the sound coming out of the satellites was sub-par or only average at best, and I've also heard numerous quality-control issues on this model.
B&W MM-1- I also demo'ed these in store, and I noticed that at high volumes, there was a level of clarity to these speakers that I didn't hear in the other speakers I demo'ed. I own the B&W C5 earbuds, and so I definitely wanted to check the MM-1's out. However, I just felt that for $500 eye-popping dollars, the lack of bass was just unacceptable.
Anyways, off-topic, but what I ended up getting was the Bose SoundLink and a pair of B&W C5's. I think the SoundLink probably has a similar sound to the Bose MusicMonitors cause they are built similarly (with the passive radiators, etc.) After going through all these setups, I realized how nice it was to not have any wires to deal with on my desk with my MBP. The sound coming from the SoundLink is not earth shattering by any means, but I liked the portability and simplicity of the speaker. Again I got pretty good deals on these, and I wouldn't really suggest paying full price for any of these items. Honestly, I have an old pair of Altec Lansing ACS-33's and if you consider what you get for what you pay for, then those were the best I've ever had. (Got em for only $20 retail) But I'm sure like mac, bose also appeals to people who like simplicity, a little bit of flair, and some style for a premium. I'm also not as familiar with the brands that are not as mainstream (like Swan's, which I've gotta check out now) but I just wanted to share my opinions of these speakers that I did get a chance to listen to.
