Being a long-time Netizen, I frequently lurk in, around, and under the World Wide Web, visiting forums, blogs, and everywhere else I can go to without being arrested by the cyberpolice. My favorites, of course, are technology-related sites. That said, I�ve seen and encountered a lot of questions from people wanting to know what�s the best product out there, whether it�s a digital camera, multimedia speakers, or flash disks. And I just want to reiterate my frequent opinion on this matter: The best product is what fits your budget and meets your needs. With regards to multimedia speakers, it amounts to the same thing. You alone can decide what�s best for you, basing on what you need the speakers for and how much you can afford. Multimedia speakers have definitely come a long way. With the development of the Internet, along with games, digital music and video, the computer has evolved from being a mere document-processing machine to a multimedia station. Without the appropriate multimedia speaker system, one cannot begin to fully appreciate the entertainment power and potential of the computer and the Web. Let�s start with the price. You can buy multimedia speakers for as low as $100 or less, but you can only expect good quality from 2.1 systems. At these prices, 4.1 and 5.1 speaker systems can only offer mediocre sound quality, being budget-oriented. At $150 to $200, expect to get high-quality 2.1 systems and good quality 4.1 and 5.1 systems. From $250 to $300, you can get high-quality 4.1 systems, but try to avoid �brand names� at this time, because it�s entirely possible to get others that match or even surpass the sound quality of well-known brands. Speaker systems at the $350 to $400+ category can deliver excellent sound quality, competing with and even surpassing some home audio products, although this is a relatively new market. What�s the use? What I mean by this is, what are you going to use them for? Not all multimedia speakers are created equal. You have to learn how to match a speaker system to how you are going to use them. Generally, people would like to use their speakers for a variety of purposes, and the three most common are DVDs, games, and digital music. If you�re mainly going to use them for gaming, get a system with good 3D capabilities, deep bass, and raw volume. It depends on how much money and space you have, though, if you�re buying a 2.1, 4.1, or 5.1 system. For music, it gets a little more complicated. There is detailed and non-detailed sound. Non-detailed sound includes pop, rap, rock, dance, and alternative music. For these you need speakers with deep bass, raw volume, and what can only be called as an �in your face� delivery. Detailed music includes jazz, blues, classical, and R&B. You�re going to need speakers with good soundstage 3D capabilities, tight bass, and a wide dynamic range. When you want to use them for DVDs, I can only recommend a good 4.1 system, at least. Anything less than this just won�t give justice to the potential sound quality of the movie. Of course you also need a high-quality soundcard, but you already knew that. Contrary to public opinion, though, you do not need an external AC3 decoder or digital speakers just to get Dolby 5.1 surround sound. A lot of my friends are using analog speakers with 6.1 soundcards, and it plays back the Dolby signals just fine. Now, there are a lot more to talk about, but just remember these things I�ve mentioned and you�ll do fine with your multimedia speakers shopping. Don�t just take a reviewer�s word for it. Trust no one else but you. Get out there, bring along some music or DVDs that you listen to, and test the speakers� performance. In the end, it�s your ears, your money, and it�s going to be your speakers. By doing this, you�re ensuring countless hours of pure listening pleasure for yourself.
