Creative's GigaWorks T40 Series II are excellent value and sound really impressive. However, serious music listeners or those creating their own music should spend more (about three times in fact) and get a pair of mini-monitors that will offer better clarity, neutrality, and overall balance. The GigaWorks T40 Series IIs also struggle with composure at high volume levels, but you can't complain too much considering the price. Hardly hi-fi or luxurious, the speakers are nonetheless compact, well built, and they sound great for general computer usage and when hooked up to an MP3 player.