You can purchase $10 speakers for your computer or you can purchase $500 speakers. What's the difference? The quality of sound you hear depends on the quality of your speakers, the capabilities of your sound card, and the quality of the sound file you're playing. To compare the quality of sound cards, download the files at pubweb.nwu.edu/~jll544/sndsmpl.html and take the wavetable sound card test drive. Are you interested in which speakers produce the most dynamic sound? Look for a comparative review, such as CNET's roundup of the latest speaker systems at computers.cnet.com/hardware/0-122330-410-646924.html. For an update on the latest speaker technology, check out Altec Lansing's Web site at www.altecmm.com and click the Line link. Then check out the site of other popular speaker vendors: Creative Labs at www.creativelabs.com, Labtec at www.labtec.com, and Koss at www.koss.com.