Harman Kardon SoundSticks III

The futuristic, see-through design of the Harman Kardon SoundSticks (now part of the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art) has impressed critics since it debuted a decade ago -- and so has the clear, full sound. The latest SoundSticks III version sports only superficial changes compared with its predecessor, including stronger, better-looking cables and a softer blue glow from inside the SoundSticks' clear body (reviews say it looks like the glow from a jellyfish). The minimalist design still lacks a few features -- there's no remote, no headphone jack and no volume indicator on the touch-sensitive volume buttons (so there's no way to tell if it's at full blast before you turn it on). But testers love the crisp, balanced, powerful sound, which handles even bass-heavy tracks and won't distort even if you crank up the volume all the way. If you want great speakers for music and can't afford the pricey Bowers & Wilkins MM-1 (*Est. $500) , experts recommend the SoundSticks III.

CNET and PCMag.com both test and rate the Harman Kardon SoundSticks III, comparing it with the earlier SoundSticks II as well as other speaker systems. The SoundSticks III makes The Wall Street Journal's list of the best PC speaker systems, and owners give it overwhelmingly good reviews at Amazon.com.