Bose is better known to the general public for its QuietComfort headphones. Now, in its Computer MusicMonitor, the company has some very small, very expensive computer speakers. A Bose representative told me that the concept behind the Computer MusicMonitor was to create the "highest audio accuracy" possible while being "as unobtrusive as possible." Bose wanted a simple, good-sounding speaker set for computers in rooms that are more visible than home offices and have less space for subwoofers (for instance, a kitchen). The speakers do deliver nice clarity in the mid and high frequency range, but the "opposing passive radiator" technology meant to deliver deep lows doesn't quite do the trick. These are high-quality compact speakers, but $400 should get you a better remote and deeper bass.

The Computer MusicMonitor has no subwoofer, has no software to install, and comes with a very bare-bones remote control. Setup takes about 2 seconds. The speakers are less than 5 inches tall and only 2.5 inches wide, and they're angled upward—a simple, smart touch that many PC speaker manufacturers forget is essential for desktop listening. The included remote is a bit of a disappointment—it has only volume up/down and power buttons. I can understand Bose's desire to keep this system simple and not involve software that could control iTunes and Windows Media Player as the Logitech Z Cinéma does, but the surface area of this poor remote is terribly underutilized. How about bass and treble controls, or, at the very least, a mute button? A set of controls identical to the three on the remote sits on the inside panel of the right speaker.

The overall modern, minimalist aluminum design would complement a MacBook Pro perfectly, and this no doubt accounts for some of the price. Bose offers a one-year limited warranty, and product support can be found on the company site.

To be fair, the Computer MusicMonitor certainly delivers a nice level of clarity in the mid and high frequencies, and at high volumes users will notice a powerful output that rarely, if ever, distorts. This is due to the internal use of a dynamics limiter—which means, essentially, that when volume surpasses a certain threshold (determined by several factors, including speaker level and overall loudness of the particular track), the dynamic range is squashed a bit to prevent distortion. Purists won't love this, as it definitely messes with the mix, but folks who will happily sacrifice "pure" sound for not blowing their speakers out or hearing an annoying buzz at high volumes will appreciate this feature.

My main problem with the MusicMonitor is its lack of low-end depth. That's despite the fact that Bose promises increased bass with its "opposing passive radiator" technology. The front face of the each speaker has a driver that covers the full frequency range behind a metallic grill; the rear portion features two slit ports that push out the air from the two opposing radiators per speaker. Bose found that one radiator produced decent bass, but the vibrations were too intense. Providing an opposing radiator, however, creates inverse vibrations simultaneously, thus canceling out the total vibration of the speaker. The end result is that your speakers don't dance across your desktop, and a bit more bass is created.

Is there more bass presence, in these speakers than in most speakers of this size? Sure, but not by much, and honestly, there simply aren't very many speakers this size that sound good. JBL's Spyros, for example, are tiny, but they have a subwoofer. The whole point here was to achieve substantial bass with no sub. Did it work? I'd say that if the speakers were below $200, I'd be pretty impressed, but I still don't think these speakers' output is of a high enough quality to warrant $400. If you could find space for a subwoofer, for instance, the Harman/Kardon SoundSticks II, now almost four years old, sound amazing, take up about the same amount of desk surface area (they're tall and narrow), and cost about $200. With the money you save, you could buy an iPod nano (or a plant to hide your subwoofer).

Compared with another sub-less set on the market, the Audioengine 2, the Bose fares favorably. The Audioengine speakers are much larger—about 6 inches tall and 4 inches wide—and, since they have dedicated woofers, they deliver more low end, but the overall sound is a bit muddier. The Audioengine 2, however, is still a decent pair of good-looking speakers, and it retails for $200.

Clearly, my main issue here is price. For a pair of speakers to break the $350 barrier, they had better have excellent clarity, substantial low end, excellent design, and a terrific remote. Two out of four ain't bad, but the lack of bass and a versatile remote would leave me with a nasty case of buyer's remorse if I purchased the MusicMonitors at full price.

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