The Creative MegaWorks line of speakers has impressed us from day one. And the Creative MegaWorks THX 6.1 650 ($399.99 list) is no exception. A beefed-up amplifier, THX certification, and six satellites make this a compelling set of speakers, although the need for a third surround channel in your PC listening environment is open to question.

The new control pod lets you adjust the volume of the overall system, center channel, and all three rear channels; set bass and treble; and mute the sound. The 650 also has a Walkman-style (1/8-inch micro) stereo headphone jack that mutes the output of the speakers when headphones are attached—a feature that's always handy for those late-night gaming sessions.

Setting up the 650 is very straightforward, although the speaker connectors for the channel inputs on the 650 are compatible with only Creative Audigy 2 sound cards. The 650's adjustable center-channel speaker stand is a good idea that's poorly implemented. Nudging it even slightly causes it to fall to its lowest position.

The 650 delivers strong sound with good clarity in the middle and high frequencies. Bass is plentiful and tight, and the subwoofer doesn't let up. In tests with DVD movies and with games, the subwoofer never sounded strained. It held its own and probably could have been pushed even more. Dialogue was also clearly rendered in the front center channel, and soundtrack music was lush and full-bodied. The center surround channel filled out the ambient audio material, although our left-to-right sound field was only about six feet wide.

These are very solid speakers. The improvements in both bass performance and controller pod design, and the THX certification combine to deliver a very compelling product. That said, however, the Creative 5.1 MegaWorks 550 system is $150 less and doesn't lock you into buying an Audigy 2. The Logitech Z-680 5.1 system is about that same price ($250). But with Creative's current $75 rebate program, you can get your hands on the MegaWorks 650 for around $275, and even if you don't use the sixth satellite, you'll have a sweet set of 5.1 speakers to use with any sound card that has analog 5.1 speaker output.