Good-sounding multimedia speakers aren't hard to come by these days, nor do they cost a lot of money. But the problem with many systems is that they're designed for games, digital audio files and watching YouTube. As a result, your typical PC's speaker system doesn't really work well when you're working on your demo tape.

For who aren't mere audiophiles but actual musicians, the new M-Audio Studiophile AV 40 powered reference monitors will help you hear the subtleties in your music. They feature 4-inch polypropylene-coated drivers and ¾-inch silk-dome tweeters that together work to offer you pounding lows and crisp highs. These magnetically shielded speakers won't get the walls shaking, but with 20 watts per channel you can still rock out like the rising star you know you are. — Peter Suciu