Bose Companion Multimedia Speaker

Editor's Note: This review has been removed from our side-by-side comparison because it no longer ranks as a top 10 product. The original review is below, but check out our current top 10 about Computer Speakers here.

Bose Companion 2 Series III

The Bose Companion 2 Series III is a 2.0 AC-powered computer speaker system. Both of the speakers weigh 4.7 pounds, and at 7.5 x 5.9 x 3.1 inches, are small enough to sit on your computer desk.

As the third installment in the Bose Companion 2 series of desktop speakers, the Series III has better sound output than its predecessors. Even though there's no external subwoofer and no option for adding one, these speakers are an upgrade over those built in to your computer. However, the cabinet is designed to enhance low-end spectrum performance and provide a more detailed sound.

The Series III PC speakers have a simple design and large front-facing driver ports. The right speaker houses the system's single control as well as all of its input ports. On the front of this speaker, there's a volume-control dial and a headphone jack. At the back, there are two 3.5-mm analog inputs: one marked for a PC connection and the other one that's designated as an auxiliary port for connecting a portable media player or smartphone.

Bose promises a wide soundstage thanks to its proprietary stereo digital processing circuitry. Still, the Companion 2 Series III computer speakers only have an analog input, and it's unlikely that the analog-to-digital signal conversion sounds as good as a purely digital signal. The user manual contains instructions for setting your computer volume to get the best quality sound from your speakers.

This system does not come with a remote control. Some multimedia speakers offer a remote so you can adjust the volume at a distance. It does come with a power adaptor so that if your country uses a different standard from the United States, you can still use the speakers.

With no external subwoofer, the small speaker drivers inside these Bose computer speakers have to handle low-, mid- and high-frequency responses. This is typical for 2.0 PC speakers, which suffer distortion at high volumes and have weak bass responses. Even though the absence of a subwoofer holds the Bose Companion 2 Series III multimedia speakers back, they still sound better than built-in speakers.