At a Glance

Expert’s Rating

Pros

Great sound
Works with most newer Macs
Unique design

Cons

No volume control on satellites

Our Verdict

Harman Multimedia’s SoundSticks picks up where its predecessor, the iSub

, left off. In addition to a subwoofer — the component that pumps out deep, gut-shaking bass — the system comes with two tiltable 10-watt satellite speakers, for a total of 40 watts of power. The bass module has its own volume knob, but you need to adjust the overall volume of the Sticks via your Mac’s Sound control panel or through the Control Strip. With a frequency range comparable to that of a home stereo, the SoundSticks system makes a great addition to any Mac with built-in USB running at least Mac OS 9.0.4.