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Bluetooth headphones are more expensive, and heavier ( batteries / circuitry ).
I don't want to check if my headphones need recharging or new batteries.
The bluetooth audio codec is crap.
You just wrap the wires around the headphones for cans, or for buds you wrap them and put them in a tin/container.
Besides, good headphones have flat tangle-free cables.
And I loathe everything wireless, that randomly has interference or pairing problems... Or decides to suddenly connect to another device.

Take your bluetooth and shove it.

I'd rather have a thicker phone with more battery life, that won't snap in half
You can spend the extra money for bluetooth headphones that sound like crap, and i'll put all that money into headphones that actually sound good.

These are cheap, and probably sound 4 times better than your bluetooth headphones... and don't need electronic noise canceling.
http://www.klipsch.com/product...

By far the best audio setup I have ever seen/heard had exactly zero tubes in it. Listening to it was almost exactly like sitting in a concert hall.

SS amps *have* come a long way these days...but you really gotta find a good one.

And a lot of this is subjective. To my ear, nothing beats a quality tube amp running through some large, horn loaded speakers (Klipschorns).

I really miss speakers that are made with real wood enclosures they sounded so much fuller, crisper, and bigger. Then again I have a tube stack with a 4x12 oak slant back offset classic and greenback Celestions that sounds like it's a crisp 300 watts (it's only 200) compared to the new stuff anyway.

Me too.

I have a pair of Klipschorns 50th anniversary speakers ....horn loaded, VERY efficient, and they are made to run with tube amps. I have a couple of older Decware SET amps (I have the long old, SE84C). .....sounds really nice. I'd like to some day get an old McIntosh amp, but even old 60's versions are pretty $$$$.

I'm very tempted to dig out my old turn table...I'm SO disappointed with so many of the new "remixes" they have been putting out of my artists which are classic rocksters.....they have succumbed to the compression wars and there is no fucking dynamic range anymore.

From what I understand, with the physical limitations of the vinyl format, they really can't over compress. Even though my hearing isn't what it used to be, I can still hear that my music often doesn't sound as good as it did when I was a kid. With new stuff, I quickly get ear fatigue, but with something well recorded on my system, even at pretty high volumes, I don't get ear fatigue and can listen endlessly.

I have a few gems on digital...Jethro Tull's Aqualung put out a year or so ago for a remastered anniversary edition is amazingly well done. It has plenty of dynamic range, and they've brought forth instruments that I'd never really heard before..it is great.

But like my Stones re-issues...ugh...they've killed what used to be fun recordings.

I'm hoping my vinyl experiment might give me back the sound I want to hear....and not be processed to sound like shit like so many engineers seem to aspire to create (or destroy).

A pair of desktop speakers, by LabTec, isn't going to sound nearly so good as my Klipschorn Speakers that I have in my living room. I have them connected to a pair of SE Tube amps from a small online company Decware. I've had them quite awhile and I love the sound of them. To each his own, I like the tube distortion, but I have ever since I was 12yrs and heard a pair of K-horns in an audio store running off a McIntosh tube amp system.

But I digress. The thing is...those cheap earbuds on an iPod aren't going to sound as nice as my Shure higher end earbuds.....at some point, you do get what you pay for. But one always has to be wary of what's being offered, and do their research, and test things in person.

That all being said, there are some fun DIY things you can do. I found lots of links years back, on taking multiple strands of Cat-6 cable, and braiding it in various fashions into speaker cable. I did my own variant, and I have to say, I liked the way it sounded...in fact, I still have it on my main front speakers (the khorns).

So, if you do enjoy GOOD fidelity in your audio, often you do have to pay a bit, but not always.

Sadly, so many kids today seem to see their music as disposable, and many have never HEARD what a good sound system can sound like...and only know white, cheap earbuds...or worse...the thudding of "Beats" headphones, that so far I've yet to find a tweeter installed.

But that's a different soapbox to get on altogether.

the differences between low-end sound and high-end sound have been very, very hard to differentiate.

My Klipschorn Speakers would beg to differ with you....

But none of those DACs, nor the SoundBlaster seem to have an offering with good old fashioned Vacuum Tubes?!!?

Stereos that glow are cool, and sound OH so good, especially through a pair of Klipschorns.

I mean, if you're only listening to ear buds (even $$$ ones are limited in bass response, etc), or in a car (one of the worst listening environments conceived)....then sure it won't make a difference, and portability makes a lot of sense too.

However, in a nice listening environment, with good equipment...it is worth the effort IMHO.

For instance, I have a pair of Klipschorns ...paired with a couple of the much older models of the Decware SET amps , running mono to each channel..plus an older 15" 800W Klipsch sub, etc......

Even with my older ears, I can hear differences in recordings and formats. Not as well as I used to be able to, but I figure, WHY would I want anything less than the best I can get for the given time/situation? When listening at home, I rip my music to flac, and have it play on my living room stereo.

And hey....kinda fun to watch the Flintstones in concert volume on tv too from time to time, or hell, once hooked the MAME machine to it....Robotron 2084 is fun with the room shaking around you.

God, my neighbors used to hate me when I live in a place where I had to share walls...

I've had incredible success with Klipsch ear buds. They have an oval, not circular shape, so they actually fit in your ear without discomfort. It's actually kind of shocking that most ear buds rely on the "cram them in and hope they stick" design.

That's because you're not using Monster® cables.

Nah...no need for those, my system I've been building for decades sounds great with WELL recorded music. And my speakers aren't the weakest link either....

Actually, the problem I'm running into, especially remasters of older stuff..is that my system reproduces too well.....and I can hear the flaws with badly recorded stuff. The overcompressed crap coming out due to the loudness wars, just physically hurts to listen to.

My choice is usually McIntosh...

Man, you've got that right...I've been jonesing after a good McIntosh tube amp(s) since I was about 12yrs old and heard my first ones hooked to some Klipschorn speakers.

I got the speakers..I just need to save up for the amp.

I know why so many people love Mc's.....although I'm confused why so many people call them Mac's...

I think one of the biggest issues is the gap in price between good products and low end stuff. I want my music to sound good and I'm willing to buy something that is 3x the cost of the everyday / low end equipment. But instead I'm given the choice between low end equipment or pro-awesome-blow-your-mind stuff that is 10 times more expensive, with nothing in between. I would love the more expensive stuff, but I just can't afford a 10,000 worth of stereo gear.

Well, here's the thing. You DON"T have to buy all the components at once.

As I've mentioned in other posts here..I've been building my stereo since I was about 12yrs old...every few years...replace a piece with a new one...upgrade over time.

Doing that..I have a great system I love....but heck, I couldn't possibly afford what I have now all at once...

Pick something or wait for a deal..save up...invest in some quality speakers...I like things from the Klipsch heritage series. The little hereseys are good to start with...I have the K-Horns. But invest in something with real quality..speakers are a natural place to start as IMHO, they are pretty much the weakest link.

In a few years...research and get a quality amp...etc.

But not me...I like my speakers BIG and my amp to be small and glowing (actually mine is an older model and was only $400 back in the day).

Large efficient horn speakers, and SET tube amps..to me...sound like magic.

I do need to buy a 2nd amp to have one for each channel, just to get a little more volume..but not by much.

I have other speakers and run through a processor for movies...but for just stereo...a source and what I have above is just magic.

MP3s are most useful for any environment where there's lots of background noise, so any loss in quality just isn't noticeable. Having said that, I encode my own MP3s at a fairly high bitrate, since I have a 160GB iPod, so space isn't too much of an issue."

Agreed for the most part...but with some things in sound reproduction, you DO get what you pay for. Good headphones can give great sound, but for really the best you can get, I think really good quality loudspeakers are the best...you just can't get the range..especially not bass out of small headphone drivers.

I saved and over the years of building a stereo, I finally got MY definition of great speakers. Hard to beat a good set of Klipschorn's....super efficient, horn loaded...and I had to really save to buy a major subwoofer to just get lower than these loudspeakers do. I prefer them on a tube amp...but I swear with good music that is well recorded, I can close my eyes..and almost get a 3D like soundfield when listening to them.

Not cheap...but I bought and traded up all parts of my stereo since I was a kid.

Some of us still like good stereo equipment. I grew up as a kid, in a time I guess...where all my friends knew what good reproduction was. A pair of Klipschorns still will easily let you hear the difference in quality of recording, when paired with a good quality amp.

I've been slowly building my stereo since I was 12yrs a pieces at a time, upgrading over the years as I found deals, and made more money. In some cases, you DO get what you pay for.

I've had the same thing happen with me. I have a decent stereo setup, with a pair these K-horns in the mix. It blows people away, especially when I tell them my little tube amp I run them off of, only puts out approx. 2+ watts per channel (it is loud too).

A good rig will bring out great detail in music, especially if the music was well recorded, and well mastered. I think it is a shame that so many have not only forgotten, but, have really never known what good sound reproduction can be, and how much joy it can bring a person. I'm not talking about buying the typical 'super audophile' crap people make fun of here (often deservedly so), but, good solid equipment set up to reproduce sound. If you are a music fan, I'd think that good reproduction would be important to you.

Then again, I've heard from some of the younger crowd today, that their music is really almost a 'throw away' item. They listen a few times then forget about it...maybe much of the music today just isn't enough quality for them to justify wanting it forever, and prizing hearing it in a great way.

Me? Hell, I still love to listen to the music I grew up on, and even music before my 'time'....nothing I've bought for audio, is throw away stuff.

I started with a walmart type record player....but saved for an old Marantz reciever...then turntable...then a Sharp cassette...then a Nakamichi deck.....etc. I kept trading up over the years as I got more money and found good deals. I don't have a McIntosh yet, but, I run with an older version of this Decware amp (when it was only $400), and K-Horns...even with my decaying hearing from years of loud concerts...I can often hear differences in not only the quality of the source recording, but what format it is in. All the time? No...but, I'd put money down that someone younger with more sensitive ears could pick out mp3 vs lossless on comparisons. Take a look at the sensitivity and frequency range of the speakers...you can hear a LOT on these things.

Now, on the run of the mill crap you buy at Best Buy...no, I'd guess you couldn't hear the difference, nor in a car or a mobile player with crappy earbuds.

I'm not saying buy $2K speaker cables or interconnects...that is a crock for sure, but, in many cases with speakers and amps...you do get what you pay for...

I think a LOT of this has to do with so many of today's kids not KNOWING what good sound reproduction CAN sound like.

I've been building my stereo system ever since I was a kid. I walked into a high end audio shop at about age 12...and first heard Klipschorn's hooked to McIntosh tube amp, and I couldn't believe my ears...

It was right then, that I started building my system so I could have that some day. And, today...after buying piece here..piece there, deal on this..selling it and improving one piece at time (ok, thieves and insurance helped with the speakers at the end), I almost have that set up.

People that come over and hear it...are often amazed how good it sounds....they often exclaim they hear new things and nuances in familiar songs they'd never heard before.

Sure, I like an iPod, I have a couple of them...a shuffle for the gym, and a classic for travel, in the car..etc. I have good earphones for them, Shure 530's I think....but, I do realize that these are for very POOR listening environments. I try to get my music in the best source I can (this means CD's at this time, can't buy lossless online yet), I rip them to flac for home stereo usage..and decently high quality mp3 for portable use.

Unfortunately, somewhere between now and when I was a kid...people stopped buying good home audio systems. I don't quite know what or what happened. Somewhere along the line...ONLY portable players came into vogue...and it is sad that so many are losing out how good sound reproduction can be. I dunno if it is cause or effect....but, so much of todays music is mixed so poorly, overly compressed with no dynamic headroom anymore. So, maybe there isn't much point to getting good gear, if new music is no longer mixed to get the most out of it.

But, as far as good gear goes....you needn't go overboard on the super audiophile non-sense and voodoo that is out there, but, with respect to solid audio gear...to a certain extent, you do get what you pay for...

Well, I have Klipshorns...50th anniversary edition (these are the 60th anniversary ones. These pair of speakers run you about $7000 EACH. I didn't pay that much...I got the pair for bout $1400 on an insurance settlement, etc. But, they have about 105db sensitivity..etc. I have a decent amp...etc....

But, regardless of the stereo I have...why does everyone get up in arms when just trying to want to buy online what we have bought for YEARS on a CD at the store? It isn't like bandwidth is a problem, nor hard drive storage....

Klipschorns mine are actually 50th anniversary.

Decware amp I'm about to get a 2nd one, and bridge each mono.

Currently for center channel and surrounds for HT times...I have an old Carver cathedral amp, but, eventually I'm hoping to get some older McIntosh amps for each of the other channels besides the front two, I like the SET amp sound from them.

As you can see...I have low power, but, highly efficient speakers...and it can get loud...especially when I bridge the amps in the front, or switch to playing on higher wattage...but, I do like quality. Anyway, I've still consistantly had chicks say turn it down...especially when they want to 'talk' or something...

:)

Something like these? ? Mine are 10 years older...the 50th anniversary...and with 105 db sensitivity, it doesn't take much to drive them.

Sound is a very personal thing...if Rat Shack speakers sound the best to you, go for it....When I was about 12, I heard my first pair of Klipsch Klipschorns run from a McIntosh tube amp...I was in heaven. I started back then, to listen, and save and buy the best I could. Over the years, I replace part by part with what I thought sounded better with what I could then afford. I now have those K-Horn speakers, I run them off a Decware SET tube amp...I love the sound. (I"m still saving for a McIntosh tube amp...hehehe...it never ends, the quest).

But, go to places with higher end stuff...listen to it..see what catches your ear. Then, start little by little. My first purchase as a pre-teen...was a Marantz reciever...I saved money from mowing lawns and babysitting in the neighborhood. I went from there.

As far as MY recommendation speakerwise, I don't think you could go wrong starting with the Klipsch Heresey speakers. Small, horn loaded...great sound. I think they are about $700 each new...but, you can find really good older ones on eBay....just shop carefully. These speakers have NOT changed that much over the years...so, an older pair should sound as good..sometimes better than new ones. My first pair of Klipsches were a pair from the 70's...cabs were beat up a bit, but, I got a pair of Cornwall I's, that were about 15+ years old when I got them...for $500 for the pair. Those got stolen...and with insurance and extra $$...I lucked out and got them replaced with the 50th anniversary Klipsch K-Horns I have today.

Anyway, hope that helps...go seek out good audio that you won't find in consumer box stores...see what it can be like. And work your way up to the system that sounds the best to you. Unless you have lots of spare cash, you can't get the 'dream system' all at once...but, it can be built and sound quite good along the way.

Exaggerated bass. Putting a lot of drivers in close proximity (cluster) increases bass bass output, and engineers usually don't fully cut it back out. Everyone loves huge bass when it's clean. Home speakers typically produce very little clean bass."

The answer for home: Klipschorn . Mine are actually the 50th anniversary ones, but, WOW....the sound. I even have them paired with a Klipsch 15" active sub. No problems with good sound and bass at my place.

:-)

I've got a pretty decent home system. I can hear the difference of good vs bad recording on it...even with ears not being what they used to be.

I prefer to have the best quality I can have for home listening, and to rip to lossy formats for horrible listening environments like the car and on the portable for the gym. I mean, why would anyone not want the best possibly copy for perm. storage, and then rip from that to suit needs? Seems like a no brainer for me. I don't have the fastest connection at home (about 7mbit down), but, its fast enough that downloading a whole uncompressed cd isn't THAT bad...lossless AAC would not be a big deal.

I've got good speakers and a decent amp to run them on and a decent subwoofer and soon to get a newer processer. I've got klipsch center channel, and some day hope to round out the surround with klipsch heresey's or the like.

No, I didn't plunk down a bunch of $$ all at once, but, have been building my stereo since I was 12...a piece here and there, swapping out things over the years. It is very efficient and I can hear differences in music on it. On good recordings, you can hear people breathing in the background...

I'm not an 'audiophile'...I don't freeze my stereo cables...but, I do and always have as a kid, appreciated good sound reproduction...I bought what sounded best to my ears. Others that have heard my system agree often that it is good. So, for people out there (there has to be more than just me) that want good sound for home listening...they want the best source they can get for that.....and go from there for poorer listening environments.

I've got a pretty decent home system. I can hear the difference of good vs bad recording on it...even with ears not being what they used to be.

I prefer to have the best quality I can have for home listening, and to rip to lossy formats for horrible listening environments like the car and on the portable for the gym. I mean, why would anyone not want the best possibly copy for perm. storage, and then rip from that to suit needs? Seems like a no brainer for me. I don't have the fastest connection at home (about 7mbit down), but, its fast enough that downloading a whole uncompressed cd isn't THAT bad...lossless AAC would not be a big deal.

I've got good speakers and a decent amp to run them on and a decent subwoofer and soon to get a newer processer. I've got klipsch center channel, and some day hope to round out the surround with klipsch heresey's or the like.

No, I didn't plunk down a bunch of $$ all at once, but, have been building my stereo since I was 12...a piece here and there, swapping out things over the years. It is very efficient and I can hear differences in music on it. On good recordings, you can hear people breathing in the background...

I'm not an 'audiophile'...I don't freeze my stereo cables...but, I do and always have as a kid, appreciated good sound reproduction...I bought what sounded best to my ears. Others that have heard my system agree often that it is good. So, for people out there (there has to be more than just me) that want good sound for home listening...they want the best source they can get for that.....and go from there for poorer listening environments.

At least it is better than this custom Hofy's Duct Tape Mounting System. [grin] :)

Hell, buy some new ones -- they're still in production! Along with most of the classic Klipsch speakers: La Scala, Heresy, I see the Cornwall is up to version III. No Belle Klipsch, though.

This is a joke, right? Mod funny? Because there are no end to iPod speaker accessories. None.

This is a joke, right? Mod funny? Because there are no end to iPod speaker accessories. None.

"For $349, iPod Hi-Fi delivers crystal-clear, audiophile-quality sound in a clean, compact design."

I'm not saying that the Hi-Fi isn't an aesthetically pleasing and lovely sounding little box.. but to claim that it can replicate the depth, quality, and shear power of a true audiophile's home stereo seems to me to be false advertising. Frankly, I seriously doubt it could even compete with my computer speakers.

"For $349, iPod Hi-Fi delivers crystal-clear, audiophile-quality sound in a clean, compact design."

I'm not saying that the Hi-Fi isn't an aesthetically pleasing and lovely sounding little box.. but to claim that it can replicate the depth, quality, and shear power of a true audiophile's home stereo seems to me to be false advertising. Frankly, I seriously doubt it could even compete with my computer speakers.

Nope. this is.

Hmm...sure would be nice if they could come to an agreement on the home theater set up tho. Wow... McIntosh AV unit , McIntosh tube amps ...and Klipsch heratige series ( KlipschHorns , Heresey..etc) surround sound with the mac as the PVR and music source.

Hey...while I'm dreaming...I'd also like a pony!

:-)

You're not going to get good bass out of a 6.5" woofer

Yes, you can.

I'm also not an audiophile, but I can appreciate things that don't suck... and for $150, these put out a relative fuck-ton of bass from a 6.5" subwoofer. Why Bose needs an extra order of magnitude on the price tag is beyond me, though. ;-)

There is a (rather indirect) relationship:
High efficiency is promoted by either
1) light membranes or
2) a horn
Unfortunately, 1) translates into a high resonance frequency, below which the response curve falls off. And 2) requires uncomfortably large enclosures to work for deep frequencies.

If you don't mind going for big and expensive speakers, however, huge enclosure volumes help with 1) and 2) becomes an option as well. Especially as a "corner horn" that uses your walls as an extension of the horn:
http://www.klipsch.com/product/product.aspx?cid=2

I gotta agree with the other fella that replied to you. Most people that say stuff like this, really have NOT heard a good, high quality system. I like mp3's and the lot...for poor listening environments like the car or on a portable for the gym. But, if you have a good system in your living room...you CAN hear the difference. Some cables do make a difference. I found that doing some diy cabling out of CAT 5 Plenum cable...really gave my stereo the sound I liked. I did it side by side with older 'monster' cable...one on one speaker, one on the other...and did it blind on friends of mine.

But, more back on reply to your statement....I think it is sad that so many people today don't know what good sound is! They think the top, is that crap you see in Best Buy...cheap, consumer stuff...where they think Bose speakers are the pinacle of sound.

Get a good clean amp (I prefer SET amps, but, if you prefer good high end SS, that's cool too)...and a good set of speakers....I prefer efficient, horn loaded ones from Klipsch (not their lower end consumer stuff, but, from the heritage series). I have THESE

Sure...it costs some money, but, most of the time in audio...you get what you pay for...and you don't have to get it all at once. I've been buying, trading and upgrading my stereo since I got my first marantz receiver from my lawn mowing money when I was about 14.....

I just got home and just listened to it with my old Klipsch ProMedia v2-400. Wow. Nice bass!! It's all about bass with this audio clip.

I'd highly recommend the old horn loaded speakers by Klipsch like these klipschorns . They are so effecient. I don't want to start a flame war on tube vs. SS...pick what you want. Me? I fell in love with tube amps paired with horn speakers when I was twelve..

I finally was able to get a pair of the 50th anniversary K-Horns a few years back...and run them off a Decware amp that is SET tube..only 2 watts per channel. Hell, I've seen k-horns run off a jam box and would kill your ears almost.

The lower priced ones...even the Heresey's are fantastic, even at low volumnes. This means you can buy high quality, lower power you can afford, and still have a system that will have your friends going..."What is that? Never heard real sound before"....

I've seen mods for CD/DVD boxes that involve a tube stage in them before...have an open mind, and give a listen if you get a chance..it does seem to soften some of the harshness of some SS amps I've hears.

Again, not to start the analog vs SS war...listen to what you like..but, keep an open mind, and listen to a lot of things...see what you like best.

The only thing I'll say about tubes....since I now like them better than the SS stuff I had. I find with them...I can listen to music, loud or soft LONGER than I used to....I don't experience what I call 'ear fatigue' like I used to/

On an off topic rant...What's the deal with Live 8 coverage on tv?

I was watching hoping for the great experience I had when Live Aid was on.....they haven't hardly showed a whole song of a set much less a whole set. Why the fuck aren't they showing the whole concert? I'm in the US watching on MTV...is it this shitty all over the world? Hope someone has a good unfucked up feed...and can put it on USENET or something...

No shit...by the time I got 13 Klipschorns in my room....I'd have no room left for the tv...or ME...

:-)

And...here's some advice, if you are thinking of spending decent money on speakers...don't look at Bose. They're WAY overpriced for what they are. If you're looking for real speakers..look at the Klipsch Heritage series (Belle, LaScalla, Klipschorns, or the small Heresey). Although they've got a larger line now of lessor avg. consumer shit...you can't go wrong with the Heritage series..

While building the subwoofer for my car, I found that I wasn't getting the desired output of the driver I had installed. I brought it into the lab at work to measure the output. Using the data I was able to find and use a driver that was better tuned to the box I had built.

Amen, brother!

I happen to work for a speaker company and I have found the best way to drown out my co-workers is to have a more powerful speaker setup than they do.

Amen, brother!

I happen to work for a speaker company and I have found the best way to drown out my co-workers is to have a more powerful speaker setup than they do.

I just recently bought a used Fender Twin Reverb II amp...all tube. The guitar tone is just fantastic. My home amp is a little, very price friendly, amp I got off the web. I got the SE84C and have been VERY happy with it. But, you gotta have extremely efficient speakers...I have Klipschorns which are pretty retro too...as that the design of these hasn't really changed since about 1940.

Also pretty cool...are the nixie clocks I've seen around...just trying to find one that is reasonably priced...and not made with tubes that are rapidly becoming unavailable.

But, if nothing else....electronics that 'glow' are cool...

:-)

They recently announced deals with Budweiser and Klipsch where the best-rated music is syndicated in the form of top-10 lists or (in the case of Budweiser) radio players. With the size of their music library (including the former MP3.com archive ) it is a good system already, whether for musicians or consumers. Definitely something to keep an eye on!

This is a point that is debatable...and grant it, you do need to have the set up for this..but, I've heard some vinyl played over some even moderate tube amps though horn speakers...vs same set up of a normal cd player...and IMHO the vinyl sounded more real. I know it is definitely a personal taste thing...but, there are many out there with that taste.

To me, it kinda makes sense...sound is inheritly analog...so, it makes sense to record/re-play it in as analog manner as possible. That being said, I've heard some CD players with special DACs/tube outputs, etc, that can give the aforementioned vinyl setups a real run for their money.

Anyway, this has been as much a 'religious war' in the audio world as between OSes in the computer world. Right now...I'm using CD's (or those I ripped to flac on my media computer) through a very nice, inexpensive tube amp SE 84C and Klipschorns

It is a personal thing for sure..what sounds best to one, isn't going to be the same for another...but, I do say that newer isn't always better. I think some times, they get it right the first time...

The sub would be a good match for Klipschorn speakers or Klipsch's movie theater series.

But I guess they are competitors.

The sub would be a good match for Klipschorn speakers or Klipsch's movie theater series.

But I guess they are competitors.

I'm listening to Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" on my Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speakers as I type this, and I highly recommend them. Two desktop speakers and a subwoofer; one of the two speakers has a headphones jack, auxiliary plug, main volume control and subwoofer level control. The system has loads of power but sounds great at low volume. It is THX certified. It's built pretty solidly - each desktop speaker is mounted on a metal stand and the subwoofer has a nice, heavy enclosure. Only downside I can see is the price, though it's come down a bit since I bought it. Specs are here.

When I first got my Mac, I made the mistake of getting the Apple Pro speakers. These things look good and sound OK at low volumes. But when you turn up the volume, they start emitting buzzing sounds under all the bass notes. A pretty lousy product, since these speakers are designed for use with a Mac G4 and can't handle the full 10W power output of the proprietary speaker jack that they plug in to. (FWIW, I quickly replaced them with a set of Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speakers, which are MUCH better.)

But there are many other kinds of distortions. Analog clipping doesn't sound like digital clipping, which doesn't sound like a speaker "bottoming out", which doesn't sound like the Apple Pro distortion. Some kinds of distortion are tolerable, while some kinds are not. Some kinds gradually increase as you increase the volume, and others appear in full force when the volume crosses a threshold.

I mention all this because the 1" drivers in the inMotion look very similar to the drivers in the Apple Pro speakers. (I am aware that they're not the same - Apple's speakers are made by Harmon Kardon, not Altec Lansing.) If they distort in the same way, then I wouldn't want to use them even if I got them for free.

On the other hand, if they distort in a less annoying manner (perhaps the way my clock radio distorts when I turn the volume up too far), and only do so at a relatively high level, then it wouldn't be a problem.

I couldn't agree more with your first suggestion! I bought a set of speakers for my desk, and I like to turn it up. I have even had people put in requests for what music they want to listen to. Of course, it is nice that I work for the company that makes those speakers, so this kind of behavior is acceptable.