Available in gray with silver accents, the JBL Duet II brings Harman's 40-millimeter Phoenix SE drivers into a pair or two modern champagne glass-style enclosures, complete with a six-watt amplifier. It's a two-satellite system with no subwoofer, so you're not going to get the volume and audio oomph of a more fully featured system. But the Duet II packs considerable punch nonetheless, though it's a bit shallow on the low end.

The JBL Duet II is compatible with all personal computers, portable MP3 devices and devices that use a 3.5mm audio jack. It incorporates and onboard digital amplifier technology designed to deliver high output with minimal distortion -- and which is quite effective. The systems feature Computer Optimized Equalization (COE), which optimizes stereo imaging and system response off-axis.

Volume and power controls are located at the very top of the unit. A proprietary Phoenix transducer technology helps each JBL Duet II speaker -- despite its small footprint of just four inches in diameter (with a height of 10 inches) -- deliver solid bass, a clear midrange and relatively smooth highs. The system's specs are: 12 watts total power (10 percent THD+M), 60 Hz - 20 kHz frequency response and a surprising 80 dB signal to noise ratio (SNR).

The audio doesn't equal that of the ]Bose Companion 5s (which is my favorite desktop speakers for the Mac). But at less than one-fourth the price, I have to admit they offer more bang for the buck. You can crank up the volume with almost no distortion. As I write this, the Eagles' Long Road Out of Eden is playing. Both ballads with the group's soaring harmonies (such as "Waiting in the Weeds") and harder, more driving tunes ("Fast Company") are relatively full-bodied and strong.

The JBL Duet II is a no-frills speaker system. There's no remote, and there's no plug-in for headphones. As mentioned, the quality won't demand the most demanding audiophiles. But I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a compact desktop speaker system with very good sound for playing music, watching movies and gaming.

Macsmum rating: 8 out of 10

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