2.0 desktop speakers

Six great Mac speakers

Portable speakers are designed for mobile devices, and there are times when only a proper set of 2.0 stereo speakers will do for plugging into your Mac, particularly if its a Mac mini or iMac that stays where it is in your home.

Many people use their Mac as their main music system in their house, so a good set of 2.0 speakers (with two separate satellite speakers for the left and right channels) will really make the most of your music, whatever its format. There are plenty of other more creative uses for desktop speakers as well. They’re essential for recording music, of course, as well as for video- editing, and even a standard PowerPoint presentation will benefit from a decent set of speakers.

A 2.0 speaker system has a number of advantages. Even larger speaker docks fail to create any real stereo separation, and you’ll only be able to hear a guitar bouncing manically, for instance, if you’ve got separate left and right speakers set a fair distance apart. The directional sound you can get from 2.0 speakers works well for games too, giving you a real sense of what’s happening on the battlefield around you.

The physical separation of two speakers also helps to create a more expansive and realistic sound. And although we’ve heard some fairly loud one-piece speaker docks, there aren’t many that can really fill a room with sound like some of the 2.0 speakers that we’ve reviewed here.

You’re not completely deskbound either, as many of the latest desktop speakers include Bluetooth for your iPhone and other mobile devices. They offer other features too, such as digital inputs so you can use them with a TV, headphone sockets, and connectors so you can plug in a sub-woofer to expand your system if you want to. So give your ears a treat and check out this selection of the best 2.0 desktop speakers currently available for your desktop Mac. Cliff Joseph

There are times when only a proper set of 2.0 stereo speakers will do for plugging into a Mac