So what kind of typical desktop speakers do some geekhackers enjoy?
For my main computer I have a pair of Creative Inspire T3030s.
The treble is as good as it gets for bass-oriented modern speakers (over the years I've become more accustomed to it). However, the unique aspect of these is the "messy bass". If you crank the bass up to the max, it can really leak out a lot of bass. This is perfect for experimenting on my music when I want to determine if I have enough bass, or if it's too much.
Very fun. I don't consider it a negative aspect of these speakers at all. It's what makes them fun!
I got them for $60 on sale like five years ago.
For my old computer I use a pair of Creative SBS20s.
These are the ultimate when it comes to treble. They are the most "open" speakers I've ever heard... because of this, they really suffer for bass. But they bring out the essence of acoustic instruments.
One complaint of these was the slight "noise" due to any lack of a filter. I'm glad they never put a filter on; it would remove some of the [good] frequencies that you want. And to be honest, the fuzzing isn't very noticeable unless you amplify them to volumes that
start to cause pain in the inner ear...
I play all of my old games on these; other speakers just don't sound right. That, and I'm so used to them.
They were like $20 from futureshop a VERY long time ago. Cheap, but perfect. Every dollar was worth it on these.