Mordaunt-Short Genie - TechRadar UK

If we were lucky enough to find a magic lamp and be granted three wishes, these Genie speakers would be top of the list. The system is relatively expensive at £800, but style isn't cheap - and once these babies start knocking out audio you'll realise they're worth every penny.

While the distinctive look of the system is sure to turn heads, what's really impressive is the innovative speaker design. The Genie's cones are liquid-cooled aluminium, and have been custom-designed to be as smooth as possible. The result is audio that's as crisp as you can get for under £1,000, with perfectly clear vocals, even at higher volumes. The subwoofer may look diminutive, meanwhile, but it manages to seamlessly fill the lower end with just the sort of power that our explosion-packed Independence Day test DVD demands.

The Genie is all about simplicity. When you open the package up, you're welcomed with a big 'Hello' before you even get to the speakers. There's also a sound pressure-level meter that even a novice will be able to use to set up the speakers like a pro. When it's all calibrated, the speakers can leave other systems at this price trailing behind.

If your budget for a speaker system is around £500, we beg you to either spend that little bit more, shop around online or rob someone blind to get the Genie instead.