The Razer Mako 2.1 speaker set is absolutely phenomenal.

Without a shadow of a doubt, it's the best looking and best sounding 2.1 desktop system we've ever come across.

And that's high praise indeed, because there are some pretty damn good PC speaker systems out there.

Best speakers ever?

"Imagine the best orgasm you've ever had, multiply it by a thousand and you're still nowhere near it," - Irvine Welsh used that phrase to describe the pleasures of heroin.

But actually, he's got the Razer Mako speakers pretty much nailed, too.

The system comes packing a whopping 300W of total system power, so between the two satellite speakers and the weighty sub, it's an exceptionally potent set-up (the fantastic Acoustic Energy Aego M 2.1 set is only 90W). It also costs an eye-watering £300, so while you're getting a lot of bang for your buck, it's a hell of a lot of money to spend on a 2.1 system.

That price is likely to be the sticking point for a lot of people. But it completely depends on how much you value high-end audio and whether you think it's worth paying extra for.

This product is not for you if you can listen to a small 5W FM radio in your kitchen without feeling the burn of low fidelity. Nor is it for you if you've already got a powerful hi-fi and amplifier system in the room you're planning on putting it in.

Very pricey

So what is it exactly that makes this system so sexy?

With most desktop speakers, the sound gets slightly distorted and muffled because some of the sound waves travel straight to your ears, while other waves bounce off your desk (and other objects) and then hit your eardrums. This uneven ear-level frequency response is undetectable until you get rid of it.

The Razer Makos address these desk-bounce and comb-filtering issues by using THX's innovative 'Ground Plane' and 'Slot Speaker' technologies.

THX Ground Plane works by facing the speaker downward and firing sound directly, and exclusively, onto the desk surface. This controls reflections and distributes crisp, room-filling sound with minimal interference from the desktop.

Room to move

This means that to use them properly, each satellite needs some clearance space all the way round. Busy, cluttered desks do not lend themselves at all well to that. But if you clear a space, you'll soon notice the difference.