These trophy speakers are meant to be touched and seen, the company says - in addition to filling a room with sound.

"Until now, PC speakers have simply delivered sound," says Robert van de Vegte, GM of Logitech in SA. "The Z-10 speakers aim to incite more of the senses - sight, touch and sound - with their media display, touch-sensitive controls and premium audio"

The past few years have witnessed the explosion of digital music. The use of Internet radio has also spiked noticeably. According to a recent worldwide survey by analyst firm Parks Associates, 40% of online households play music files on their PC and 33% listen to Internet radio streams. The Z-10 speakers reflect the growing importance of the PC as a hub for digital music, and the accompanying value of superior speakers to complete the experience, the company says.

By putting touch-sensitive controls on the face of the Z-10 speakers, Logitech says that it has eliminated the need for people to toggle between applications to control their music on their computer monitor. People can continue to work or surf the Web, or even turn their monitor off and use the integrated speaker controls to adjust volume, treble and bass, and navigate music tracks with play, pause, skip forward and back buttons - just as they would with a portable music player or a traditional stereo system, the company concludes.