JBL has unveiled the Jembe, a two-piece multimedia speaker set that “sounds great” without “taking up much space.” Primarily designed for desktop computer use, the Jembe also sports 3.5mm headphone jacks for easily plugging in a headset or a separate audio source without unplugging it from a desktop computer.

Other than the extra 3.5mm connections, it’s pretty much set up like any other two-piece desktop kit, although this is expected to pump out audio with better quality compared to your bargain set. The Jembe sports 6W speakers, a signal-to-noise ratio of under 80dB, and a frequency response range of 80Hz to 20kHz, all wrapped up in a kit designed with JBL’s Weave design.

The Jembe is now available for $60.

It’s still your typical set (if you consider a 5.1 surround sound set “typical”), with 75W of power across five satellites and a ‘woofer. As for the “flexibility” it touts, you get an RCA input connection as extra (for connecting set top boxes and consoles) besides the usual 3.5mm jack.

Now, 75W may not look like that big a number, but it should bring enough power to rock a regular-sized room. Certainly more than good enough for a 6-channel kit that costs $100. Something to look forward to if you’re in the market for an affordable do-it-all surround sound kit. It’s due out by August.

Here’s a video walkthrough from Logitech:

It’s a PC speaker kit first and foremost, but unlike the average two or three-piece stereo set, this compact kit is able to pump out multichannel surround sound. Despite comparatively weaker output you might get from a compact set, the 5 speakers packed into it will let you enjoy surround sound without having to string cables and satellites all around, plus a feature that lets it restore surround sound details that tend to be lost when an audio track is encoded in stereo when using the surround sound jacks with a compatible computer.

It’s listed to pump out 15W of power, but Asus claims that the mix of the side-firing bass and quality drivers will be able to output 15 decibels more bass than any other kit at the same size.

In typical Asus fashion, they’re saying it’ll be out soon, but gave out no specifics regarding this kit’s pricing or availability.

Available in black and white colors, the Creature III has a total output of 25W, with the satellites listed at 5W each and the woofer at 15W. The Creature III will also come with touch-sensitive volume controls on the right-side satellite.

It’s available now for pre-orders at Amazon and the Apple store for $130, and should ship within the month.

Klipsch has updated their existing ProMedia 2.1 speaker set with a Wireless version. The ProMedia 2.1 Wireless speaker kit still features the same THX-quality 70W satellites and 130W sub, but adds a 2.1GHz USB wireless transmitter for streaming music from a computer up to 30 feet away. This new Wireless model also comes with support for Apple’s Remote Application for wirelessly controlling iTunes via a Wi-fi connection. It’s now available for $200.

Sony has announced the SRS-GD50iP, a 2.1-channel PC speaker kit that integrates an iPhone/iPod dock. The 60W set comes with a pair of satellite speakers, a woofer box, and a controller that adds an Apple dock for charging and playing tunes from connected iPhones or iPods and a remote.

Sony has also unveiled another speaker set, the SBS-DB500 that’s designed to deliver 300 Watts of power. It’s also a 3-piece kit that adds an amplifier on the subwoofer to come up with the 300W output, and dual inputs (two stereo jacks and RCA connections) for connecting multiple sources.

Both speaker systems are now available for $200.

Altec Lansing has just announced the MIX Boombox, a powerful, well, boombox designed with the 80’s classic style, but with a new-millennium touch. Built with an array of speakers that include two midrange drivers, tweeters, and side-firing ‘woofers, the MIX Boombox also sports an iPod dock for running the show using an iPod or iPhone.

Audio sources shouldn’t be a problem; while it doesn’t have a CD drive (or an old-school cassette deck for those who can actually remember what those are), the MIX Boombox sports dual aux-in jacks for plugging in a couple of other portable audio sources such as non-Apple MP3 players, CD players, or laptops, and RCA jacks for plugging into larger entertainment systems. It also has an FM Tuner for the times when 120GBs’ worth of tunes stored on an iPod isn’t enough, a seven-band graphic equalizer for tweaking the sound, an LCD screen to show what’s playing, and a remote that comes with a clip.

For taking the MIX Boombox out to new-millennium breakdance-showdowns on the sidewalk, the Boombox also features grab handles and a panel for slipping in eight D-cell batteries for playing up to 30 hours of music away from a wall socket.

Altec Lansing has also unveiled the Expressionist Ultra, a 3-piece multimedia speaker kit that gives off 200 Watts of audio power for desktops and home entertainment centers. It’s packed with separate bass, midrange and treble amplifiers for delivering clear, powerful sound (if you have to annoy your neighbors with 200 Watts’ worth of sound, do it clearly) from 1-inch tweeters, 3-inch midrange drivers, and a 6.5-inch front-firing long-throw subwoofer.

This kit also comes with an Aux in jack and RCA adapter for plugging in multiple sources, and a wired controller for tweaking volume, treble and bass.

The MIX Boombox is now available for $300, while the Expressionist Ultra is selling for $200.

Asus has recently introduced a new line of portable soundbar-style speaker kits designed to work with notebooks and portable devices called the uBoom series. Two models have been initially unveiled: the uBoom, which is designed to work specifically with notebooks, and the compact uBoom Q.

The larger uBoom is the higher-end set with an amplifier for coming up with 24 watts RMS power. Built with an aluminum shell, the 7-pound uBoom sports an extended shelf to prop up a laptop’s rear-side for better air circulation, and features a built-in mic. The uBoom’s size (at 23.4 inches long) and weight makes it better suited for desktops though; the uBoom gets its power from a wall socket. The smaller, 11.4-inch uBoom Q packs a weaker speaker set, but offers better portability. It relies solely on the USB bus for power (giving users less wires to deal with), and weighs in at 400 grams.

Both are 2.1 speaker systems, designed with satellites that lean forward from the sides and a center-mounted woofer, with auxiliary input connections for plugging in other devices. Both speaker systems also effectively replace the laptop’s onboard sound through a USB 2.0 connection, offering enhanced sound quality via an integrated high-fidelty audio codec.

No word on price and availability yet.

Logitech is ramping up its multimedia speaker line with the release of four glossy models – the Speaker System Z523, Speaker System Z520, Speaker System Z323 and Speaker System Z320. All feature 360-degree sound, or if you want to get technical, omnidirectional acoustics. The speaker drivers face forward and backward in each sateliite, so sound is transmitted better around the space the speakers are placed in.

The Z523 (shown above) and Z323 are both 2.1 speaker systems that each come with one dual RCA jack and one 3.5mm jack. The Z520 and Z320 models on the other hand are both stereo speakers equipped with auxiliary jacks.

The Z320 and Ẓ323 will be out in the US and Europe in August and September, at $69.99 each. The Z523 and Z520 will be out this July at $99.99 and $129.99 respectively.