Folks - posting to the guitar thread as I thought this may be best place but please redirect me if wrong. At the highest level, I'm trying to figure out the best speaker setup to use with an IPOD/computer for playing guitar along with. Ideally something that sounds good, can get relatively loud (I am 8-10 feet away tops though), and be "bookshelf-ish". At first someone recommended the Rockit 5 G2's, and another buddy uses the audioengine 2's. But is a better approach just getting a decent pair of polks, etc, home stereo bookshelf speakers and a cheap amp for them? Any guidance on what anyone else is using would be appreciated. I do not have a home stereo setup anymore, period (PC's etc only), and again, hoping maybe something in size I can even put on top of the half stack to jam with.

Not exactly what you're asking, but you might consider one of these + headphones:

Boss Micro-BR 4 track
http://www.guitarcenter.com/-i1169092.gc

Pocket POD
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Line-6-Pocket-POD-Guitar-Multi-Effects-Processor-104391875-i1173933.gc

Tascam GT-R1
http://www.guitarcenter.com/TASCAM-GT-R1-Portable-Guitar-Bass-Recorder-105125306-i1401677.gc
http://www.guitarcenter.com/TASCAM-DR-1-GT-R1-Accessory-Kit-105020473-i1402140.gc

Korg Pandora Mini
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Korg-Pandora...754-i1746466.gc

Korg Px4
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Korg-Pandora-PX4D-Guitar-Multi-Effects-Processor-103381554-i1124641.gc

Korg Px5
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Korg-Pandora-PX5D-Guitar-Multi-Effects-Processor-104821715-i1387080.gc

Here is a visual comparison of (left to right) Tascam, my PX-5 and one of my Px4s to my old Aiwa cassette player:



With the exception of the Tascam, none of the devices I pointed out has decent acoustic recording capacity. What they DO have are features like tuners, metronomes, drum synthesizers, and digital amp & pedal modeling.

So with decent headphones, you can rock out like you were playing Texas Stadium. And yes, they are all about the size of an old Walkman.

The ones I own: the Tascam has the external mics, a phrase trainer (loop & slow down stuff for practicing), and takes SD cards. Both it and the PX5 can connect directly to your computer via a USB port. The PX4 is discontinued, but it can still be easily found. It is less powerful than the PX5, but, oddly, the PX5 does not have a belt/strap hook.

The ones I don't own: The Line6 PocketPOD is, I believe, the most popular device like this; the Boss might be the most powerful (and priciest); the Pandora Mini is the smallest (its about the size of a stack of business cards), cheapest, and least powerful.

So, in your case, the strongest candidates would be the Korg Px5, the Boss, the Tascam, or POD. And yes, you can use one like a standard MFX pedal hooked up to an amp...or, s stated, your computer.

All you need is a powered monitor. I guess the way you go depends on what you want to do with them when you aren't playing guitar.

The consumer bookshelf approach is never an approach I would take. Those speakers are always crap, the amps are flimsy. It's not a very portable solution with all the wire and such and the stuff isn't meant to be moved a lot and breaks easily. Yuck!

If you play live and sing or plan to rehearse with a band some day, you might think about getting a powered monitor wedge or spot stage monitor. Most a very versatile as you can use them as a PA in a pinch because they usually have mic preamps and multiple inputs. A wedge can go on the floor pointing up at you or sit up high on a stand to get over heads or simply sit on an amp head. They are built to get loud at full range well above stage amp volumes. Built to be loaded in and struck, etc.

Welcome aboard sid!

Thank you for your super quick replies. I will dig into wedge monitors. I think the rockit is what is considered a "near field" monitor, where I get what you are saying on getting a wedge and having flexibility if ever gig needed. I see a few modest priced out there like a Behringer that's in the 300 ish range. And thanks dannyalcatraz. I appreciate all your time in the reply. I was curious about those devices as well for the "quite nights", so that's timely! Thanks again!