I was very interested in the Niles myself, but I ended up with the Boston Acoustic Voyager 6 model--they are competitive at about $400 a pair. I have been delighted with the sound quality. B/A is a funky company, and I'm not crazy about their electronics but I think they make FABULOUS speakers. I would have gotten the Voyager 7's but they weren't available to listen to and I've been very satisfied with the 6s. There's a thread somewhere on pool sound systems.

If you REALLY want to go high-end, go TechNomad--you can get them color coded and you'll spend anything for $1200 to $Boo-Coo for totally indestructable speakers--they use them on cruise ships and at the New York Shakespeare Festival's Shakespeare In The Park.

I would strongly avoid Bose. They are over-priced and the sound does not justify it--the Voyagers will simply give you a wider range, flatter response, and a better-defined sound.

There are several kinds of speakers: Cheap, Inexpensive, Expensive and Over-Priced. I would stick to Inexpensive or Expensive!

Mine are wired through the wall into our family room and use an old cluster of Dynaco equipment that is simple, powerful and clear-sounding. Add a cheap CD changer and we have music for hours!

Remember: The BEST way to get even sound is to be sure that the wiring to both speakers is EXACTLY the same length. Simply wrap up the wire for the one that is closer to the amp. Even a foot difference may be heard, and 3-5 feet WILL be heard. Speaker wire is cheap! It's also better to use heavier wire, especially for longer runs. The heavier the wire, the lower the resistance, and the longer the run you can make without sound loss. Home Depot had 14 guage multi-strand for .33/foot when I got it. No need to pay insane prices for Monster Cable!