Summary: For this price, you can not beat these speakers for musical applications.
I must disagree with the Labtec 424 recommendation. Labtec 424 are great if all you care about is non-distinct bass effects for FPS gaming. However, listen to any well-recorded music, from a Yo-Yo Ma cello suite to Aphex Twin's Richard D James Album, and you notice the short comings. The Labtecs muddle the lowend, though they do it loudly.
The Altec ATP3s are designed for flat reponse. They do not BOOM, they simply reproduce the sound.
So these aren't very good for gaming?
On the contrary, great soundtracks will benefit from the added clarity of the ATP3s. And if it's boom and volume you want, I often EQ some of the bass out of mine since due to complaints from the downstairs neighbors. I also find that I never turn them up anywhere near full power in a 10x12 room. I did crank them once when demoing the set for a friend who was contemplating buying them, and they sounded wonderful, no perceptible distortion at near full volume.
And the size is a huge plus on a crowded desk.
Overall, bass-monkeys may prefer the labtecs, but those with a more refined taste may enjoy the ATP3s.
Are they as good as a set of studio monitors and a clean 50watt amp. No.
Are they really small and a treffic deal at only ~$40 (if you know where to look)? Yes.
Notes: It helps if you have a wooden desktop as the design of the small 3-inch midrange driver benefits from the resonate surface.
Also, I don't mean to start a flame war over Labtec vs. Altec, I just want people to know that at this price, you should buy these if they fit your needs/budget.