Diamond Multimedia Takes 3D Gaming to the Next Level with Retail Launch of New "Monster Sound" Audio Accelerator; Diamond Multimedia Delivers the First PCI-Based Audio Solution Featuring Immersive Positional 3D Audio

Business Wire, April 21, 1997

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 21, 1997--Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc., (Nasdaq: DIMD), a leader in Internet Multimedia, today announced that it has begun shipping its highly-anticipated Monster Sound PCI-based audio accelerator to retail stores for an estimated retail price of $199.95.

With Monster Sound, dedicated gamers, multimedia enthusiasts and Internet surfers can greatly improve their PC sound capability using A3D Interactive audio from Aureal Semiconductor that was initially developed for NASA virtual reality simulators.

Designed with the newest advancements in PC audio technology, Diamond's Monster Sound provides multi-stream positional 3D audio for truly immersive, true-to-life 3D sound. Diamond Multimedia's audio accelerator also enables quad-speaker output allowing users to turn their computer into a thundering PC sound machine that is similar to home theater surround sound systems. Together, these features transform gameplay into a more compelling interactive experience where gamers can actually hear hidden enemies creeping up from behind, helicopters swarming down from above and race cars zooming past.

For hours of entertainment, Diamond Multimedia's Monster Sound comes bundled with complete versions of the hottest new computer games and works with leading VRML Internet audio software. Designed specifically as a DirectSound and DirectSound 3D enhanced audio accelerator for Windows 95, Monster Sound lets consumers fully experience the growing selection of game titles being developed using Microsoft's audio APIs.

Diamond's Monster Sound features Windows 95 plug and play installation and co-exists with legacy-based ISA-bus or motherboard audio components that already exist in the user's PC for support of DOS titles. Now, users can play all the latest PC games and continue to enjoy their favorite DOS titles without removing their older sound card.

"After two years of research and development by Diamond Multimedia's dedicated advanced audio engineering team, Monster Sound sets a new precedent for the next generation of PC sound," said Bill Schroeder, president and CEO of Diamond Multimedia Systems. "Since the introduction of Sound Blaster, no other audio technology has had the potential to impact developers' and PC users' experiences like Monster Sound."

PC Audio's Most Advanced Technologies Packed Into One Solution

Diamond Multimedia's Monster Sound accelerator offers numerous advanced audio features and benefits.

-- Diamond's own Freedom 5600 multimedia data management ASIC manages audio by offloading processing from the host computer to Monster Sound's DSP and audio CODEC engines.

-- Patented A3D technology from Aureal Semiconductor provides psycho-acoustically correct sound imaging that positions sound streams around the listeners head on X, Y and Z axes (front/back, up/down, left/right) in real-time for true, positional 3D audio.

-- Multi-stream positional 3D audio capability allows for up to 24 independent streams (23 audio streams and one data stream) with each stream providing 16-bits of full-bodied sound and up to 32-wavetable voices. ISA-based sound cards limit audio output to a single stream.

-- An impressive signal-to-noise ratio of greater than 80 dB, plus support for 48 KHz playback, means that users can enjoy crystal-clear, CD-quality PC sound.

-- Gold-tipped audio cable by Monster Cable, the world-leading supplier of professional audio cable, allows high-quality data communication between Monster Sound and legacy-audio components when playing DOS-based legacy games.

-- A programmable DSP gives Diamond the flexibility to offer users future audio upgrades via a simple download from Diamond's BBS and web site (www.diamondmm.com).

-- "The Diamond Channel" client software, based on Internet technology from BackWeb Technology Inc., offers customers automatic product news updates and download service for the latest Monster Sound driver releases.

"By including Aureal's A3D positional 3D audio with other industry-first technologies and advanced audio capabilities, Diamond has developed an extremely powerful PC sound solution," said Toni Schneider, vice president of strategic alliances for Aureal. "With Monster Sound, Diamond is advancing the level of quality and capabilities for PC sound cards to the next level."

Diamond Monster Sound Pushes the Envelope of PC Entertainment

Diamond Multimedia's Monster Sound enables advanced audio entertainment functions.

-- Dedicated DirectSound and DirectSound 3D API support allows Windows 95 users to take full advantage of the hottest new games and multimedia titles from the industry's top PC entertainment developers.

-- Quad-speaker output lets users surround themselves with mind-blowing sound. Users can choose from two or four speakers or headphones to suit their own PC sound needs.

-- High-quality 32-voice hardware wavetable synthesis with 2MB ROM on-board delivers powerful support for game soundtracks and music applications.

-- An accelerated Windows 95 joystick port improves gameplay and offloads joystick overhead processing from the host CPU for better overall system performance.