A3D is an awesome audio extension, that is very realistic and the folks at Aureal just keep making it better and better. I am glad that this sound card has support for version 2.0 since it delivers some very realistic gaming experiences.

The expansion card provides support for extra speakers, should you need it. It also provides a high quality S/PDIF digital output for audio playback. While not aimed at the professional market this may be a nice feature for people who just want to mess around with their music on the computer.

Wrapping it all up

Installation was hassle free as expected, but the drivers didn't come with jelly doughnuts so it's not earning any extra points for that. As I stated earlier way back in the review, I am absolutely in love with this bundle and all the cool things it lets you do. Maybe I'll go and buy myself a computer piano? =). The price really varies depending on whether you shop on-line or off and how hard you look. I would say to expect to pay close to $65 for this sound card (CompUSA has it on sale this week for $49), a great deal considering all the features that you get.

Even if you don't have a quad speaker setup at this time and aren't really into sound recording, I would still go for the Montego II Quadzilla. Its gives you support for lots of speakers, high quality sound, a great bundle, and it does all this at a great price. A good alternative to Creative Labs offerings and you're going to be hard pressed to find a higher-quality sound card available in today's market for this price.

by Kevin Perko

Price - 9.1 Performance - 8.9 Overall - 9.0

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