3DsoundSurge Reviews: Microsoft Digital Sound System 80

Important Info:

Speakers By : Microsoft
Price : $159.00 ERP. 3DSS Price Guide $92.50 after rebate
Power Output (per IEC 268.3):
Subwoofer: 44 watts
Satellites: 32 watts, 16 watts per satellite
Rated: 95/100
Award : *Surge Of Approval*

Minimum/Recommended System Requirements

PC Audio Card (Analog) Support
To use the sound system for analog playback through a PC audio card, you need:

A PC with an Intel x86 or higher processor.
MS-DOS® version 5.0 (or later) or Microsoft Windows® version 3.x or later operating systems.
An audio card.

USB (Digital) Support
To use the sound system for digital playback, you need:

A multimedia PC with a Pentium 166-MHz processor or higher and a USB port.
Microsoft Windows 98 operating system.
A double-speed or faster CD-ROM drive, or a DVD-ROM drive. CD audio requirement: CD audio requires a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive capable of playing digital audio; otherwise analog audio card support is used to play CD audio.
Microsoft Digital Sound Software (on the enclosed compact disc).

Microsoft Digital Sound Software
To install and use Microsoft Digital Sound Software with the sound system, you need:

A multimedia PC with a Pentium 166-MHz processor or higher and a USB port.
Microsoft Windows 98 operating system.
A double-speed or faster CD-ROM drive, or DVD-ROM drive. CD audio requirement: When playing CD audio, the 10-band Graphic Equalizer and Microsoft Surround Sound features function only if your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive is capable of playing digital audio.
16 MB of RAM.
2 MB of available hard disk space

Features:

System Type: Biamplified stereo satellite speakers and monaural subwoofer
Amplification: Smart Amplifier Technology™ employing high-efficiency Class D power conversion
Frequency Response: 40 Hz to 20 kHz
Transducers:
Subwoofer: 13.3 cm (5.25 in) active woofer, 15.2 (6 in) cm passive radiator
Satellite: 7.62 cm (3 in) full range, magnetically shielded
Electronic Crossover Frequency (Subwoofer to Satellite): 160 Hz
Electronic Crossover Filter Slopes:
Subwoofer: -18 dB/octave at 160 Hz
Satellite: +12 dB/octave at 160Hz
Digital Input Sensitivity: Full scale for rated output power
Analog Input Sensitivity: 0.180 volts rms for rated output power
Analog Input Impedance: 100 k
Power Supply: 120 vac, 60Hz
Dimensions and Weight:
Subwoofer:
Dimensions - 7.3 in. wide x 8.9 in. tall x 12.8 in. deep
Weight - 11.2 lbs.
Satellite:
Dimensions - 4.8 in. wide x 7.1 in. tall x 4.8 in. deep
Weight - 2.9 lbs.

Reviewer PC:

- Win98
- Celeron 333a o/c 416
- 64 MB PC100 ram
- Creative TNT
- Creative Voodoo 2 (12 Mb)
- 6.4 Quantum SE
- Creative Sound Blaster Live!

Update: The system has been discontinued and we are not sure if there are any drivers available for more recent OS like Windows2000. If you use it with a soundcard that's of course not an issue. If you find the system it's worth noting that this review was posted March 22, 1999. We don't think it's an excellent buy for $159 anymore but if you find it for less than $100 it's still interesting.

A couple of years ago when you heard the name Microsoft all that might have come to mind is software. However, Bill Gates was not happy to simply dominate the OS market. Microsoft came up with a strategy to enter into the PC entertainment market. However, simply grabbing a "Me Too" product, slapping an MS label on it an using their marketing and distribution muscle was not their strategy of choice. Instead, Microsoft wanted to push the technology envelop with their products. Starting with the excellent entry into the joystick market (the original digital Sidewinder 3D Pro) that's just what they have done. So when they decided to enter the speaker market its no surprise that their entry was one of the first digital speakers on the market.

USB support for all-digital sound provides true plug-and-play capability and allows the Microsoft Digital Sound System 80 to pull digital audio signals directly from PC and convert them to analog sound in the subwoofer, rather than through a sound card in the PC. The advantage of this is that keeping the sound in the digital domain until it actually reaches the speakers, the sound should not be affected by that bane of PC audio, noise. USB speakers should give out crystal clear audio every time.

When the speakers first came onto the market the price tag was pretty steep and it just did not seem worth a look by a web site dedicated to 3D audio. However, Microsoft has reduced the suggested retail price to a level that is very competitive with speakers of similar quality so we figured the time was right for a look at what this system has to offer.

I have tested the speakers from two perspectives. One is as a set of speakers that you still hook up to your sound card. The second is from the perspective of a gamer who wants to eliminate a sound card from their system.

As I noted, Microsoft has a new estimated retail price of $159. Throw in the $50 rebate currently being offered in the US and you have a very good price of $109.00 or less.

You get two medium sized (4.8 in. wide x 7.1 in. tall x 4.8 in. deep) Star Trek like satellite units which each contain a 3 inch (7.62 cm) full range, magnetically shielded speaker plus the surprisingly compact (7.3 in. wide x 8.9 in. tall x 12.8 in. deep) subwoofer enclosure that houses the built in AC power supply, a high speed digital signal processor (DSP), 80 total watts of class-D amplification and an active woofer and a passive slave radiator.

The right satellite is the control center of the system with a satellite volume control, subwoofer volume control and mute button. There is no headphone jack on the system.

Finally, the system comes with the required USB cable and sound card connection cable.