Today we get the chance to look at an accessory item for PC users. What is a Musketeer III you ask? Oddly enough so did I when asked if I would like to review this item. Well where to begin. The Musketeer III is a device that you input your PC audio signal into. Then it will process the audio signal and try to simulate the sound of and old style tube amplifier. If that sounds like a foreign language well then you are far younger than me. A tube amp will provide a very pleasant “warm” sound when compared to a digital sound that can be considered “harsh” by people that consider themselves a true audiophile expert.

The Musketeer III is very well packaged so if you order this item from an online retailer the odds of it arriving in perfect working order are very good. As you can see above the foam packaging protects the contents and the front panel is recessed in the foam to prevent damage during transit.

Here is a quote from the Wikipedia website that should help shed some light on vacuum tube amps and their usage:

“Tubes are also considered by many people in the audiophile, professional audio, and musician communities to have superior audio characteristics over transistor electronics. There are many companies who still make specialized audio hardware utilizing tube technology. Tubes' characteristic sound when overloaded is widely used in electric guitar amplification, and has defined the sound of some genres of music, including classic rock and rhythm and blues. Since most guitar amplifiers mount the electronic chassis - including tubes - inside the same cabinet as the speaker, microphonic effects occur as the tube's elements vibrate with the music and help create the special vacuum tube guitar amplifier sound. (For high-fidelity use, the vacuum tubes should be isolated from the vibration of the speakers.)”

In case you are not familiar with the process, a sound wave is smooth and curved in shape (sort of like an S lying on its side.) When sound get converted to a digital signal small portions of the original signal get omitted in the conversion process.

If you compare the 2 images above you will notice the digital signal looks like steps (information is lost at each step) while the original sound wave is smooth and flows very well.

The Musketeer III fits into any available 5.25” drive bay on your PC and also uses a PCI slot device that attach's to the line input and line output jacks located on the rear of the Musketeer III.

The next step to take is to remove the dual stereo audio cable and plug one end of the cable into the line output of your sound card or into the green socket (speaker output). Plug the other end into the line input socket on the PCI bracket. Then you plug your speakers or headphones into the line out jack on the supplied PCI bracket.

While we can’t be 100% sure what the Musketeer III is doing to your audio signal we feel that a decent equalizer should be capable of producing the same end results.

Conclusion:

After using the Musketeer III for roughly two weeks we have decided that while it does slightly enhance your audio listening experience the asking price of $50 USD seems a bit high. It is a nice novelty but after watching the VU meter bounce to the beat of your music for a short period of time and staring at the glowing vacuum tube you will think most likely find other uses for your hard earned money.

We would like to thank Yolanda from Cooler Master