Installation of the Fortissimo III went smoothly, without any driver issues or compatiblity problems.  We installed the card in a system running Windows 2000 Professional SP3, using driver version 6.09.  Initial configuration of the card is a simple matter of selecting the speaker setup from the drop down menu and adjusting the levels for each channel.  Being a 7.1 system, this can be a slight problem, since there are no currently available 7.1 speaker solutions on the market.  We had to improvise for the 7.1 tests, using an extra set of stereo speakers for the additional channels.  For the 5.1 testing, we used the outstanding Logitech Z-680 5.1 system, which offered more than enough power and volume, as well as an optical input.  The rear of the card has a large array of connections, in part due to the addition of the two new audio channels.  This crowding of leads to the game port being moved to a separate bracket, and connects through small ribbon cable.  I personally do not own a single game port device anymore, and chose to not even connect this bracket, so the option is yours.  Speakers are connected through standard mini-jack, with a total of four connections supplied.  The headphone jack shares the connection with the back left and right surround channels.  A microphone and line-in jack are also included.  The optical-out is perfect for a system like the Z-680, giving the user a simple one-wire hookup.  I prefer the optical connection, since the wiring required for the direct connection is messy.  No less than four separate wires are required, adding to an increasingly large pile of wires behind the desk.  The optical connection can also be used to connect other compatible hardware, if you happen to one of the seven people in the US that bought a mini-disc player. 

Gaming tests were conducted with BattleField 1942 and Alice.  For movie playback and Dolby EX testing we opted to use Star Wars Episode II, Attack of the Clones.  Music testing was done with a variety of genres, ranging from classical to rap, and all types inbetween.  Sythetic testing was done with the old reliable AudioBench99.  This test analyzes CPU usage through a battery of sound streams.  Testing was done in 2.1, 5.1 and simulated 7.1 through the use of a separate set of stereo speakers for the additional surround channels.  As with the DigiFire 7.1, the Fortissimo III supports all of the major 3D Postitional Audio APIs, including DirectSound 3D, EAX 1.0, EAX 2.0, A3D, MacroFX, MultiDrive, ZoomFX, and EnvironmentalFX.  Audio support for multimedia applications includes DirectMusic, DirectSound, Dolby Surround, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Digital Surround EX.  More on this later, as we check the performance during DVD playback. 

The card is capable of producing up to 52 hardware audio channels, which allows the user to hear up to 52 simultaneous sounds at one time.  The software package included with the card is good for a card in this price range, and includes several useful titles.  PowerDVD is everyone’s favorite DVD playback software, which in itself is a bonus.  This edition includes support for Dolby Digital EX and 7.1 audio, making it an excellent companion for the Fortissimo III.  Also in the bundle are a media center (Hercules MediaStation), and Acid XPress.  Overall, nothing that will make you run out and buy this card just for the software, but PowerDVD is always a nice addition.  Of course, if you are buying your hardware based on the bundled software, your priorities are screwed up, and I have some really cool BitBoys video cards to sell you.  They come with a free copy of Doom.

Since this is a gaming website, we naturally opted to being our testing with game performance.  That’s what we are here for, right?  I’m not sitting in a lab somewhere, this is real world testing done by real gamers, or so I like to think.  During the 2.1 audio tests, the Fortissmo III was perfect, no problems with any of the titles tested, and the sound quality was good.  Moving to the 5.1 audio, we were greeted with an even better expanded sound field, all adding to the realism of the gaming experience.  For gamers still stuck with 2.1 solutions, I highly recommend sampling a 5.1 setup…there is no going back.  Using the FRAPS utility, we gauged the performance with sound engaged and off, and like the DigiFire, a slight 2-3 frame-per-second hit was taken.  Ingame, this was not even noticed, and stands as only a measure of the solid audio performance the Fortissimo III is capable of.

DVD playback is another emerging use for the PC, thanks to sound cards with increased sound capabilities, and better PC speaker systems.  Opting to use Star Wars Episode 2, we were able to fully test the Dolby Digital Surround EX features of the Fortissimo III.  Switching between 5.1 and 7.1, there was a subtle difference in the overall presence and sound effects.  Users fearing the lack of 7.1 speakers will in any way detract from the experience should rest assured that the 5.1 sounds nearly as good, and is readily available.

Music playback was as expected, and like most sound cards, relies heavily on the speakers connected to the system.  Our choice for speakers of course, are the Logitech Z-680’s, which are arguably the best speakers on the market at this time.  Through these beasts, the Fortissimo III delivered huge sound, with an overall good quality.  Everything we threw at it sounded good.  Dropping to slightly less expensive system, the Z-540’s, the Fortissimo III still worked perfectly, and produced music that would be more than adequate for a small party or get together.  Even more impressive, the Fortissimo III could be connected to larger audio equipment through the optical-out, for a serious home theater experience.  The bottom line here is this: overall sound quality requires a good system, speakers and all.  Don’t expect this sound card to turn your $10 computer show speakers into serious wall shakers.  The equalizer included in the drivers came in handy during this phase of testing, giving us the option to fine tune the music to our personal liking.

AudioBench99 is the only synthetic test we use to test sound cards, since as gamers we are not terribly concerned with decibel levels and such.  Is this card loud?  Depends on the speakers.  Did it sound good?  We liked it.  This test runs a serious of sound tests, and tests the CPU utilization of the sound card.  Too much, and your gaming will suffer.  Too little?  Well, in this case, there can never be too little.  Lower is better, with zero being the holy grail for gaming.  During the entire test, the Fortisimo III averaged less than 1% usage, often times dropping to zero; exactly the performance we saw from the DigiFire 7.1 card tested earlier.  What this equates to for the gamers is better sound without a massive performance penalty.