Philips has announced that its forthcoming Thunderbird Avenger sound card will be based on QSound Labs audio technology. The Thunderbird Avenger will support QSound technologies including 3DInteractive (positional 3D hardware DSP processing), Multi-Speaker System (stereo-to-quad processing that supports 5.1 speaker playback of music CDs and videos, digital audio and MIDI files), Environmental Modeling (supports Creative Labs EAX technology), and QXpander (stereo expansion and stereo to 3D remapping). The Philips Thunderbird Avenger is expected to be available by fall 2000.

Below is a quick explanation of the QSound Labs audio technologies built into the Thunderbird Avenger:
QSound3Dinteractive – Positional 3D hardware DSP processing for maximum performance
Stereo speaker, headphone & quad speaker algorithms
Eliminates crosstalk cancellation and broadens “sweet spot”

QSound Multi-Speaker System – Stereo-to-quad processing
Tansforms ordinary stereo application to quadraphonic
Non-3D games become immersive quad 3D games
Enhances DVD movie playback
Provides true quadraphonic music playback from CD’s MIDI files & MP3 players
Is effective with both stereo & Dolby Pro-Logic(TM) encoded material

QSound – Environmental Modeling – adds reverb as a additional positional queue
EAX compatible
Reverb presets can be applied to any DirectSound(TM) 3D application

QXpander – Stereo Expansion & Stereo to 3D remapping
Enhances stereo games to 3D