Cooler Master Musketeer III Tube Amplifier Review :: Musketeer III Features and Bundle

When it comes to a manufacturer, their packaging is always something with a particular flare or style to it. In the case of Cooler Master, it's done through the giving of just about all the information the customer wants to know (and probably more than they need to), along with a few product images to make things go smoothly along. On the broad, flat front of the box, the silver version of the Musketeer III is shown, the grain in its brushed aluminum clearly visible. Also splayed out on the front of the box is a series of Cooler Master's little icons, to the tune of Unique Design, Front Audio, Easy Installation, Robust and Analogue dial. On top of this, there's a small yellow badge cutting across just above the product name saying "Vacuum tube ready", though the relevance of this is partially lost on me; after all, how many products actually use this ancient technology?

Flipping the box to its rear, a table comes up outlining the range of the inbuilt sound pressure meter, as well as the product's advertised signal to noise ratio. Among the features listed, "Patent Pending" interestingly enough comes up, though the rest are depicted best by the graphics on the front of the box. So, in truth, the only thing of real use back here is the table, as outlined below

Dimensions	149 x 43 x 75.5 mm (L x W x H)
Right dial display	Sound pressure meter
Lift window	Vacuum tube compartment
Sound Pressure	-20 to +3dB (up to the input level of the sound card)
Line in level	Depend on line-out output level
Typical total harmonic distortion	0.3% (typical)
SNR	>80dB
Impedance	600 Ohms
Power source	Peripheral connecter of PC power supply
Weight	220g

Now, as the upper lip of the box is peeled back, two thick soft foam blocks are clearly visible, holding the Musketeer III unit in place, as well as its required accessories below it. Now though the unit's tight packaging may be pulled, and the Musketeer is freed, let's first look at the bundle of goods inside the box. Found in the box is a nice printed manual, four screws to attach the unit to the chassis, a PCI back plate with cables hardwired to it, and a short jumper cable intended to connect your PC's headphone or line jack to the tethered cords. Leafing through the manual will give users a good idea of what's ahead, but buyer beware - make sure to plug in the perpetual lead and the audio cables before the device rides into the case - considering its short stature, getting cables to it otherwise will be a living hell.

Cables and specs aside, it's time to see the star of the show. Facing off with the unit, it's rather an impressive thing to view, the first time around. In a large rectangular window on the left with its rounded sides sits the vacuum tube, its chamber lit during use by the soft glow of the filaments firing, mirrored to its right by a smaller chamber placed higher up , featuring the same orange/amber glow, this time catered to via a bulb, housing the sound pressure meter. Directly below this meter, across a tiny expanse of brushed black aluminum sits the silver volume slider, an old style rheostat that limits volume in the simplest way - by limiting current. Tucked between this rheostat and the tube is a small headphone jack, which is placed along the bend in the panel's face. Generally speaking, the aesthetics of this unit are best suited to the gentle curves of Cooler Master's Mystique 631, though installing it in the tool free bays will be a hell.

Finally, turning to the top side of the unit, the PCB unfolds. Now, make note of the audio connectors while they are here, as though clearly labeled on the PCB, they will be impossible to see when the unit is inside the case. To the design of it, though - a perpetual connector feeds circuitry which helps scrub and limit the current rushing in, before passing the sound along one circuit into the tube, and the power, through a transformer into another. Unfortunately, users who have a habit of probing inside cases during use are in for a nasty surprise, as this little guy's circuitry puts out several hundred volts, which can mean some severe pain, numbness and burns to the skin if you manage to touch it while it's on. As to the durability of the connectors found on the PCB, they feel secure when plugged into, so there should be no problems there at all. With the layout looked over, the unit examined, and the features checked, let's dive into my musings about the new flow of the sound.

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