from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
A3D
<hardware> (Aureal 3-Dimensional?) A technology developed by
{Aureal} that delivers sound with a three-dimensional effect
through two speakers. Many modern {sound cards} and PC games
now support this feature.
A3D differs from the various forms of {surround sound} in that
it only requires two speakers, while surround sound typically
requires four or five. It is sometimes less convincing than
surround sound but is supposedly better in {interactive}
environments. For example, PC games in which sounds often
move from one speaker to another favour A3D, while
pre-recorded video favours surround sound.
(http://a3d.com/).
(1999-01-26)