-------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/95 Rich Heimlich's Patch Set Overview #5 -------------------------------------------------------------------- The biggest problem with asking others for their input on sound cards and the quality of the patch sets involved is that most of the time, people have only heard one or two products. Even if they have heard more than one they generally only hear the others briefly. This is not a very good basis for an investment in a sound card. You must really dissect what phrases like "It's the best sound card I've ever heard", mean. I find phrases like that are often VERY true. It is the best card that person has heard, but they often forget to mention that they've only heard one or two. Also, you have no idea if that person has the same wants and needs that you might have. I own a company called Top Star, Inc. We provide quality assurance testing to game developers and hardware vendors with game associated products (like sound cards). We've been contracted to test virtually every sound card on the market for compatibility and quality. I also personally do a lot of consulting work with most of the sound card companies out there. Given this background I get the chance to work with literally every sound card on the market (and several few have ever seen) at-length and in-depth. I've also written about sound and sound cards extensively since 1985. I wrote "Sound Blaster; The Official Book" and am also a columnist with Fusion magazine (formerly Electronic Games). I list the above background because I think it's important for people to know the background of people posting such information. I also realize that some people will take such information as some sort of ego-trip. It's a no-win situation but I feel the benefits outweigh the negatives. I'm often asked to give my opinion on the quality of sound cards and products by professionals, manufacturers and more importantly, consumers. I thought I'd try to offer a professional and unbiased (as much as something on this subject can be) opinion of the current wavetable-based patch sets. The unweighted portion of this list is based on testing patches over time through techniques and with various tools too lengthy to list here. In addition to testing each individual patch I also prefer to test products in real world environments which include the playing of MIDI files and game soundtracks. In the case of MIDI files, over time I've been able to compile a deep array of complex MIDI files that really put a product through its paces. These files run the length of the music spectrum and touch on virtually ever instrument available in GM products. The Weighted portion is more subjective and based on gaming support and best lends itself to those most interested in heavy game-play. I'm going to limit this to products available for under $350. This review is based on products AS SHIPPED as virtually every product in this list can be enhanced by various means that won't be available or desired by most average consumers. Also be aware that many sound cards do not use their own patch set but one purchased from another company. The list below covers well over 90% of the patch sets now available and in-use. Please understand that this Overview is being offered as a tool to hopefully help you in your buying decision. I offer it because I realize just how confusing the sound card market can be. The smart consumer reaches out for the most input on their prospective product choice, from a multitude of sources, and considers them all as best they can. I also highly suggest that you only consider a retailer willing to take back products you're not fully satisfied with. Retailers who don't offer this represent a company you really shouldn't be considering spending your hard-earned money with. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Scale of 1 through 10, 10 being the best. Un-weighted list: (nothing but overall sound quality of the patch set using the synth it's driven by). If you're only interest is the quality of the sound then this list attempts to address that. Note: You may notice that several devices that use the same patch set are rated differently below. This is not an error. I rate things based on the most likely scenario for their use. For example, the Turtle Beach Monterey is basically their Tahiti digital card with a Rio daughterboard plugged onto it. The Tahiti is one of the cleanest host cards available. However, the Rio is most likely going to be coupled with a Sound Blaster 16 or some other host card that is not as clean as the Tahiti and thus, adds a variable amount of noise to output. In most cases it's a small amount of noise which is why I usually only penalize such products by a margin of half a point. Each device is listed by its common name, rating, estimated street price and contact phone number. ! Included only as a point of comparison. Unit is no longer sold. ? Results based on limited exposure. Subject to change. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Roland SCC-1 10.0 $300 1-800-386-7575 AVM Summit (Kurzweil) 10.0 $350 1-801-571-0967 !Turtle Beach Multisound 9.5 $459 1-800-645-5640 Roland SCD-15 9.0 $269 1-800-386-7575 Roland SCD-10 9.0 $229 1-800-386-7575 Ensoniq Soundscape Elite 8.0 $210 1-800-776-8637 !Roland LAPC-1/MT-32 8.0 $199 1-800-386-7575 Ensoniq Soundscape 7.5 $150 1-800-776-8637 Creative Labs Wave Blaster II 7.0 $160 1-800-998-5227 Ensoniq Soundscape DB 7.0 $90 1-800-776-8637 Ensoniq Soundscape DB/2mb 7.0 $90 1-800-776-8637 Media Vision Pro 3-D (Korg AI2) 7.0 $210 1-800-348-7166 Media Vision Korg AI2 DB 7.0 $149 1-800-348-7166 TB Multisound Monterey 7.0 $329 1-800-645-5640 Turtle Beach Rio 6.5 $140 1-800-645-5640 MediaTriX Audiotrix Pro 6.5 $249 1-800-820-8749 Sound Blaster AWE-32 6.0 $180 1-800-998-5227 !Creative Labs Wave Blaster 5.0 $159 1-800-998-5227 !Gravis UltraSound 5.0 $110 1-800-937-0062 Gravis UltraSound Max 5.0 $170 1-800-937-0062 Gravis UltraSound Ace 5.0 $100 1-800-937-0062 Turtle Beach Tropez 4.5 $199 1-800-645-5640 Aztech WaveRider-32 4.0 $159 1-800-886-8859 Turtle Beach Maui 4.0 $140 1-800-645-5640 !Logitech SoundMan Wave 4.0 $179 1-800-231-7717 Aztech WavePower 3.5 $129 1-800-886-8859 Sierra Semiconductor Aria 3.0 $149 1-408-263-9300 Orchid SW-32 w/InVision 2.5 $169 1-510-683-0300 !Orchid SoundWave 32 2.0 $169 1-510-683-0300 !Orchid GameWave 1.0 $110 1-510-683-0300 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Weighted list: (Basically a more typical sound card ranking) Note: I'm mainly concerned with the majority of sound card owners and prospective owners. This means that I heavily favor features that the average consumer demands and put less emphasis on features they have shown to be less interested in. I also detract heavily from products that lack features consumers demand. If you're reading this list and you feel that I've rated your product far too low then it's most likely due to a critical feature that I feel is missing. Hardware Sound Blaster compatibility and hardware General MIDI/ MPU-401 support are two of the features I look for right from the start. Don't worry if you don't know what that means because you won't be hurt where they are provided but may be without them. The categories are weighted. For full cards Ease-of-use and support ratings are worth double while all others are worth their listed value. Daughterboards and music-only devices are only rated in Price, Music Quality and Consumer Features. This is because Ease- of -Use, Support and Digital Quality aren't really applicable to them. With that in mind, the Music Quality rating is tripled and the others are worth their listed rating. Also, a note about Consumer Features; It's based on what I consider to be beneficial features for consumers (like an effects processor, SRS, a CD-ROM interface, etc.) including negatives for features that should be there but aren't. Full Cards: Overall Rating ----------------------------------------------------| Consumer Features ------------------------------------------| | Music Quality -----------------------------------------| | | Digital Quality ----------------------------------| | | | Price ---------------------------------------| | | | | Support --------------------------------| | | | | | Ease of Use -----------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | ===================================================================== Turtle Beach Tropez 7.5 10.0 7.0 9.0 4.5 8.5 8.0 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Currently the best single card solution available. Decent patch set, RAM-able, SB-Pro compatible, Fully Windows Sound System compatible. Software needs work so beginners may have difficulty installing it. It could also be a bit easier to work with on a daily basis. ===================================================================== Ensoniq Soundscape 9.0 7.0 8.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 7.9 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Solid 2mb patch set. Excellent Windows card. Game developers are now supporting it in DOS games so past problems with support are becoming a non-issue. SB/FM support is emulated but their emulator is one of the best now. ===================================================================== Ensoniq Soundscape Elite 9.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 7.9 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Best 2mb patch set out. Improves on the original by adding an effects processor including Reverb and Chorus enabled by default and major percussion improvements. However, those same drums are much louder than they should be. Could be THE Windows 95 card to have. ===================================================================== Media Vision Pro 3-D 8.5 7.5 7.0 7.5 7.0 9.0 7.8 --------------------------------------------------------------------- One of the best single card solutions available. Includes nice creature comforts like built-in SRS and a basic effects processor. It's also SB-Pro compatible. My biggest problems are the lack of a supportable 16-bit mode and the need to use a 6k TSR. Should prove to be a nice Windows 95 card. The Premium 3-D is the same card without the Korg AI2-based daughterboard. ===================================================================== MediaTriX Audiotrix Pro 8.5 7.0 5.0 8.0 6.5 6.0 7.1 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Best OPL4 patch set. Solid Windows card. Solid SB/FM support. Low noise. Supports ADPCM. Very good one-card solution but a bit on the expensive side especially if you add the optional CD-ROM interface, RAM DB, Effects module or other options. SB-Pro support would help. ===================================================================== Logitech SoundMan Wave 8.5 7.0 8.0 6.5 4.0 4.0 6.7 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Great SB support but faulty SB Pro support. Okay patch set. Very good price. A decent one-card solution but it's now orphaned so beware. ===================================================================== Sound Blaster AWE-32 5.0 8.5 7.5 5.0 6.0 4.0 6.2 --------------------------------------------------------------------- The patch set is average, it requires LARGE TSR's or direct support if you want to use it with games and is less compatible with the SB family than the SB-16 which wasn't ever a great SB compatible. It's also expensive. The only real benefit is the ability to load RAM patches. ===================================================================== TB Multisound Monterey 6.0 3.5 3.0 10.0 6.5 8.5 5.9 --------------------------------------------------------------------- The newer version of the older Multisound. Winning same awards too. It's less expensive than the original and if it's not used for gaming the rating goes up to 9. Note that it uses a Rio as the music engine. ===================================================================== Aztech WaveRider-32 4.0 7.5 8.0 3.0 4.0 2.0 5.0 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Would have been a really nice 1 card solution except that Aztech decided to go the cheap route and use the less expensive and less functional WaveFront Lite chipset. It sounds as good as a Tropez but lacks the RAM feature and requires an unacceptable 37k TSR for GM. ===================================================================== Gravis UltraSound Ace 3.0 5.0 10.0 6.0 5.0 1.0 4.8 --------------------------------------------------------------------- The best of the UltraSound family for most people. Still doesn't provide acceptable compatibility with existing standards and doesn't address any of my concerns with the other Ultrasound cards. But if you like its features and the software you're using supports it natively then at least you can get it inexpensively. ===================================================================== Gravis UltraSound Max 3.0 5.5 8.0 6.5 5.0 2.0 4.8 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Basically the same as the original UltraSound except for the added 16-bit record feature, CD-ROM interface and higher price. The use of a Crystal Semiconductor CS-4231 helps but not enough. Also, its dependence on NMI will hinder it with Pentiums and advanced OS's. ===================================================================== Orchid SW 32 w/Invision 6.0 6.0 8.0 3.0 2.5 1.0 4.8 --------------------------------------------------------------------- A very competent entry level card if you want better sound but you get what you pay for which in this case means a low quality patch set and poor SB/FM compatibility. ===================================================================== Turtle Beach Multisound 5.0 1.0 1.0 10.0 9.5 6.0 4.8 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Every magazine called this the best business audio card on the market year-in and year-out. The only problem is, there's no such thing as a business audio market and never was. Now if only PC Magazine would figure that out and stop reviewing things from that perspective. ===================================================================== Gravis UltraSound 3.0 5.0 8.5 6.0 5.0 1.5 4.6 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Decent Windows card or if you're into using RAM patches. Great MOD and demo card. Also inexpensive but that's due in part to hardware they left off. That results in the need to use TSR's which in turn results in poor SB, FM, GM game support. Direct support for it has grown which does help. ===================================================================== Orchid GameWave 6.0 5.0 8.5 2.0 1.0 1.0 4.3 --------------------------------------------------------------------- A less expensive and less impressive version of the SoundWave 32. In this case, that's not a very good thing. ===================================================================== Sierra Semiconductor Aria 5.0 2.0 8.0 6.0 3.0 3.0 4.3 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Another card missing hardware that results in the need to use TSR's for game support. Poor patch set. Good voice recognition. The music quality is based on their 512k ROM set (which explains a lot). They supposedly have a 1mb ROM set but I've yet to encounter one. Music-Only Devices: ===================================================================== Creative Labs Wave Blaster II - - 7.0 - 7.0 5.0 6.6 --------------------------------------------------------------------- A MUCH better daughterboard than the original Wave Blaster including a better patch set and effects processor. You're likely to be very satisfied with one. On the downside, the sounds are a bit harsh, the effects are turned up more than usual to hide some flaws and the more esoteric instruments aren't very good. ===================================================================== Roland SCC-1 - - 2.0 - 10.0 8.0 8.0 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Costly, but the industry standard. If you want to know how a game was intended to musically sound, this is usually the only way to be sure. The lack of digital capability is one of its very few drawbacks. ===================================================================== Roland SCD-15 - - 3.0 - 9.0 8.0 7.6 --------------------------------------------------------------------- If you wanted a Sound Canvas but couldn't quite afford one, this Wave Blaster clone could be the answer. Only problem is that the quality is hampered by the device you hook it to. No RAM, not cheap. ===================================================================== Roland SCD-10 - - 5.0 - 9.0 6.0 7.6 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Basically the SCD-15 without the GS patches. Some day Roland will wake up and give us all a Sound Canvas with an SB-compatible DAC and some RAM, but we may not live that long. Decently priced. ===================================================================== AVM Summit - - 1.0 - 10.0 6.0 7.4 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Costly, no external controls but many key patches sound more realistic than the coveted Sound Canvas patches. Also Gamers don't need external controls. ===================================================================== Ensoniq Soundscape DB - - 10.0 - 7.0 2.0 6.6 --------------------------------------------------------------------- People will ask why they would want a 1mb patch set instead of a 2mb set. Size isn't everything. The 1mb set on this DB is the best 1mb set you're going to find. It ends up rating about the same as the 2mb set but features more Sound Canvas-like patch volumes unlike their original Soundscape 2mb set. ===================================================================== Turtle Beach Rio - - 7.0 - 6.5 6.0 6.5 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Much better sound than the Wave Blaster at a better price. RAM Sampling and limited effects are a bonus but the RAM sampling is painfully slow due to the WB interface which is why no other DB's offer this feature. The Rio is used on the Monterey so it can be hard to find. ===================================================================== Ensoniq Soundscape DB/2mb - - 10.0 - 7.0 1.0 6.4 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Ensoniq originally shipped this daughterboard with the same 2mb patch set found on their original Soundscape because the 1mb set it claimed to use wasn't done. Early releases had hanging note problems but are returnable for a newer, corrected unit. ===================================================================== Media Vision Korg AI2 DB - - 7.0 - 7.0 4.0 6.4 --------------------------------------------------------------------- A mixed bag daughterboard. Some samples are as good as you'll hear while others are simply horrible. Tough call depending on the music you'll be listening to with it. ===================================================================== Roland LAPC-1/MT-32 1.0 8.0 5.0 6.0 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Very good sound, but discontinued and only included here for the sake of comparison. Use the overall rating ONLY as a historical point. ===================================================================== Creative Labs Wave Blaster - - 7.0 - 5.0 3.0 5.0 --------------------------------------------------------------------- We owe this product for getting us the Wave Blaster connector. But even given that, this is just an average choice for add-on products. Not bad, but you can do better both in price and sound quality. ===================================================================== Turtle Beach Maui - - 7.0 - 4.0 4.0 4.6 --------------------------------------------------------------------- A solid choice for those wanting a Wave Blaster but not having a WB connector on their existing sound card. Easy to use, inexpensive, fast RAM sampling, but it's all tied to a below average patch set. ===================================================================== Aztech WavePower - - 8.5 - 3.5 1.0 4.0 --------------------------------------------------------------------- It's a decent Wave Blaster clone but doesn't sound as good as one. Used to be the only other choice. Thankfully that's long ago now. *** RTH *** (Vendors, if you'd like your products to be included in this list, please contact me at any of the addresses listed below to find out how to be included. This process is entirely free.) Internet: Rich.Heimlich@compudata.com CompuServe: 74777,140 AOL: RichH27 Prodigy: GCJJ12F --------------------------------------------------------------------- Rich Heimlich 1 jan 1998, 10:00 Nieuwsgroepen: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard.advocacy Onderwerp: Re: New sound card - as good as Roland SCC-1? >How would you say the Yamaha DB50-XG is compared to the SCC-1. And how does >the DB50-XG compare to the Guillemot Home Studio Pro 64's sample set? No comparison. The SCC-1 is quite a bit better overall. One or two patches I like better on my DB50-XG, but that's it. The DB50-XG is, however, a nice step up from the Dream set on the HSP64. *** RTH *** Rich Heimlich Editor-in-Chief ActionWorld (http://www.actionworld.com) Home of Inside Games and Game Trend (http://www.insidegames.com) (http://www.gametrend.com) 7/95 Rich Heimlich's Patch Set Overview #5 Overall Rating ----------------------------------------------------| Consumer Features ------------------------------------------| | MUSIC QUALITY -----------------------------------------|| | | Digital Quality ----------------------------------| || | | Price ---------------------------------------| | || | | Support --------------------------------| | | || | | Ease of Use -----------------------| | | | || | | | | | | || | | Roland LAPC-1/MT-32 1.0 8.0 5.0 6.0 $199 Roland SCC-1 - - 2.0 - 10.0 8.0 8.0 $300 Roland SCD-10 - - 5.0 - 9.0 6.0 7.6 $229 Roland SCD-15 - - 3.0 - 9.0 8.0 7.6 $269 Creative Labs Wave Blaster II - - 7.0 - 7.0 5.0 6.6 $160 Creative Labs Wave Blaster - - 7.0 - 5.0 3.0 5.0 $159 Creative Labs SB AWE-32 5.0 8.5 7.5 5.0 6.0 4.0 6.2 $180 Ensoniq Soundscape 9.0 7.0 8.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 7.9 $150 Ensoniq Soundscape DB - - 10.0 - 7.0 2.0 6.6 $90 Ensoniq Soundscape DB/2mb - - 10.0 - 7.0 1.0 6.4 $90 Ensoniq Soundscape Elite 9.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 7.9 $210 Turtle Beach Maui - - 7.0 - 4.0 4.0 4.6 $140 Turtle Beach Rio - - 7.0 - 6.5 6.0 6.5 $140 Turtle Beach Tropez 7.5 10.0 7.0 9.0 4.5 8.5 8.0 $140 Turtle Beach Multisound Monterey 6.0 3.5 3.0 10.0 6.5 8.5 5.9 $180 Turtle Beach Multisound 5.0 1.0 1.0 10.0 9.5 6.0 4.8 $459 Gravis UltraSound 3.0 5.0 8.5 6.0 5.0 1.5 4.6 $110 Gravis UltraSound Ace 3.0 5.0 10.0 6.0 5.0 1.0 4.8 $100 Gravis UltraSound Max 3.0 5.5 8.0 6.5 5.0 2.0 4.8 $170 Media Vision Korg AI2 DB - - 7.0 - 7.0 4.0 6.4 $149 Media Vision Pro 3-D (Korg AI2) 8.5 7.5 7.0 7.5 7.0 9.0 7.8 $210 Aztech WavePower - - 8.5 - 3.5 1.0 4.0 $129 Aztech WaveRider-32 4.0 7.5 8.0 3.0 4.0 2.0 5.0 $159 Orchid GameWave 6.0 5.0 8.5 2.0 1.0 1.0 4.3 $110 Orchid SW 32 w/Invision 6.0 6.0 8.0 3.0 2.5 1.0 4.8 $169 AVM Summit (Kurzweil) - - 1.0 - 10.0 6.0 7.4 $350 Logitech SoundMan Wave 8.5 7.0 8.0 6.5 4.0 4.0 6.7 $179 MediaTriX Audiotrix Pro 8.5 7.0 5.0 8.0 6.5 6.0 7.1 $249 Sierra Semiconductor Aria 5.0 2.0 8.0 6.0 3.0 3.0 4.3 $149