But the AWE64 cards use CQM instead of OPL3 for FM.

The price of all the AWE32 cards is just insane right now.

Even the CT3600 and CT3620 cards is around $100+ right now. Less than a year ago, they were usually around $35.

cyclone3d wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:26:

But the AWE64 cards use CQM instead of OPL3 for FM.

The price of all the AWE32 cards is just insane right now.

Even the CT3600 and CT3620 cards is around $100+ right now. Less than a year ago, they were usually around $35.

It'll be in a Windows machine so CQM FM will be fine honestly, I have a CT2270 with a Wavetable card and OPL3 for the DOS box

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:39:

cyclone3d wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:26:

But the AWE64 cards use CQM instead of OPL3 for FM.

The price of all the AWE32 cards is just insane right now.

Even the CT3600 and CT3620 cards is around $100+ right now. Less than a year ago, they were usually around $35.

It'll be in a Windows machine so CQM FM will be fine honestly, I have a CT2270 with a Wavetable card and OPL3 for the DOS box

If it's a windows machine unused for DOS, why wouldn't one go with a Sound Blaster Live! or Audigy 1/2? Wouldn't this be still cheaper and better? Where does an AWE64 fit in?

cyclone3d wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:26:

Even the CT3600 and CT3620 cards is around $100+ right now. Less than a year ago, they were usually around $35.

If you look up sold CT3600s there's a few that only got around $50 so maybe not that bad quite yet.

Meatball wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:44:

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:39:

cyclone3d wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:26:

But the AWE64 cards use CQM instead of OPL3 for FM.

The price of all the AWE32 cards is just insane right now.

Even the CT3600 and CT3620 cards is around $100+ right now. Less than a year ago, they were usually around $35.

It'll be in a Windows machine so CQM FM will be fine honestly, I have a CT2270 with a Wavetable card and OPL3 for the DOS box

If it's a windows machine unused for DOS, why wouldn't one go with a Sound Blaster Live! or Audigy 1/2? Wouldn't this be still cheaper and better? Where does an AWE64 fit in?

Can any of them use large Sound Fonts like the AWE64 can ? The SB live is ok I guess but not the card I would be using for a Pure windows rig running 98se/XP, Id throw a Xi-Fi Elite Pro in it instead.

BitWrangler wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:53:

cyclone3d wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:26:

Even the CT3600 and CT3620 cards is around $100+ right now. Less than a year ago, they were usually around $35.

If you look up sold CT3600s there's a few that only got around $50 so maybe not that bad quite yet.

I wouldn't buy a CT3600, CQM, both types of hanging note bugs with Vibra16 clipping .. yea Ill stick to three AWE32 models only CT2760, CT3900 and CT3980, they all have a WT header, use OPL3, only have type 2 bug or none if you get the right DPS version and have no clipping.

its not snobbery but if you are going to drop 400 USD on a AWE32 then you may as well grab one of the three best models.

As for going to the AWE64, it might have CQM but its free of most bugs and the WT header is replaced by sound fonts its also pretty quiet and its cheaper than the three AWE32 models im looking at.

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:58:

Meatball wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:44:

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:39:

It'll be in a Windows machine so CQM FM will be fine honestly, I have a CT2270 with a Wavetable card and OPL3 for the DOS box

If it's a windows machine unused for DOS, why wouldn't one go with a Sound Blaster Live! or Audigy 1/2? Wouldn't this be still cheaper and better? Where does an AWE64 fit in?

Can any of them use large Sound Fonts like the AWE64 can ? The SB live is ok I guess but not the card I would be using for a Pure windows rig running 98se/XP, Id throw a Xi-Fi Elite Pro in it instead.

Thanks. Sound Fonts is the answer. I would have just used Virtual MIDI Synth rather than limiting myself to an ISA card that late into the Operating System scene. That's me, though. I didn't realize people would still be using any ISA card unless DOS was a requirement.

Meatball wrote on 2022-01-23, 17:04:

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:58:

Meatball wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:44:

If it's a windows machine unused for DOS, why wouldn't one go with a Sound Blaster Live! or Audigy 1/2? Wouldn't this be still cheaper and better? Where does an AWE64 fit in?

Can any of them use large Sound Fonts like the AWE64 can ? The SB live is ok I guess but not the card I would be using for a Pure windows rig running 98se/XP, Id throw a Xi-Fi Elite Pro in it instead.

Thanks. Sound Fonts is the answer. I would have just used Virtual MIDI Synth rather than limiting myself to an ISA card that late into the Operating System scene. That's me, though. I didn't realize people would still be using any ISA card unless DOS was a requirement.

I have some eccentricities when it comes to rig builds and I can shift track with a build if I cant find the hardware I want for it, Sound Fonts are a big part of it and with the three AWE32 models I have listed as possible being .. too damn expensive well I switched to the AWE64 Gold since its weirdly cheaper.

Since its 95/98 I figure that ISA is still ok so long as its a PnP card and has a specific use.

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-01-23, 17:11:

Meatball wrote on 2022-01-23, 17:04:

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:58:

Can any of them use large Sound Fonts like the AWE64 can ? The SB live is ok I guess but not the card I would be using for a Pure windows rig running 98se/XP, Id throw a Xi-Fi Elite Pro in it instead.

Thanks. Sound Fonts is the answer. I would have just used Virtual MIDI Synth rather than limiting myself to an ISA card that late into the Operating System scene. That's me, though. I didn't realize people would still be using any ISA card unless DOS was a requirement.

I have some eccentricities when it comes to rig builds and I can shift track with a build if I cant find the hardware I want for it, Sound Fonts are a big part of it and with the three AWE32 models I have listed as possible being .. too damn expensive well I switched to the AWE64 Gold since its weirdly cheaper.

Since its 95/98 I figure that ISA is still ok so long as its a PnP card and has a specific use.

It is clear to me now. I would have chosen the Live! since I don't care about Sound Fonts after DOS, but I now have further information to what you (and others in the future) might be considering (Sound Fonts, in this case) when making build choices. Thanks for the clarification!

EDIT: Actually, I was making this consideration, but I didn't realize it. "Age of Empires" uses MIDI for its background music. My AWE32 was part of this consideration - I just didn't think about it from a Sound Font perspective. You are a sage!

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:58:

Meatball wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:44:

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:39:

It'll be in a Windows machine so CQM FM will be fine honestly, I have a CT2270 with a Wavetable card and OPL3 for the DOS box

If it's a windows machine unused for DOS, why wouldn't one go with a Sound Blaster Live! or Audigy 1/2? Wouldn't this be still cheaper and better? Where does an AWE64 fit in?

Can any of them use large Sound Fonts like the AWE64 can ? The SB live is ok I guess but not the card I would be using for a Pure windows rig running 98se/XP, Id throw a Xi-Fi Elite Pro in it instead.

The Live! and Audigy card soundfont size is only limited by the amount of system RAM.

There are soundfonts in the hundreds of megabytes.

cyclone3d wrote on 2022-01-23, 17:25:

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:58:

Meatball wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:44:

If it's a windows machine unused for DOS, why wouldn't one go with a Sound Blaster Live! or Audigy 1/2? Wouldn't this be still cheaper and better? Where does an AWE64 fit in?

Can any of them use large Sound Fonts like the AWE64 can ? The SB live is ok I guess but not the card I would be using for a Pure windows rig running 98se/XP, Id throw a Xi-Fi Elite Pro in it instead.

The Live! and Audigy card soundfont size is only limited by the amount of system RAM.

There are soundfonts in the hundreds of megabytes.

Yes, I currently use "Timbres of Heaven" for my DOSBox/Virtual MIDI Synth machine. This weighs in at 376MB.

cyclone3d wrote on 2022-01-23, 17:25:

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:58:

Meatball wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:44:

If it's a windows machine unused for DOS, why wouldn't one go with a Sound Blaster Live! or Audigy 1/2? Wouldn't this be still cheaper and better? Where does an AWE64 fit in?

Can any of them use large Sound Fonts like the AWE64 can ? The SB live is ok I guess but not the card I would be using for a Pure windows rig running 98se/XP, Id throw a Xi-Fi Elite Pro in it instead.

The Live! and Audigy card soundfont size is only limited by the amount of system RAM.

There are soundfonts in the hundreds of megabytes.

I didn't know that, I have an Audigy Platinum Ex sitting on the shelf in its box, might pull that down and give it a shot.

What about the Xi-Fi Elite Pro ? that work the same ? (I have one of these too in the XP rig, wish it had windows 10 drivers its a beautiful card and breakout box)

Meatball wrote on 2022-01-23, 17:28:

cyclone3d wrote on 2022-01-23, 17:25:

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:58:

Can any of them use large Sound Fonts like the AWE64 can ? The SB live is ok I guess but not the card I would be using for a Pure windows rig running 98se/XP, Id throw a Xi-Fi Elite Pro in it instead.

The Live! and Audigy card soundfont size is only limited by the amount of system RAM.

There are soundfonts in the hundreds of megabytes.

Yes, I currently use "Timbres of Heaven" for my DOSBox/Virtual MIDI Synth machine. This weighs in at 376MB.

you know .. you could have said that too 😁 I didn't know that the Live/Audigy were capable of loading sound fonts. Also . .do you have a link for what "Timbres of Heaven" sounds like ?

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-01-23, 17:30:

I didn't know that, I have an Audigy Platinum Ex sitting on the shelf in its box, might pull that down and give it a shot. […]
Show full quote

cyclone3d wrote on 2022-01-23, 17:25:

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-01-23, 16:58:

Can any of them use large Sound Fonts like the AWE64 can ? The SB live is ok I guess but not the card I would be using for a Pure windows rig running 98se/XP, Id throw a Xi-Fi Elite Pro in it instead.

The Live! and Audigy card soundfont size is only limited by the amount of system RAM.

There are soundfonts in the hundreds of megabytes.

I didn't know that, I have an Audigy Platinum Ex sitting on the shelf in its box, might pull that down and give it a shot.

What about the Xi-Fi Elite Pro ? that work the same ? (I have one of these too in the XP rig, wish it had windows 10 drivers its a beautiful card and breakout box)

Meatball wrote on 2022-01-23, 17:28:

cyclone3d wrote on 2022-01-23, 17:25:

The Live! and Audigy card soundfont size is only limited by the amount of system RAM.

There are soundfonts in the hundreds of megabytes.

Yes, I currently use "Timbres of Heaven" for my DOSBox/Virtual MIDI Synth machine. This weighs in at 376MB.

you know .. you could have said that too 😁 I didn't know that the Live/Audigy were capable of loading sound fonts. Also . .do you have a link for what "Timbres of Heaven" sounds like ?

I would have had I thought to say it. Sorry about that!

Links removed (this sounded terribly distorted). Do a search on YouTube and you'll find something, for sure.

It was good enough for me that I removed my externally connected Dreamblaster X2 and use "Timbres" exclusively when using emulation and virtualization.

EDIT: Here one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_nQF5gEzV4 System Shock Enhanced Edition.

I've bought some nice things.

First of all, two original Dizzy games on the cassette for the ZX Spectrum:

Two Ensoniq AudioPCI 3000 with ES1370. First model of a long line. Native 44kHz with top samples, great DOS compatibility and shitty Adlib emulation. I'll use them as a second card for some builds.

Some mobos. Happy for the Socket A with ISA

Some CPUS:

And a Diamond Stealth 3D 3000 with additional memory on the sandwich. Looks like a most powerful thing in the world. Virge VX on board.

blurks wrote on 2022-01-23, 11:15:

Is Artex still around? I sold him some stuff a while back and was expecting to see pictures...

Hope not. When Artex posts I want to punch my screen and smash my keyboards to bits. The envy is too much to handle.

appiah4 wrote on 2022-01-23, 18:58:

blurks wrote on 2022-01-23, 11:15:

Is Artex still around? I sold him some stuff a while back and was expecting to see pictures...

Hope not. When Artex posts I want to punch my screen and smash my keyboards to bits. The envy is too much to handle.

It was this post wasn't it? Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today 'coz I wanted one of those completely cool Cyrix case badges.

Hope he's still with us, last post in August some time.

Meatball wrote on 2022-01-23, 17:28:

Yes, I currently use "Timbres of Heaven" for my DOSBox/Virtual MIDI Synth machine. This weighs in at 376MB.

I believe you can loop the MIDI-Out from your retro rig to the MIDI-In on a PC/thin client running a more modern operating system with various MIDI hardware emulators + soundfonts via a USB MIDI adapter (Phil did a great video on this a while ago) and potentially even let the retro PC switch emulated MIDI playback devices or soundfonts with simple batch commands to optimize the experience for each game. I believe the Serdaco MP-32L achieves something similar using a Raspberry Pi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRyPjvbDkvg

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-01-23, 10:32:

Gonna ditch the idea for a AWE32, gonna get a AWE64 Gold with 28mb ram upgrade board and call it a day, it works out 200 USD cheaper and for what I want to use it for itll work out better.

Wow WTF?? Are Awe64 Golds really selling for over $300 now? I bought one a couple years ago for I think $70-$90, somewhere in there. The ones listed for sale on ebay are insane!

The bigger question is will those prices continue up forever, or are we just in a periodic price hike? This is getting to be a rich man's hobby, at which point I'll have to find a new hobby. 🤣

Brawndo wrote on 2022-01-24, 01:36:

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-01-23, 10:32:

Gonna ditch the idea for a AWE32, gonna get a AWE64 Gold with 28mb ram upgrade board and call it a day, it works out 200 USD cheaper and for what I want to use it for itll work out better.

Wow WTF?? Are Awe64 Golds really selling for over $300 now? I bought one a couple years ago for I think $70-$90, somewhere in there. The ones listed for sale on ebay are insane!

The bigger question is will those prices continue up forever, or are we just in a periodic price hike? This is getting to be a rich man's hobby, at which point I'll have to find a new hobby. 🤣

Everything has gone up in price, ebay is pretty bad for it as the sellers all follow each other.