Hey, all. I'm getting started on a new Baby AT-formfactor Socket 7 build from a batch of hardware I picked up recently.
Not done, the finished build will go in a System Specs thread of course.

My current dilemma is what sound card I should go with.
I thought I had an ISA Sound Blaster 16 laying around, but I guess I was mistaken.
Inside the box of hardware I had received recently, I found another ISA Sound Blaster 16, and was pleased for a moment.
However, upon closer inspection, it was actually a Sound Blaster VIBRA 16. Okay, so no Wave Blaster daughterboard(which I don't have)
or seperate bass/treble controls(have a stereo receiver for that, anyway.) No big deal, right? BUT WAIT!
I don't see "YAMAHA" on any of the chips! Does this mean no OPL? Well, damn, that sucks.
Even Creative and Ensoniqs hardware based OPL emulators are hardly close to accurate.

Fortunately, I have a couple other sound cards that are, for the most part, period accurate.

Top Left: ISA Creative Sound Blaster AWE64 Value, model CT4520.
No OPL chip on this one, either? Awe. (Heh, awe) However, after watching victorbart's Project Freeman building video's (Nice build, btw),
I listened to a few demos of the AWE64's CQM chip. and its not actually too shabby. I especially like the ability to apply reverb and choral effects,
would be very nice for DOOM!

Top right: ISA Labway-branded Yamaha OPL3-SAx
Well, its an actual Yamaha OPL chip (Well, a Yamaha YMF719E-S), and thats pretty cool.
SB Pro 2.0 compatible, low noise level, no hanging note bug.
However, as an SB Pro 2.0 compat, isn't it restricted to certain sample rates?
I recall Epic Megagames' tracker music in their games such as OMF 2097 and Jazz that the sound quality is noticeably worse if you have lower than a Sound Blaster 16.

Bottom Left: ISA Creative Sound Blaster VIBRA 16XV, model CT4170.
The soundcard I found in my hardware box. I believe this is still a Creative SB16-based card, and not one
of their Ensoniq-based rebrands. CQM chip as well, I assume. Any reason why this would be better than the AWE64?

Bottom Right: PCI SB Live! Value
This kind of card I would use for something like my Socket 462(A) build. However, its a quality card from Creative,
and can utilize SF2 soundfonts, great for Windows games anyway. Generally only use 8MBGMSFX.SF2 on older builds like this to save RAM, though,
and it still sounds great. Constant sample rate conversion up to 48KHz is kind of annoying. Its DOS compatibility, is also finnicky.
On most builds, it seems to work fine as long as you just use it for digital sound output and not Adlib/OPL FM mixed mode.

And I have a billion of those ES1371,73-based PCI cards lying around (I'm sure a lot of you have several lying around as well!), but we all know how "good" those cards are.

Can anyone suggest which card I should go with?
I can provide more information if need be. Thanks in advance.