It is possible to use both simultaneously (especially in Windows) but, they must have separate DMA and IRQ settings. If your DOS game is dependent on the set sound environment variable, then you can only utilise one set of parameters (you can specify you AWE32's DMA & IRQ and your ESS's MIDI port but, then both cards must be initialized properly).
Does your AWE32 have the Waveblaster header (can't recall now from the model number you quoted)?
If so, then you can plug the XR385 onto the AWE32's header and combine the sounds. However, if memory serves correct, in DOS, you can only either access the internal synthesizer or external synthesizer but, not both at the same time (this is done via the set midi environment variable).

As previously mentioned make sure the ESS uses different resources to the AWE (or disable them).

You can write a "hybrid" BLASTER variable that references the AWE & SB part of the AWE32 and the MIDI port of the ESS.
You'll probably always want to use the XR385 for GM/GS/MT32, you can still use AWE in native mode.

jesolo wrote:

Does your AWE32 have the Waveblaster header (can't recall now from the model number you quoted)?
If so, then you can plug the XR385 onto the AWE32's header and combine the sounds.

Does that AWE have the hanging note bug? If so, he might want to leave the xr385 in the ESS card.

Anyway, just be sure the cards do not use the same parameters. Other than that, games that let you input sound parameters can be configured manually so the BLASTER variable isn't very important. For everything else you can use .BAT files to set the variables accordingly.
My personal suggestion would be creating the variables AWEBLAST, ESSBLAST and BLASTER in AUTOEXEC.BAT like this

SET AWEBLAST=A220 (...)
SET ESSBLAST=A240 (...)
SET BLASTER=%AWEBLAST%

Then use a SET BLASTER line in BAT files to start games that need it (when you want to use them with the ESS card) like this

@ECHO OFF SET BLASTER=%ESSBLAST% C: CD C:\GAME GAME.EXE %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9 SET BLASTER=%AWEBLAST% […]
Show full quote

@ECHO OFF
SET BLASTER=%ESSBLAST%
C:
CD C:\GAME
GAME.EXE %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9
SET BLASTER=%AWEBLAST%

alexanrs wrote:

jesolo wrote:

Does your AWE32 have the Waveblaster header (can't recall now from the model number you quoted)?
If so, then you can plug the XR385 onto the AWE32's header and combine the sounds.

Does that AWE have the hanging note bug? If so, he might want to leave the xr385 in the ESS card.

Exactly!

alexanrs wrote:

Anyway, just be sure the cards do not use the same parameters. Other than that, games that let you input sound parameters can be […]
Show full quote

Anyway, just be sure the cards do not use the same parameters. Other than that, games that let you input sound parameters can be configured manually so the BLASTER variable isn't very important. For everything else you can use .BAT files to set the variables accordingly.
My personal suggestion would be creating the variables AWEBLAST, ESSBLAST and BLASTER in AUTOEXEC.BAT like this

SET AWEBLAST=A220 (...)
SET ESSBLAST=A240 (...)
SET BLASTER=%AWEBLAST%

Then use a SET BLASTER line in BAT files to start games that need it (when you want to use them with the ESS card) like this

@ECHO OFF SET BLASTER=%ESSBLAST% C: CD C:\GAME GAME.EXE %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9 SET BLASTER=%AWEBLAST% […]
Show full quote

@ECHO OFF
SET BLASTER=%ESSBLAST%
C:
CD C:\GAME
GAME.EXE %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9
SET BLASTER=%AWEBLAST%

Thank you very much! That's what I'm going to do. I think I'm going to create two bat files, one with SET BLASTER=%AWEBLAST% and another one with SET BLASTER=%ESSBLAST% and launch them before starting the games.

Just in case, both ESS and AWE TSRs have to be loaded on every boot, right? In that case I'm looking forward to loading them into high memory.

alexanrs wrote:

jesolo wrote:

Does your AWE32 have the Waveblaster header (can't recall now from the model number you quoted)?
If so, then you can plug the XR385 onto the AWE32's header and combine the sounds.

Does that AWE have the hanging note bug? If so, he might want to leave the xr385 in the ESS card.

CT2760 has the CT1747 bus chip and hanging notes is not something you notice (yes, you can in theory get legimate hanging notes, but I've never noticed it). I wouldn't worry about using the CT2760 with the XR385.

vetz wrote:

CT2760 has the CT1747 bus chip and hanging notes is not something you notice (yes, you can in theory get legimate hanging notes, but I've never noticed it). I wouldn't worry about using the CT2760 with the XR385.

That's my experience with the CT2760 +midi daughterboard too, even with that particular hexen/heretic/whatever level that's supposed to be particularly prone to it.

Emmm... Is there any point in keeping ESS then? 😀

I'm a big fan of ESS cards but I still can't think of a reason! I've dabbled with dual sound card setups in the past but found them to be more trouble than they're worth, not to mention they leave me feeling luxuriously self-indulgent 😊

badmojo wrote:

I'm a big fan of ESS cards but I still can't think of a reason! I've dabbled with dual sound card setups in the past but found them to be more trouble than they're worth, not to mention they leave me feeling luxuriously self-indulgent 😊

The majority of ESS cards (except super early ones) have ESFM, which is an OPL3 clone with an alternative sound. Nice to keep around if you want to hear how it sounds differently in games; and ultimately the advantage of discrete synthesis.

My first sound card (on a P100 system) was actually an ESS (I think the 688). Back then I knew nothing about different synthesis, and how different the MIDI can sound between various cards. I remember that the ESS sounded fine mostly, but some games would not detect it properly part of the time. That what eventually got me to move to Creative cards, which I later discovered were not perfect too. I have to check if I still have that ESS somewhere. 😀

RacoonRider wrote:

Emmm... Is there any point in keeping ESS then? 😀

Probably not, unless you have a game or old demo that you want to listen to in stereo and that only supports Sound Blaster Pro.
However, you can keep it around. You never know when you might want to use it again one day