You need to level up your Google skills, like me 😀

According to web references I've found, there's two in the Master series (which are probably the same device by different companies): AudioMaster (aka "Audio Master") and MediaMaster (aka "Media Master") and were made/sold by the following companies: ASC, OmniLabs (or "Omni Labs"), DAK, BSR, V&V.
http://www.turtlebeach.com/support/entry/34029154/?ajax=1

According to this ancient newsletter, they may use Ensoniq chipsets, though that might be wrong.
http://www.gravisultrasound.com/files/UDD/vol … /1993-03-07.TXT

This ancient newsletter calls it "the BSR MEDIA MASTER sound co-processor board from DAK" and says "The board supports the Roland GS standard for standard MIDI voicings" and "comes with primarily Windows based software". The Media Master "has a MIDI port, and it is NOT MPU-401 compatible".
http://www.sacnews.net/adamcomputer/newslette … rapr%201994.pdf

This coupon booklet gives the following specs for the Omni Labs Audio Master:
"Advanced Wave-Table Lookup Synthesis
16-bit HiFi PCM Record/Play Compatibility
100% DOS/MPC/Windows 3.1 Compliant
On-board 32-bit Motorola 68008 Processor
On-board RAM expandable to 1.5MB
Optional Plug-in Adapters support ALL Popular CD-ROM Drives on-board!
Free Digital-Quality Microphone
Free 17-Piece Library of Entertainment, Educational and Productivity Software"
http://www.mocagh.org/miscgame/microprose-coupons.pdf

And a decent amount of info on USENET:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!search/%22A … dio$20Master%22

Notables:
https://groups.google.com/d/topic/alt.emusic/ … uUoc/discussion
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.sys.ibm. … _g/88s4SWflkjgJ
https://groups.google.com/d/topic/comp.sys.ib … zWmQ/discussion
https://groups.google.com/d/topic/comp.sys.ib … aflU/discussion
https://groups.google.com/d/topic/comp.music/ … lTBM/discussion
https://groups.google.com/d/topic/comp.sys.ib … UlUQ/discussion
https://groups.google.com/d/topic/comp.sys.ib … SPi0/discussion
https://groups.google.com/d/topic/comp.sys.ib … 6esw/discussion
https://groups.google.com/d/topic/comp.sys.ib … RIlA/discussion
https://groups.google.com/d/topic/comp.sys.ib … tkJ4/discussion
https://groups.google.com/d/topic/comp.sys.ib … C2Ng/discussion
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/az.forsale/Xo … BY/nvpATqLAhHkJ

One post confirms Ensoniq DOC-II and Motorola 68008 on an 8-bit card.

Got it. On this man's resume/CV: http://jeff-sr.witt-family.com/Resume.htm
Integrated Circuit Systems - ICS1399 - lead - DOC-II 25 Voice Wavetable Synthesizer (used in ASC "Media Master" sound card)

Datasheet on Datasheetarchive.com:
http://www.datasheetarchive.com/ICS1399-datasheet.html

So: Designed by Ensoniq (Ensoniq DOC-II used in Ensoniq EPS), produced by Integrated Circuit Systems? Or something. Relationship between Ensoniq and ICS is definitely there. Perhaps a spinoff of Ensoniq's design team to fabless semi company?

Stiletto wrote:

Got it. On this man's resume/CV: http://jeff-sr.witt-family.com/Resume.htm
Integrated Circuit Systems - ICS1399 - lead - DOC-II 25 Voice Wavetable Synthesizer (used in ASC "Media Master" sound card)

Nobody contact this guy please (Cloudschatze etc., usual QuestStudios crew), I'm taking care of it. PM me if you have burning questions for him.

Stiletto wrote:

You need to level up your Google skills, like me 😀

Well, I have already found out what ASC MediaMaster is, just thought there is no interest among community. However, your Google skills seemingly supercede mine as I haven't found most of that Usenet stuff and the CV.

It is a 16 bit "wavetable" card with 384Kb RAM (expandable to 1.5Mb). It is not compatible with SB/Adlib; however, there's a daughterboard for it with YM-3812 that adds Adlib compatibility.

There was an article about it in Computer Shopper #01/1993, but I can't register there due to an unknown error.

Also, there was an informative article in Compute #06/1993.

Seems we have got another rare soundcard to hunt. I have seen only these games with Audio Master support:

Dark Half
GateWorld
Kasparov's Gambit
Pickle Wars
The Seventh Guest (1.30 patch required)
World War 2: Battles of the South Pacific

However, MMSYNTH.ADV is just a standard AIL driver; thus, the sound card seems to be easily adaptable to a multitude of AIL/MIDPAK games.

Supposedly, Star Control 2 supports Media Master.

Audio Master also supported by some media program (non-game) called MCS MusicRack.

Nice pic! Taken from the Compute article, right?

Don't use Highbeam to get that article. You have to give them your credit card number to register, and if you don't cancel before your 7-day trial is up, you get dinged $200 for the year. Unless you really want to risk it, you'll be better off using your local library to get the contents of that article. I doubt the article says more than the Compute article, honestly.

So, summing up seems like these all use:
- Motorola 68008 CPU
- Ensoniq DOC-II (ICS ICS1399) 25-Voice Wavetable Synthesizer
- 384K RAM (upgradable to 1.5 MB)
- 8-bit ISA interface

Better set an eBay alert! 😀

PS. For the record, since ICS seems to be a second source for many of Ensoniq's early-mid-90's chips, I am trying to find out the official Ensoniq PN# to their DOC-II, but it's proving to be a real pain to find a PCB scan/photo of the Ensoniq EPS.

Stiletto wrote:

Nice pic! Taken from the Compute article, right?

Absolutely. Just had to edit it to get rid of black frames.

Stiletto wrote:

you'll be better off using your local library to get the contents of that article. I doubt the article says more than the Compute article, honestly.

I'm in Russia, do you really believe some random twenty years old computer magazine from USA would be in a local library? I'd be pretty surprised.

Maybe there's not much of info in that Shopper, but I hope for a better photo.

Stiletto wrote:

- 8-bit ISA interface

But there's a 16-bit ISA interface depicted on a photo.

Stiletto wrote:

Better set an eBay alert! 😀

I can't set what's already been set yesterday 😉

bristlehog wrote:

I'm in Russia, do you really believe some random twenty years old computer magazine from USA would be in a local library? I'd be pretty surprised.

Maybe there's not much of info in that Shopper, but I hope for a better photo.

Oops, apologies for the US-centric reply. Perhaps I will try to hunt it down when I can. I should think I can at least get the text of the article online through the local public library's services. I've used Highbeam before, it is most likely all they have is the text.

bristlehog wrote:

Stiletto wrote:

- 8-bit ISA interface

But there's a 16-bit ISA interface depicted on a photo.

Right. Can't explain it but several USENET posts claim it is 8-bit. Perhaps they are referring to something else.

Stiletto wrote:

Nobody contact this guy please (Cloudschatze etc., usual QuestStudios crew), I'm taking care of it.

Didn't realize I was so (in)famous. 😎

I've no interest in this card though, for what it's worth.

Cloudschatze wrote:

Didn't realize I was so (in)famous. 😎

You are. It's all but impossible to stumble upon something (be it a rare soundcard or some feature) and not realize subsequently that it has already been described by you or Great Hierophant. Most recent case: in that Compute magazine I noticed a strange hybrid of PAS16 and Cirrus Logic SVGA, namely Sigma Designs WinStorm. And guess what?

Cloudschatze wrote:

Stiletto wrote:

Nobody contact this guy please (Cloudschatze etc., usual QuestStudios crew), I'm taking care of it.

Didn't realize I was so (in)famous. 😎

I've no interest in this card though, for what it's worth.

The research done by QuestStudios members back in the day is basically landmark, since that sort of dirt-digging hadn't been done in years. I'm a decent judge of this and you guys all did good.

I figured not, but I thought that someone from the usual gang of QuestStudios crew might be interested in interviewing a chip design lead behind Disney Sound Source, WaveFront and others and wanted to head them off at the pass. 😀

The original 32-oscillator Ensoniq DOC (used in the Apple IIgs) was the ES-5503. From what I've found, the Ensoniq EPS (original model, not the EPS 16+) featured the "DOC-II", but source state that it is not the same chip as the ES-5505 (OTIS) or ES-5506 (OTTO, found on the Soundscape). Source: http://ensoniq.jrwhitesel.com/transoniqhacker … _VFXreview.html

Detailed photos of the boards in this synth are proving elusive. Its interesting to note that this card is basically an Ensoniq EPS on-a-card as that synth also used a 68k for control functions.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!search/Enso … 08/u-byYJBcUF4J

That thread states the OEM version of the chip was labelled ICS1614 9225 204409. Also some say the Gravis GF-1 was based on the DOC-II, was that ever confirmed?

NJRoadfan wrote:

The original 32-oscillator Ensoniq DOC (used in the Apple IIgs) was the ES-5503. From what I've found, the Ensoniq EPS (original model, not the EPS 16+) featured the "DOC-II", but source state that it is not the same chip as the ES-5505 (OTIS) or ES-5506 (OTTO, found on the Soundscape). Source: http://ensoniq.jrwhitesel.com/transoniqhacker … _VFXreview.html

Detailed photos of the boards in this synth are proving elusive. Its interesting to note that this card is basically an Ensoniq EPS on-a-card as that synth also used a 68k for control functions.

Yeah, way ahead of ya. No, it's not the same as OTIS or OTTO, DOC-II is a predecessor.

Agreed that it's hard to find a PCB photo, I found a really bad photo of one but that's it so far. Supposedly I just missed one on eBay but it's been long enough that it's no longer cached by Google or as a Completed Listing.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!search/Enso … 08/u-byYJBcUF4J

That thread states the OEM version of the chip was labelled ICS1614 9225 204409. Also some say the Gravis GF-1 was based on the DOC-II, was that ever confirmed?

Right, ICS1614 and ICS11614 have been noted by other Gravis Ultrasound researchers.

i've no idea if it truly is based on DOC-II. I've seen others suggest that it's an altered DOC-II or even a cut-down version of the DOC-II. My guess is this ICS chip designer may know. Now you're starting to see why I am so interested in this. I'll let you guys know if I get an interview. 😉

I've purchased that Computer Shopper #1/1993, now on it's way to me from US. Any success at your side, Stiletto?

bristlehog wrote:

I've purchased that Computer Shopper #1/1993, now on it's way to me from US. Any success at your side, Stiletto?

No news yet but I haven't forgotten about it! 😀

NJRoadfan wrote:

The original 32-oscillator Ensoniq DOC (used in the Apple IIgs) was the ES-5503. From what I've found, the Ensoniq EPS (original […]
Show full quote

The original 32-oscillator Ensoniq DOC (used in the Apple IIgs) was the ES-5503. From what I've found, the Ensoniq EPS (original model, not the EPS 16+) featured the "DOC-II", but source state that it is not the same chip as the ES-5505 (OTIS) or ES-5506 (OTTO, found on the Soundscape). Source: http://ensoniq.jrwhitesel.com/transoniqhacker … _VFXreview.html

Detailed photos of the boards in this synth are proving elusive. Its interesting to note that this card is basically an Ensoniq EPS on-a-card as that synth also used a 68k for control functions.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!search/Enso … 08/u-byYJBcUF4J

That thread states the OEM version of the chip was labelled ICS1614 9225 204409. Also some say the Gravis GF-1 was based on the DOC-II, was that ever confirmed?

Didn't they also use the same sound chip from the Apple IIGS in the Ensoniq Mirage and ESQ-1 keyboards?

mr_bigmouth_502 wrote:

Didn't they also use the same sound chip from the Apple IIGS in the Ensoniq Mirage and ESQ-1 keyboards?

Sure did. The SQ-80 got it too.

http://www.buchty.net/ensoniq/5503.html
http://www.buchty.net/ensoniq/files/ics1261.pdf

If it wasn't for Apple's technical documentation of the 5503 DOC, emulating the chip would have been quite a bit more work. Ensoniq never officially published tech info for it. The IIgs was pretty basic sounding compared to the real synths since it lacked effects.

Omni Labs Audio Master rev 1.2 model AMS-8000:

A more detailed but black and white photo found in Computer Shopper #1/1993. I have no idea how do I digitize it properly. The magazine is very thick and weighs 2.5 kg, thus I doubt I can push it into a scanner. Find myself a hand scanner maybe?

One more InfoWorld article from 20.07.1992 says that Omni Labs Audio Master is based on Advanced Strategies Corp. Media Master sound standard based on ICS 1399 circuit. Thus, ASC Media Master is a standard, not just another name for Audio Master card.

NJRoadfan wrote:

Sure did. The SQ-80 got it too. […]
Show full quote

mr_bigmouth_502 wrote:

Didn't they also use the same sound chip from the Apple IIGS in the Ensoniq Mirage and ESQ-1 keyboards?

Sure did. The SQ-80 got it too.

http://www.buchty.net/ensoniq/5503.html
http://www.buchty.net/ensoniq/files/ics1261.pdf

If it wasn't for Apple's technical documentation of the 5503 DOC, emulating the chip would have been quite a bit more work. Ensoniq never officially published tech info for it. The IIgs was pretty basic sounding compared to the real synths since it lacked effects.

What was the audio signal path like on the IIGS? I know the ESQ-1 had a fair number of analog components, and the Mirage even had an analog filter.