cyclone3d wrote:Ok, so how about this: […]
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Ok, so how about this:
Turtle Beach Tropez Plus
Sound Blaster Pro 1 (for dual OPL2 fun)
PAS16 - Logitech version with no drive controller.
Music Quest MPU-401 for some nice intelligent mode MT-32 support.
Aztech I38-MMSD802
Should I replace one of these with an Ensoniq S-2000 or maybe with something that has a wave table header?
Forget about the SB Pro 1 for dual OPL2 fun, it won't be fun i guarantee. This card has issues in a 386DX-40 let alone in a 486. The issue is the delay between commands the YM3812 needs, and the Sound Blaster Pro 1 (unlike a Pro Audio Spectrum) design does not compensate for it. Using a Sound Blaster 1.5 or 2.0 for CMS is not a good idea, those cards will stick to DMA 1 like ticks and they won't let go. This will pretty much negate the use of another card for Sound Blaster compatibility. Only solution is to use a real CMS/GB card. This is now very easy, since all the games have their secrets unlocked to patch a diffeent I/O port for the Game Blaster which i recommend port 210h.
I have now a few years of experience with multi card setups and i've had success, but keep in mind the choice of cards is very important and there are still quirks.
Turtle Beach Tropez Plus is a great start, you'll get SB, SB Pro 2 + ICS Wavefront Wavetable
GUS ACE or PnP Ultrasound or Ultrasound + Interwave
SB AWE 32 CT2760,CT3900 or CT3980 you'll get SB 16, wavetable header + EMU8000
MPU-401 (keropi's new clone) Intelligent MPU-401 + wavetable header
Pro Audio Spectrum (dual OPL2) dual OPL2 support + digital 8bit PAS playback
This config is very much doable. I would save CMS for something like a 386. You could do a multi sound card setup on a 386 like a did, a chiptunes 386:
Sound Blaster Pro 1
Game Blaster (port at 210h)
Innovation SSI 2001 clone
lo tech Tandy sound board
You can always replace the MPU 401 card for another Sound Card like a Sound Scape Elite.
My Socket 7 system comprises of the following ATM:
Yamaha YMF724 PCI - SB, SB Pro 2, real OPL3
Sound Blaster AWE32 CT2760 - SB, SB16, + EMU8000 8MB RAM + Dreamblaster X2
Terratec Maestro 32/96 - WSS, dream SAM9233 4MB GS patch set + NEC XR385
Gravis Ultrasound PnP - Ultrasound + Interwave 8MB RAM
Pro Audio Spectrum - dual OPL2, 8 bit PAS digital
So i've got OPL3 across 2 cards. I really like the way the Yamaha 724 card sounds, too bad the compatibility with games is not 100%, but it should be around 95%. Dune 2 is one of the games where it locks when digital samples are played. I mostly use the Yamaha card for everything, using the AWE32 for games that don't work on the Yamaha and when i want to go a bit different with SB16 or i want AWE synth sound specifically. SB16 is IMO kind of redundant when you have a GUS card. The Maestro card doesn't add anything new, except it allows for 2 MPU ports, with the internal synth sitting at 320h and the wavetable header with the Yamaha XG at 300h.
The Pro Audio Spectrum gives me the best OPL sound in the games that support it. I use this card exclusively for one of my favorite DOS games ever: Microprose's Fleet Defender. And i can also use this card in a myriad of other Microprose titles which support the PAS natively, with arguably the best support for dual OPL2 sound in games.