VOGONS


Sound Blaster 16 Clones

Topic actions

Reply 160 of 408, by appiah4

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++
olivil wrote:

Is there a YMF71x model that is confirmed to fit a NEC XR385 without making a custom cable?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-OPL-YMF719- … le/272942680258

s-l500.jpg

badmojo wrote:

Why did you post that question in this thread?

An ESS1688 is the way to go:

ESS AudioDrive (ES1868) - a surprisingly good ISA sound card

Well, is it really that simple? Why the 1688? I had a similar question I posted here a while ago: Where can I find the differences between different ESS chips?

And ultimately the 1868 is basically the same chip as a 1688 but integrates PnP, ATAPI controllers, full duplex mono and 3D spatial sound (albeit a shitty one). The 1869 is 48KHz so less desirable due to sampling shenanigans, I get that, but it also has full duplex stereo so it's a tradeoff.

Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.

Reply 161 of 408, by badmojo

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
appiah4 wrote:

Well, is it really that simple? Why the 1688?

Did you read my post about the 1688? I think I expressed my opinion pretty clearly. And I'll ask you this now too - why are you posting about SB Pro 2 clones in a SB16 clone thread?

Life? Don't talk to me about life.

Reply 162 of 408, by appiah4

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

For the same reason that you are responding to it; i.e. it's relevant. But fair enough, I apologize if I derailed the subject.

Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.

Reply 163 of 408, by Woolie Wool

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

What is the likelihood of a non-PnP ISA Sound Blaster 16 clone being made in the future? Clean, modern PCM, real OPL3, and a working MPU-401 for a drop-in Sound Blaster replacement that "just works" like no actual SB16 does? We've got AdLib clones and GUS clones but no modern clones of a card where all of the original models were flawed in some way.

wp0kyr-2.png CALIFORNIA_RAYZEN
1wpfky-2.png REDBOX
3q6x0e-2.png FUNKENSTEIN_3D

Reply 164 of 408, by Tiido

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

After I'm done with my current project (that I will present soon) the next one involves something that will have SB16 compatibility among other things, but that's at least a year away due to other obligations.

T-04YBSC, a new YMF71x based sound card & Official VOGONS thread about it
Newly made 4MB 60ns 30pin SIMMs ~
mida sa loed ? nagunii aru ei saa 😜

Reply 165 of 408, by appiah4

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++
Woolie Wool wrote:

What is the likelihood of a non-PnP ISA Sound Blaster 16 clone being made in the future? Clean, modern PCM, real OPL3, and a working MPU-401 for a drop-in Sound Blaster replacement that "just works" like no actual SB16 does? We've got AdLib clones and GUS clones but no modern clones of a card where all of the original models were flawed in some way.

Is there really a market for this? I don't see where the demand could come from. There are enough SB Pro compatible and decent non-PnP ISA cards out there at the moment and SB16 compatibility really adds not much over SB Pro compatibility IMHO..

Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.

Reply 166 of 408, by Woolie Wool

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Yes, for the working MPU UART (perhaps the clone could even have intelligent mode!) and 16-bit sound used by games like Doom, Duke Nukem 3D, and anything that uses CD music. It adds a whole lot for any game made after 1992 or so, and there is no "just works" ISA Sound Blaster 16. Every single CT number has something wrong with it (the ones without the hanging note bug have bad PCM and many of the later ones have CQM), and the clones either have limited compatibility, drivers that can potentially cause problems, or both. A fully functional, clean-sounding SB16 with a good MPU-401 and wavetable header would be the ultimate DOS sound card for anyone but a GUS diehard.

wp0kyr-2.png CALIFORNIA_RAYZEN
1wpfky-2.png REDBOX
3q6x0e-2.png FUNKENSTEIN_3D

Reply 167 of 408, by newold86

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
Woolie Wool wrote:

A fully functional, clean-sounding SB16 with a good MPU-401 and wavetable header would be the ultimate DOS sound card for anyone but a GUS diehard.

Being discussed right now - Why not recreate the "perfect" 8-bit Sound Blaster clone as a project?

Reply 168 of 408, by derSammler

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
Woolie Wool wrote:

and there is no "just works" ISA Sound Blaster 16. Every single CT number has something wrong with it (the ones without the hanging note bug have bad PCM and many of the later ones have CQM), and the clones either have limited compatibility

ALS100 or CT1740 / CT1750 cards are just fine. The ALS100 even doing SB Pro and SB16 in stereo (which no real SB16 is able to).

Reply 169 of 408, by appiah4

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

ALS100 has integrated ALSFM not discrete OPL3 lile ALS007 right? That would be subpar to put it mildly.

Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.

Reply 170 of 408, by gerwin

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

IIRC integrated ALSFM was introduced with the ALS100+ (note the plus). But a bigger issue with the ALS chips is the output quality: I found the signal to noise ratio to be poor, especially because the signal itself is rather low in volume. But maybe there is an obscure way to configure that...

--> ISA Soundcard Overview // Doom MBF 2.04 // SetMul

Reply 171 of 408, by Jo22

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

That's true. I researched some information about this chip last year.
The ALS100(+) can be fun for starters, I believe. Perhaps someone, somwhen can make a better card design based on this chip.
IMHO, the chip didnt deserve to be treated that badly by card makers.. 😢

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 172 of 408, by The Serpent Rider

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

CT1740 / CT1750 cards are just fine

Only certain revisions with oldest DSP and they still have DMA clicking and still very noisy.

I must be some kind of standard: the anonymous gangbanger of the 21st century.

Reply 173 of 408, by MKT_Gundam

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Is the Avance Logic ASL100+ a good SB 16 clone?

Retro rig 1: Asus CUV4X, VIA c3 800, Voodoo Banshee (Diamond fusion) and SB32 ct3670.
Retro rig 2: Intel DX2 66, SB16 Ct1740 and Cirrus Logic VLB.

Reply 174 of 408, by gdjacobs

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

ALS chips were one of the few options for SB16 clones. They should be fairly cheap where available (maybe less than a movie ticket), so I'd probably just buy one if I was interested.

All hail the Great Capacitor Brand Finder

Reply 176 of 408, by misterjones

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
Woolie Wool wrote:

A fully functional, clean-sounding SB16 with a good MPU-401 and wavetable header would be the ultimate DOS sound card for anyone but a GUS diehard.

I'm curious, what issues were/are being seen with the MPU401 in the SB16's? I used my CT4170's MIDI I/O for a good while without issue with my old MT32 and as a stop-gap MIDI input for my 486-based sequencing rig back in the late 90's (I had a Midiman MM401 but was having an issue getting it configured properly for Win95b and threw the Vibra in there temporarily)

Reply 177 of 408, by gerwin

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

@misterjones Please start a new topic for that question. It will pollute this topic, which is about SB16 Clones only.
I will just give you this: http://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/Hanging_note_bug

--> ISA Soundcard Overview // Doom MBF 2.04 // SetMul

Reply 178 of 408, by Intel486dx33

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
gerwin wrote:
This week I received a Terratec Maestro 32 (2nd edition) ISA Sound Card. This card is also WSS compatible. But my favorite game […]
Show full quote

This week I received a Terratec Maestro 32 (2nd edition) ISA Sound Card. This card is also WSS compatible. But my favorite games don't support WSS, I am talking about Tie-Fighter / System Shock etc. I tried swapping System Shocks miles drivers with unreliable success. Normally I thought SB-Pro mode gives almost optimal sound in games, as the game samples are 8-bit anyways, but I do notice improvements when using WSS: When firing automatic guns in the game the sound is more fluent, as if there are more channels available?

This got me thinking of somehow getting SB-16 compatibility back. But I don't like my SB-16 Vibra CT2800 enough to give it my ISA slot, as it doesn't do SB-Pro and it gives hanging Midi notes.

I could put back in my old SB-128PCI or SB-Live for SB-16 sound, but I am not to fond of their Dos emulation.

Then there are some obscure cards by Avance Logic that do SB-16: the ALS100 ISA and the ALS4000 PCI and such. I got the feeling these are a bit crappy, but I don't have one to test.

Then to my actual question: There are also C-Media chipsets that do SB-16. I had two of these CMI-8338 PCI chipsets in the past, cannot really remember if they worked well for DOS. But there is also an ISA chipset; the CMI8330 Audio Excel. Some people on the net seem to like it for its S/PDIF output. But I don't know if that is any use for Dos. Anyone got an opinion on this card, should I get me one?

Edit: deleted the image, as there is now a better one below.
Edit2: "I tried swapping System Shocks miles drivers with unreliable success" -> Later managed to do this properly, it works well.

I am going to build a retro gaming computer with Terratec audio cards.
I have a Terratec DMX6-Fire and EWS88MT.
I will probably use a P3/P4 Mobo and CPU and WIn-2000 or XP. I have not decided yet.

Attachments

Reply 179 of 408, by appiah4

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

I love Terratec like no other but the 6Fire is a recording card and not very good for gaming.. A Terratec Gold 16/96 or even better a Maestro 32/96 is the way to go for that. If you have to go with PCI the Solo 128, Digital 512i or the XFire 1024 are better options for gaming than the 6Fire.

Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.