VOGONS

Sound Blaster Timeline

Topic actions

First post, by Snover

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Please please PLEASE correct any errors you see in this document, moderators, or post any errors to be corrected, users. Creative Labs' documentation varies a lot, so some values are interpolated, and others, well, I think are bullshit (such as a 50kHz frequency response on the AWE32). Thanks!

Oh yeah -- please also post what the release years for these cards are.

<hr>

Sound Blaster
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 4kHz - 15kHz (recording), 4kHz - 24kHz (playback)
&&&&RESOLUTION: 8-bit
&&&&CHANNELS: monaural
&&&&3D AUDIO: none
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: fm
&&&&POLYPHONY: 11 (monaural) + 12 stereo CMS? (1.0 only)
&&&&ROM: none
&&&&RAM: none
&&SNR: 48dB
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 100Hz - 10kHz
&&CD AUDIO: none

Sound Blaster 2.0
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 4kHz - 44kHz
&&&&RESOLUTION: 8-bit
&&&&CHANNELS: monaural
&&&&3D AUDIO: none
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: fm
&&&&POLYPHONY: 11 (monaural)
&&&&ROM: none
&&&&RAM: none
&&SNR: 48dB
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 100Hz - 10kHz
&&CD AUDIO: yes (propietary?)

Sound Blaster Pro
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 4kHz - 44.1kHz (mono), 5kHz - 22.1kHz (stereo)
&&&&RESOLUTION: 8-bit
&&&&CHANNELS: stereo
&&&&3D AUDIO: none
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: fm
&&&&POLYPHONY: 11 (stereo)
&&&&ROM: none
&&&&RAM: none
&&SNR: 48dB
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 100Hz - 10kHz
&&CD AUDIO: analogue (propietary?)

Sound Blaster Pro 2.0
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 4kHz - 44.1kHz (mono), 5kHz - 22.1kHz (stereo)
&&&&RESOLUTION: 8-bit
&&&&CHANNELS: stereo
&&&&3D AUDIO: none
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: opl3
&&&&POLYPHONY: 11 (stereo)
&&&&ROM: none
&&&&RAM: none
&&SNR: 48dB
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 100Hz - 10kHz
&&CD AUDIO: analogue (propietary?)

Sound Blaster 16
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 5kHz - 44.1kHz
&&&&RESOLUTION: 16-bit
&&&&CHANNELS: stereo
&&&&3D AUDIO: none
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: opl3
&&&&POLYPHONY: ?
&&&&ROM: none
&&&&RAM: none
&&SNR: 85dB?
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 30Hz - 20kHz
&&CD AUDIO: analogue (propietary?)

Sound Blaster 16 Wave Effects
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 5kHz - 44.1kHz
&&&&RESOLUTION: 16-bit
&&&&CHANNELS: stereo
&&&&3D AUDIO: 3d stereo
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: software wavetable
&&&&POLYPHONY: ?
&&&&ROM: none
&&&&RAM: none
&&SNR: 85dB?
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 30Hz - 20kHz
&&CD AUDIO: analogue (propietary?)

Sound Blaster 32
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 5kHz - 44.1kHz
&&&&RESOLUTION: 16-bit
&&&&CHANNELS: stereo
&&&&3D AUDIO: 3d stereo
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: hardware wavetable
&&&&POLYPHONY: 32
&&&&ROM: 1MB
&&&&RAM: none (expandable to 28MB 32-pin SIMM)
&&SNR: 85dB
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz - 20kHz
&&CD AUDIO: analogue

Sound Blaster AWE32
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 5kHz - 44.1kHz
&&&&RESOLUTION: 16-bit
&&&&CHANNELS: stereo
&&&&3D AUDIO: 3d stereo, positional stereo surround
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: hardware wavetable
&&&&POLYPHONY: 32
&&&&ROM: 1MB
&&&&RAM: 512kB (expandable to 28MB 32-pin SIMM)
&&SNR: 85dB
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz - 20kHz
&&CD AUDIO: analogue

Sound Blaster AWE64
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 5kHz - 44.1kHz
&&&&RESOLUTION: 16-bit
&&&&CHANNELS: stereo
&&&&3D AUDIO: 3d stereo, positional stereo surround
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: hardware + software wavetable
&&&&POLYPHONY: 32 + 32
&&&&ROM: 1MB
&&&&RAM: 512kB (expandable to 24MB 32-pin SIMM)
&&SNR: 90dB
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 15Hz - 50kHz
&&CD AUDIO: analogue

Sound Blaster AWE64 Gold
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 5kHz - 44.1kHz
&&&&RESOLUTION: 16-bit
&&&&CHANNELS: stereo
&&&&3D AUDIO: 3d stereo, positional stereo surround
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: hardware + software wavetable
&&&&POLYPHONY: 32 + 32
&&&&ROM: 1MB
&&&&RAM: 4MB (expandable to 24MB 32-pin SIMM)
&&SNR: 90dB
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 15-50kHz
&&CD AUDIO: analogue

Sound Blaster 16 PCI
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 5kHz - 44.1kHz
&&&&RESOLUTION: 16-bit
&&&&CHANNELS: stereo
&&&&3D AUDIO: none
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: opl3
&&&&POLYPHONY: ?
&&&&ROM: none
&&&&RAM: none
&&SNR: 90dB
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 30Hz - 20kHz
&&CD AUDIO: analogue

Sound Blaster PCI 64
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 5kHz - 44.1kHz
&&&&RESOLUTION: 16-bit
&&&&CHANNELS: stereo
&&&&3D AUDIO: ?
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: hardware wavetable?
&&&&POLYPHONY: 64?
&&&&ROM: ?
&&&&RAM: ?
&&SNR: 90dB
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 30Hz - 20kHz
&&CD AUDIO: analogue, digital?

Sound Blaster PCI 128
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 5kHz - 44.1kHz
&&&&RESOLUTION: 16-bit
&&&&CHANNELS: stereo
&&&&3D AUDIO: ?
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: hardware wavetable?
&&&&POLYPHONY: 64?
&&&&ROM: ?
&&&&RAM: ?
&&SNR: 90dB
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 30Hz - 20kHz
&&CD AUDIO: analogue, digital?

Sound Blaster PCI 512
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 8kHz - 48kHz
&&&&RESOLUTION: 16-bit
&&&&CHANNELS: stereo
&&&&3D AUDIO: ?
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: hardware wavetable?
&&&&POLYPHONY: 64?
&&&&ROM: ?
&&&&RAM: ?
&&SNR: >96dB (-120dB noise floor)
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz - 44kHz
&&CD AUDIO: analogue, digital?

Sound Blaster Live!
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 8kHz - 48kHz
&&&&RESOLUTION: 16-bit
&&&&CHANNELS: quadraphonic
&&&&3D AUDIO: EAX 1.0
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: hardware wavetable
&&&&POLYPHONY: 64?
&&&&ROM: uses system RAM
&&&&RAM: uses system RAM
&&SNR: >96dB (-120dB noise floor)
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz - 44kHz
&&CD AUDIO: analogue, digital

Sound Blaster Live! Platinum
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 8kHz - 48kHz
&&&&RESOLUTION: 16-bit
&&&&CHANNELS: quadraphonic
&&&&3D AUDIO: EAX 1.0, EAX 2.0, A3D 1.0
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: hardware wavetable
&&&&POLYPHONY: 64?
&&&&ROM: uses system RAM
&&&&RAM: uses system RAM
&&SNR: 96dB
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz - 44kHz (48kHz S/PDIF)
&&CD AUDIO: analogue, digital

Sound Blaster Live! Platinum 5.1
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 8kHz - 48kHz
&&&&RESOLUTION: 16-bit (32-bit Mixer)
&&&&CHANNELS: 5.1 surround
&&&&3D AUDIO: EAX 1.0, EAX 2.0, A3D 1.0
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: hardware wavetable
&&&&POLYPHONY: 64?
&&&&ROM: uses system RAM
&&&&RAM: uses system RAM
&&SNR: 96dB
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz - 44kHz (48kHz S/PDIF)
&&CD AUDIO: analogue, digital

Sound Blaster Audigy
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 8kHz - 48kHz (reports 96kHz in system)
&&&&RESOLUTION: 16-bit (24-bit DAC, 32-bit Mixer)
&&&&CHANNELS: 5.1 surround
&&&&3D AUDIO: EAX 1.0, EAX 2.0, EAX 3.0, A3D 1.0
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: hardware wavetable
&&&&POLYPHONY: 64
&&&&ROM: uses system RAM
&&&&RAM: uses system RAM
&&SNR: 100dB
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz - 48kHz? (96kHz S/PDIF)
&&CD AUDIO: analogue, digital

Sound Blaster Extigy
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 8kHz - 48kHz (reports 96kHz in system)
&&&&RESOLUTION: 16-bit (24-bit DAC, 32-bit Mixer)
&&&&CHANNELS: 5.1 surround
&&&&3D AUDIO: EAX 1.0, EAX 2.0, EAX 3.0, A3D 1.0
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: hardware wavetable
&&&&POLYPHONY: 64
&&&&ROM: uses system RAM?
&&&&RAM: uses system RAM?
&&SNR: 100dB
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz - 48kHz? (96kHz S/PDIF)
&&CD AUDIO: analogue, digital

Sound Blaster Audigy 2
&&WAVE:
&&&&SAMPLE RATE: 8kHz - 96kHz (5.1 surround), 8kHz - 192kHz (stereo)
&&&&RESOLUTION: 24-bit? (24-bit DAC, 32-bit Mixer)
&&&&CHANNELS: 6.1 surround
&&&&3D AUDIO: EAX 1.0, EAX 2.0, EAX 3.0, EAX 3.1?, A3D 1.0, A3D 2.0?
&&MIDI:
&&&&TYPE: hardware wavetable
&&&&POLYPHONY: 64
&&&&ROM: uses system RAM
&&&&RAM: uses system RAM
&&SNR: 86dB - 106dB
&&FREQUENCY RESPONSE: <10Hz - 46kHz (96kHz S/PDIF)
&&CD AUDIO: analogue, digital

Yes, it’s my fault.

Reply 1 of 5, by twins73

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
Sound Blaster WAVE: SAMPLE RATE: 5kHz - 22.1kHz RESOLUTION: 8-bit CHANNELS: monaural 3D AUDIO: none MIDI: […]
Show full quote

Sound Blaster
WAVE:
SAMPLE RATE: 5kHz - 22.1kHz
RESOLUTION: 8-bit
CHANNELS: monaural
3D AUDIO: none
MIDI:
TYPE: fm
POLYPHONY: ?
ROM: none
RAM: none
SNR: 48dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 100Hz - 10kHz
CD AUDIO: none

Well, from a book I bought a long time ago about Sound Blaster cards :

Sound Blaster 1.0 & 1.5 :
WAVE :
SAMPLE RATE : 4Khz - 15 Khz (Recording)
4Khz - 24 Khz (Playing) [Would have thought it was 22.05 ... ]
MIDI :
11 mono fm voices

Difference between 1.0 & 1.5 are the presence of 12 stereo C/MS channels on the 1.0 which were removed on the 1.5 making it cheaper.

Sound Blaster 2.0 :
Same as above except SAMPLE RATE for playing was bumped up
to 44.1 Khz (audio CD) -> 4Khz - 44.1 Khz (Playing)

Sound Blaster Pro 1.0 :
WAVE :
SAMPLE RATE : 4Khz - 22.05 Khz (Stereo Playing)
4Khz - 44.1 Khz (Mono Playing)
MIDI :
11 stereo fm voices

Sound Blaster Pro 2.0 :
Same as 1.0 except replaced fm chips with Yamaha OPL3 chips.

I hope this help.

Stephane

Reply 2 of 5, by Snover

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Thanks, Steph! (I can call you Steph, right?)
I've integrated those changes into the list, as you can see.

Oh, curiously, (ignorant me) what did the Creative Music System channels actually DO (and why was it okay to remove them?), and what is the difference between their FM chip and the OPL3?

I'd also like someone to please clarify the 3D audio modes, particularily those APIs that are in the Audigy 2 and Extigy.

Yes, it’s my fault.

Reply 3 of 5, by twins73

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Well, I can bring one answer to the C/MS question :

Before doing Sound Blasters, Creative Labs did also another
card known as the Game Blaster. the C/MS chips are what
make the Sound Blaster 1.0 compatible with the Game Blaster.
Note that the SB1.5 and 2.0 did not come with C/MS chips but
you could add them and therefore get the compatibility with
the Game Blaster.

I see you coming with a next question : So what is the Game Blaster ?
Well I do not know much since I have always been interested in
digital audio so better forwarding you elsewhere such as :
GameBlaster Sound Card

For the FM chips and OPL3, FM chips were OPL2 and OPL3 were just
an improvements over it.

OPL2 (YM3812)

* two modes: melody mode (9 channels) and percussion mode (6 channels of melody and 5 channels of percussion)
* 2 operators per melody channel (various in perccusion channel)
* each operator has ADSR envelope, 64 levels volume, vibrato and tremolo LFOs
* operators can be connected in FM (Frequency Modulation) or AM (Additive Modulation) mode
* 8 octaves tone resolution
* 4 waveforms (sinus and sinus-based waveforms)
* mono

OPL3 (YMF262, YMF289)

* compatible with OPL2
* 18 channels of 2-operator FM/AM synthesis
* 4-operator mode (up to 6 channels)
* 8 waveforms (square too!)
* stereo (only left/central/right settings per channel)
* much faster (smaller delays between register writes needed)

(Information badly copied and pasted from the following link :
http://www.astercity.net/~malf/welcome.html )

For your other questions sorry, I am a bit out of date 😉 but
I found the following :

From Tom's Hardware Guide you can read :
... Today's games for the most part use Direct Sound 3D, but also support EAX, some in version 2.0. It has to be made clear that Creative has also made EAX accessible to other soundcard manufacturers. The new norm will be reserved for Audigy, at least for now. In a way, it's the EAX 3, renamed Advanced HD. ...

I invite you to read the full article.

Anyway from this part you can guess that there is no EAX3.0 or EAX3.1. There is just EAX Advanced HD. And if you are really
eager to learn more about it perhaps try the EAX website ?

Hope that all this helped more than confused you 😉

Finally you can call me Steph or Stef but not StephanIe 😠 😉

Stephane

Reply 4 of 5, by Dominus

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank DOSBox Moderator
Rank
DOSBox Moderator

don't know if it is really relevant, but the AWE 64 (normal) had an IDE controller for a CD-Rom drive on board.
Always one of the resources I threw out on Win9X

Reply 5 of 5, by Snover

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

AFAIK, EAX Advanced HD has a version number of 3.0.

Yes, it’s my fault.

Go to top of page Go to top of page
Back to PC Emulation
Close window
Close window