VOGONS


First post, by kirikl

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Hello everyone. I'm looking for the cards which support two basic effects usually default for Wavetable synths but not always there either. For FM synth it is usually extra feature which is in my experience not there in 90% of the time.
So what I know for now is TERRATEC MAESTRO 32/96 card has that feature. Got that impression from Phil's videos. I can't say FM synth in there is the best, but looks like it is Crystal chip, so should be more than OK.
I need it more from DOS enthusiast and musician point rather than DOS gamer. I know many comments were like I don't like the sound of FM with reverb, but having that option for me is really nice thing, especially if it ACTUALLY is reacting on Chorus and Reverb slider!
Do you have other cards in mind so I can consider to have that kinda cards in my collection?
Thank you!

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Reply 2 of 26, by kirikl

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Hm, didn't know.
I personally don't like CQM though
Yamaha, ESSFM, Crystal - pretty decent ones. Any other cards in mind?

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Reply 4 of 26, by Tiido

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Yamaha SW20PC can have reverb on OPL3 too (and all other sounds).

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Reply 5 of 26, by BloodyCactus

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kirikl wrote on 2022-07-03, 05:53:

Hm, didn't know.
I personally don't like CQM though
Yamaha, ESSFM, Crystal - pretty decent ones. Any other cards in mind?

some awe32 using yamaha chips then. fm still goes through reverb+chorus.

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Reply 6 of 26, by darry

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Collectability aside, using an external effects processor is an option to consider.

On that note, several MIDI expanders have a line input to allow applying effects to whatever one wants. The SC-88 and SC-88VL are examples of this.

Reply 7 of 26, by cyclone3d

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Does stuff like digital sounds / speech go through chorus/reverb? If not then an external processor would not sound the same and probably incorrect compared to built in chorus/reverb.

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Reply 8 of 26, by darry

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cyclone3d wrote on 2022-07-03, 15:36:

Does stuff like digital sounds / speech go through chorus/reverb? If not then an external processor would not sound the same and probably incorrect compared to built in chorus/reverb.

It doesn't on the AWE64, AFAICR .
It does on the Audiotrix 3D/XG .
I don't know about the others.

Reply 9 of 26, by Gmlb256

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BloodyCactus wrote on 2022-07-03, 13:22:
kirikl wrote on 2022-07-03, 05:53:

Hm, didn't know.
I personally don't like CQM though
Yamaha, ESSFM, Crystal - pretty decent ones. Any other cards in mind?

some awe32 using yamaha chips then. fm still goes through reverb+chorus.

Only the AWE32 variants with the CT1747 bus chip allows applying reverb and chorus to the OPL3 FM synth.

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Reply 10 of 26, by kirikl

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OK. Thanks! I have modded SB 32 version with real opl3 soldered in. No effects on FM in there.
Just checked

Last edited by kirikl on 2022-07-03, 17:31. Edited 1 time in total.

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Reply 11 of 26, by kirikl

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While Tertatec has effects on FM it doesn't have filters. Here the video
https://youtu.be/_lFm1PDCR_g

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HP TC4200 / NC6400
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Reply 12 of 26, by BloodyCactus

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Gmlb256 wrote on 2022-07-03, 16:18:

Only the AWE32 variants with the CT1747 bus chip allows applying reverb and chorus to the OPL3 FM synth.

Yes, I have one. CT3980!

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Reply 15 of 26, by appiah4

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CMI8330's 3D spatial effects are really lacklustre.

I do believe some ESS cards can do this; if you can find one with an ES688/ES1688 + OPL3 and the ES968 effect chip all on one card you are golden.

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Reply 16 of 26, by Joseph_Joestar

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appiah4 wrote on 2022-07-04, 09:09:

if you can find one with an ES688/ES1688 + OPL3 and the ES968 effect chip all on one card you are golden.

IIRC, the 1688 cards only come with ESFM, while 688 cards can have OPL3 chips.

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Reply 17 of 26, by dionb

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appiah4 wrote on 2022-07-04, 09:09:

CMI8330's 3D spatial effects are really lacklustre.

I do believe some ESS cards can do this; if you can find one with an ES688/ES1688 + OPL3 and the ES968 effect chip all on one card you are golden.

The potentially interesting bit is that early revisions od the AV310 card have an early 8330 rev A without integrated 3D stuff and instead use a discrete chip (tiny thing, haven't identified it). That might sound different to the integrated 8330 rev C. Still, I recal you have a card with the A-rev and external chip and weren't impressed either.

Reply 18 of 26, by appiah4

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Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2022-07-04, 09:36:

IIRC, the 1688 cards only come with ESFM, while 688 cards can have OPL3 chips.

ES1688 does indeed have an integrated ESFM synthesizer but it can also be connected to an external genuine OPL3; such cards are rare but do exist. Theoretically there could also be ones with an external OPL3 as well as an ES963 athough I never saw one..

dionb wrote on 2022-07-04, 10:29:

The potentially interesting bit is that early revisions od the AV310 card have an early 8330 rev A without integrated 3D stuff and instead use a discrete chip (tiny thing, haven't identified it). That might sound different to the integrated 8330 rev C. Still, I recal you have a card with the A-rev and external chip and weren't impressed either.

I have these two cards, and they do have a tiny C8300 chip that I believe may be the spatializer.. That said, no it does not sound good 😀

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Reply 19 of 26, by bloodem

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Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2022-07-04, 09:36:

IIRC, the 1688 cards only come with ESFM, while 688 cards can have OPL3 chips.

Yeah, I've never actually seen an ES1688 with a usable dedicated OPL3 chip. Even if there are some, they're probably unicorns. Either way, they're all amazing cards (especially the non-PnP versions). Not that I'm bothered by PnP, but based on my experience, most of these later ESS PnP models seem to be more cheaply built (and as such, sound quality takes a considerable hit).

I have the following cards, and not only do they sound great (especially after replacing a few capacitors), but they are probably some of the most compatible cards that I have.
I think the ES1688 is my favorite (the fact that it has ESFM instead of OPL3 does not bother me at all). This one has the richest sound, deep bass, low noise and it's definitely the least speed sensitive. I have two of them and they're usually my go-to cards whenever I test any system that has ISA slots. Also, it actually has pads for an YMF262 chip + the YAC512 DAC, but I'm unsure if these were ever meant to work with the ES1688, or if it's just a reused PCB design from an earlier 688 model.

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