its fine for Windows 9x, it sounds wrong in many DOS Games
if you are using 9x you are better off with a Live! or Aureal Vortex 2
Living wrote on 2025-09-27, 21:40:its fine for Windows 9x, it sounds wrong in many DOS Games
if you are using 9x you are better off with a Live! or Aureal Vortex 2
Never found a DOS game that sound wrong with my awe64
theelf wrote on 2025-09-27, 21:41:Living wrote on 2025-09-27, 21:40:its fine for Windows 9x, it sounds wrong in many DOS Games
if you are using 9x you are better off with a Live! or Aureal Vortex 2
Never found a DOS game that sound wrong with my awe64
wrong in the sense that it sounds more authenthic in a Sound Blaster pro 2 or 16 and even a Crystal CX4235 (the Genius ISA card that i had back in the day). In the AWE 64 it just sounds off, missing some notes or the tone is different, its somewhat hard to explain
some may like it that way. I dont.
Living wrote on 2025-09-27, 21:48:wrong in the sense that it sounds more authenthic in a Sound Blaster pro 2 or 16 and even a Crystal CX4235 (the Genius ISA card that i had back in the day). In the AWE 64 it just sounds off, missing some notes or the tone is different, its somewhat hard to explain
some may like it that way. I dont.
I really dont notice almost any difference, yes i read some post of people posting mp3 of different isa card, but really for me all sound same. In fact, i like more the awe64 because i can apply chorus/reverb to opl music... sound amazing!!!
Living wrote on 2025-09-27, 21:48:wrong in the sense that it sounds more authenthic in a Sound Blaster pro 2 or 16 and even a Crystal CX4235 (the Genius ISA card that i had back in the day). In the AWE 64 it just sounds off, missing some notes or the tone is different, its somewhat hard to explain
some may like it that way. I dont.
You are likely talking about the difference between OPL2/3 and CQM. The switch from the Yamaha chips happened during the SB16 era with some cards having OPL3 chips, and others CQM. There was a Sound Blaster 32, 32 not AWE 32 that had an real OPL3 chip. But all AWE 32 and AWE 64 cards were CQM.
Is this what you're hearing the difference you're hearing?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRKVnKl3JUs
SScorpio wrote on 2025-09-27, 23:21:You are likely talking about the difference between OPL2/3 and CQM. The switch from the Yamaha chips happened during the SB16 er […]
Living wrote on 2025-09-27, 21:48:wrong in the sense that it sounds more authenthic in a Sound Blaster pro 2 or 16 and even a Crystal CX4235 (the Genius ISA card that i had back in the day). In the AWE 64 it just sounds off, missing some notes or the tone is different, its somewhat hard to explain
some may like it that way. I dont.
You are likely talking about the difference between OPL2/3 and CQM. The switch from the Yamaha chips happened during the SB16 era with some cards having OPL3 chips, and others CQM. There was a Sound Blaster 32, 32 not AWE 32 that had an real OPL3 chip. But all AWE 32 and AWE 64 cards were CQM.
Is this what you're hearing the difference you're hearing?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRKVnKl3JUs
There is AWE32 with OPL, if i dont remember bad, CT2760, CT3900,CT3780 CT3980, CT3910 all have real OPL chip
SScorpio wrote on 2025-09-27, 23:21:You are likely talking about the difference between OPL2/3 and CQM. The switch from the Yamaha chips happened during the SB16 er […]
Living wrote on 2025-09-27, 21:48:wrong in the sense that it sounds more authenthic in a Sound Blaster pro 2 or 16 and even a Crystal CX4235 (the Genius ISA card that i had back in the day). In the AWE 64 it just sounds off, missing some notes or the tone is different, its somewhat hard to explain
some may like it that way. I dont.
You are likely talking about the difference between OPL2/3 and CQM. The switch from the Yamaha chips happened during the SB16 era with some cards having OPL3 chips, and others CQM. There was a Sound Blaster 32, 32 not AWE 32 that had an real OPL3 chip. But all AWE 32 and AWE 64 cards were CQM.
Is this what you're hearing the difference you're hearing?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRKVnKl3JUs
i dont event notice the difference there
DOOM and Duke Nukem 3D were some games that DID notice and its awful
here is an example: https://youtu.be/8sAFvVTErE0?t=71 at 1:10
it sounds like im covering the speakers with something and turning the volume to the max. Maybe its cause i grew up with OPL3, i dont know...
Warcraft 1 was another game that sounds terrible
theelf wrote on 2025-09-27, 21:41:Never found a DOS game that sound wrong with my awe64
leileilol wrote on 2025-09-28, 05:08:theelf wrote on 2025-09-27, 21:41:Never found a DOS game that sound wrong with my awe64
mm... I hear doom 2 music
Living wrote on 2025-09-28, 02:44:i dont event notice the difference there […]
i dont event notice the difference there
DOOM and Duke Nukem 3D were some games that DID notice and its awful
here is an example: https://youtu.be/8sAFvVTErE0?t=71 at 1:10
it sounds like im covering the speakers with something and turning the volume to the max. Maybe its cause i grew up with OPL3, i dont know...
Warcraft 1 was another game that sounds terrible
Here's another thread talking about this. It seems something specific to Doom and Duke 3D.
Duke 3d awe32 mode why sounds like this?.
I don't have a AWE to test so I'm not sure if Duke 3D is trying wavetable or OPL in AWE 32 mode. It's possible it's OPL but with some very odd choice in effects layered on from the AWE. That was one of the unique features of the AWE cards, the ability to apply MIDI style effects to OPL music.
I owned an AWE64 Gold when they were new, and I really liked it at the time for Windows. I remember thinking at the time that it wasn't as big of a sound upgrade coming from the AWE32 as the AWE32 had been compared to the SB16, but it was a long time ago so who knows. I also remember not being impressed by how it sounded in DOS compared to the AWE32 (I probably went from OPL to CQM), but I was using it mainly for Windows. I used the AWE64 for many years, so for Windows the AWE64 sounds right to me, but it's not anything special other than the nostalgia factor. For DOS, I vastly prefer OPL and ESS. There might actually be some argument for the AWE32 with OPL here maybe?
I would not recommend the Gold model though because it's output jacks are annoying. I remember being regularly annoyed by them even when it was new. Instead just grab the standard AWE64 if you want an AWE64. If you're doing DOS, I'd recommend something with OPL or ESS, but be careful because there are tons of different variations of SB16s and AWE32s, and they all sound different and each has its own quirks. Know before you buy. I did a ton of research before buying my favorite models, your favorites are probably going to be different than mine, so make sure you do your research.
theelf wrote on 2025-09-28, 10:24:mm... I hear doom 2 music
there's supposed to be more notes there...
leileilol wrote on 2025-09-29, 01:33:theelf wrote on 2025-09-28, 10:24:mm... I hear doom 2 music
there's supposed to be more notes there...
Really, no idea what are you talking about
midicollector wrote on 2025-09-29, 01:03:I owned an AWE64 Gold when they were new, and I really liked it at the time for Windows. I remember thinking at the time that it wasn't as big of a sound upgrade coming from the AWE32 as the AWE32 had been compared to the SB16, but it was a long time ago so who knows. I also remember not being impressed by how it sounded in DOS compared to the AWE32 (I probably went from OPL to CQM), but I was using it mainly for Windows. I used the AWE64 for many years, so for Windows the AWE64 sounds right to me, but it's not anything special other than the nostalgia factor. For DOS, I vastly prefer OPL and ESS. There might actually be some argument for the AWE32 with OPL here maybe?
I would not recommend the Gold model though because it's output jacks are annoying. I remember being regularly annoyed by them even when it was new. Instead just grab the standard AWE64 if you want an AWE64. If you're doing DOS, I'd recommend something with OPL or ESS, but be careful because there are tons of different variations of SB16s and AWE32s, and they all sound different and each has its own quirks. Know before you buy. I did a ton of research before buying my favorite models, your favorites are probably going to be different than mine, so make sure you do your research.
ESS card you need to be carefull in DOS, some models have a software mpu, you need a TSR
About GOLD love the RCA, thats the idea, direct to amp, no need to mini jack to rca converters
theelf wrote on 2025-09-29, 05:40:leileilol wrote on 2025-09-29, 01:33:theelf wrote on 2025-09-28, 10:24:mm... I hear doom 2 music
there's supposed to be more notes there...
Really, no idea what are you talking about
maybe the best posible case escenario with hardware of the 90's (only possible in a awe64 if you use a Roland SCB-55)
AWE 64 with 8 to 28MB of ram and different sound fonts: https://youtu.be/jrLNLHzQgAc?t=996
still, i would use another card
theelf wrote on 2025-09-29, 05:47:midicollector wrote on 2025-09-29, 01:03:I owned an AWE64 Gold when they were new, and I really liked it at the time for Windows. I remember thinking at the time that it wasn't as big of a sound upgrade coming from the AWE32 as the AWE32 had been compared to the SB16, but it was a long time ago so who knows. I also remember not being impressed by how it sounded in DOS compared to the AWE32 (I probably went from OPL to CQM), but I was using it mainly for Windows. I used the AWE64 for many years, so for Windows the AWE64 sounds right to me, but it's not anything special other than the nostalgia factor. For DOS, I vastly prefer OPL and ESS. There might actually be some argument for the AWE32 with OPL here maybe?
I would not recommend the Gold model though because it's output jacks are annoying. I remember being regularly annoyed by them even when it was new. Instead just grab the standard AWE64 if you want an AWE64. If you're doing DOS, I'd recommend something with OPL or ESS, but be careful because there are tons of different variations of SB16s and AWE32s, and they all sound different and each has its own quirks. Know before you buy. I did a ton of research before buying my favorite models, your favorites are probably going to be different than mine, so make sure you do your research.
ESS card you need to be carefull in DOS, some models have a software mpu, you need a TSR
About GOLD love the RCA, thats the idea, direct to amp, no need to mini jack to rca converters
I had the opposite experience where I had an RCA to mini adapter so I could hook it up to PC speakers. It was just an extra cord/adapter, extra bulk, and I tended to misplace it sometimes. For sure though if you have something with RCA input then it'd be perfect.
Didn't know about the ESS cards with software MPU!
eliot_new wrote on 2025-09-27, 20:54:I bought my SIMMconn from exact the same guy from Poland. Can you please provide informations how did you discover the non-funct […]
AncapDude wrote on 2025-09-21, 17:46:There is a guy in Poland who sells AWE64 Value/Gold SIMMconn modules for around 65 USD on eBay. I buyed one, equipped it with 32MB SIMM and it is working fine. Getting two 16MB 30pin SIMMs for the AWE32 is not that cheaper.
However this memory is quite useless in pure DOS. I learned that the hard way. But in Win9x you can load nice fonts onto it.
I bought my SIMMconn from exact the same guy from Poland.
Can you please provide informations how did you discover the non-function and is this related to only pure DOS?
I mean, if you start Monkey Island 1 from within Win98SE, then the AWE64 should be able to play General Midi Music from a fonts installed on the 32MB?
I suspect they mean aweutil and protected mode games. Very good write up here about it.
https://dosdays.co.uk/topics/awe32_config.php
But you are correct, playing dos games from within windows is a good workaround
