1) Did you check sbemixer.exe in DOS to see if the CD volume is where it should be?

2) How about in Windows? Does redbook audio work?

Does it say RGGL where you plug in the cable on the rear of the CD drive?

OK, I switched to a 3rd different CD-ROM unit (Sony) which has a Headphone jack in front of it, and when I plug in a headphone, voila! I can hear the test Readbook Audio in Descent 2 Setup!

If I choose MIDI, the music can be heard from the sound card (connected to a simple stereo set of speakers), same with Sound Effects. Its just that when it comes to Redbook audio, I can't hear any Redbook Adio tracks on the games that I have tested.

The CD audio slider in sbemixer is all they way to 100%.

Both Descent 2 and Quake 1 Red-audio tracks play fine in Windows, as well as any real music CD that I tested. It is VERY curious indeed!

C0deHunter wrote on 2025-11-10, 11:57:

Both Descent 2 and Quake 1 Red-audio tracks play fine in Windows, as well as any real music CD that I tested. It is VERY curious indeed!

Oh, sorry, forgot to mention one thing: Please make sure digital CD audio is not enabled in Windows (Windows 98?). You can see a screenshot of where the option is in Multimedia Properties here: Enabling CDROM digital playback - Where to find WDM drivers for a SB16?

Digital CD audio will not use the analog audio cable which we're trying to test. So, make sure that's disabled and then test the CD audio in Windows again. If it works, then we know it's not a hardware or cable problem. As Sleak_J mentioned, there's a possibility of a different pin layout on the CD drive (R-G-G-L vs. R-G-L-G). More recent drives will be R-G-G-L. https://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/CD_audio_connectors

Are you using the AUDIGY12.EXE DOS driver? I think it's required, so I assume you're using it if you're getting any sound at all.

If CD audio works in Windows, that suggests a software or settings issue in DOS.

Try using a CD player for DOS and testing a music CD. I like this one: http://cbmsteve.ca/sjgplay/sjgplay_dos.html

If that works, then we know it's an issue with the particular games you're trying. And just to confirm: When you play the games, the drive is actively reading the disc as if it were playing the music, right? I assume so since you said you could hear the CD audio through the jack on the front of the drive (this has no relationship to the sound card, though, so doesn't really help us).

Great, I will check them out, but to let you know:

I am using a pure DOS 7.1, not DOS through Windows 98, but pure DOS.