Anyone?

Is this any use?

Sort of yeah, but I was hoping for a more personal review of it from someone who may have used one already.

I'm afraid I don't have the ES1946. I've used the ES1868 and 1869 and I think the 16-something (the former 2 are Compaq OEM versions), all of which are ISA, but not the ES1946. In fact, I replaced the ES1869 with an AWE64 Gold as I prefer Sound Blasters to ESS cards.

I know most ISA ESS cards are SBPro compatible, so I assume this one is as well (even though it's PCI). I think they use ESFM (as opposed to real OPL3) as well.

Picture of the card?

Oh, I forgot that I have used a PCI (onboard actually, but I believe that's equivalent to PCI) ESS card (can't remember the model, but I think it was a Maestro), that I'm pretty sure was SBPro compatible.

Solo has a real FM synthesizer (ESFM) inside so it is nice for DOS. It will provide very nice OPL3-like music. But it is basic when it comes to Windows. Maestro is much more interesting there.

I have one of these, but only tested it briefly.
The PCB supports SB-Link and a Waveblaster Connnector, but the connectors themselves are not always there.

Here are some pics of the card:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/5933567/IMG_1927.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/5933567/IMG_1928.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/5933567/IMG_1931.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/5933567/IMG_1933.JPG

swaaye wrote:

But it is basic when it comes to Windows.

Can't just load a standard OPL3 FM driver in Windows?

leileilol wrote:

swaaye wrote:

But it is basic when it comes to Windows.

Can't just load a standard OPL3 FM driver in Windows?

Oh I mean that it's not much of a DirectSound chip.

I'm sure it's possible to use ESFM in Windows.

I just noticed the QC sticker on it says 12 2005...I'm guessing there is absolutely nothing retro about this thing.

An ESS Solo is good. Though I only experienced 1938's. Excellent SB Pro compatibility, FM(OPL3) and ESFM synth.
The only Maestro I ever tested is onboard, and has very bad MIDI in Win98. And no more ESFM.

Which is considered better, ESFM or Creative CQM?

AdamP wrote:

Which is considered better, ESFM or Creative CQM?

ESFM is surprisingly similar to OPL3. You can hear it yourself as I did a bunch of recordings of it. Go to the sound recording sticky thread here and go to my site.

I never did record CQM though.

fillosaurus wrote:

The only Maestro I ever tested is onboard, and has very bad MIDI in Win98. And no more ESFM.

Maestro 2's DirectSound and DS3D capabilities are pretty nice. It's similar to Aureal Vortex 1 and maybe even Live! and uses Sensaura tech. I played some Jedi Knight on one and it was impressive.

But for DOS they are not great. And I'm sure the MIDI is awful just like Aureal's. I think the only PCI game sound cards with good MIDI are those with EMU10K1/2 and X-Fi.

I may have asked this before, but here goes anyway 😀

How close is DosBox's emulated OPL3 to real OPL3? My AWE64 Gold sounds closer to that in Solar Winds than any ESS Audiodrive I've heard playing music from that game. Also, would a 1994-1995 Vibra16 (no idea of the model number as it's been years since I had it) have had OPL3 or CQM? I think that's the only card I've ever had that may have had a real OPL3.

@swaaye
The Maestro I tested is only bad at MIDI. In Windows 98, using the software wavetable which came with the drivers. Did some testing with DN3D and Warcraft II.
I tried to use ESFM in games which support it, but it does not work.
On the other hand, I agree with you on DS and DS3D. Sounds great in Unreal and JK.

My conclusion: bad DOS card, good for Windows games which use DirectSound.