VOGONS


Picking a sound card for a low-end 486

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First post, by appiah4

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I recently built a U5S-SUPER33 system to play 1990-1992 games with, and just dropped in a Sound Blaster 16 CT2290 because I wanted to use a DreamBlaster S2 with it.

Reality check results:

1. SB16 in 1990-1992 games is almost nonexistent, so I was actually probably better served with a card with SB Pro compatibility
2. GM support in 1990-1992 games is almost nonexistent and although DreamBlaster S2 can emulate an MT-32 to some extent, I would be better served with using a MUNT-Pi through the Gameport.

So I'm thinking about replacing the CT2290 with something. I'm torn on what to pick. My options are below:

Avance Logic ALS007 OPL3
Avance Logic ALS100Plus+ ALSFM
C-Media CMI8830/A C-Media FM
Crystal CS4232/CS4289 CrystalFM
Crystal CX4236B CrystalFM
ESS ES688FC OPL3
ESS ES1868F ESFM
ESS ES1898F ESFM
OPTi/ADI 82C929/AD1846 OPL3
OPTi/ADI 82C931 OPTiFM
Yamaha YMF-719B-S OPL3
Yamaha YMF-719E-S OPL3

Opinions?

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Reply 1 of 91, by gdjacobs

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appiah4 wrote:
I recently built a U5S-SUPER33 system to play 1990-1992 games with, and just dropped in a Sound Blaster 16 CT2290 because I want […]
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I recently built a U5S-SUPER33 system to play 1990-1992 games with, and just dropped in a Sound Blaster 16 CT2290 because I wanted to use a DreamBlaster S2 with it.

Reality check results:

1. SB16 in 1990-1992 games is almost nonexistent, so I was actually probably better served with a card with SB Pro compatibility
2. GM support in 1990-1992 games is almost nonexistent and although DreamBlaster S2 can emulate an MT-32 to some extent, I would be better served with using a MUNT-Pi through the Gameport.

So I'm thinking about replacing the CT2290 with something. I'm torn on what to pick. My options are below:

Avance Logic ALS007 OPL3

Maybe

Avance Logic ALS100Plus+ ALSFM

The one above has better features.

C-Media CMI8830/A C-Media FM

Compatibility is weak.

Crystal CS4232/CS4289 CrystalFM

Hello, no! Buggy/strange FM implementation, although PCM playback is wonderful.

Crystal CX4236B CrystalFM

See if you like this version of CrystalFM.

ESS ES688FC OPL3
ESS ES1868F ESFM
ESS ES1898F ESFM

ESS is probably my favourite. No fuss, no muss.

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Reply 2 of 91, by badmojo

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I’m messing around with sound options in a 486 currently and after much messing about am thinking I’ll just go with a CT2230 SB16. Why do you need SB Pro compatibility? What game does stereo and doesn’t have SB16 as an option?

ESS is also my fave - so easy and so awesome - but anything other than the ES688 is probably a bit modern for a low end 486.

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Reply 4 of 91, by appiah4

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badmojo wrote:

I’m messing around with sound options in a 486 currently and after much messing about am thinking I’ll just go with a CT2230 SB16. Why do you need SB Pro compatibility? What game does stereo and doesn’t have SB16 as an option?

ESS is also my fave - so easy and so awesome - but anything other than the ES688 is probably a bit modern for a low end 486.

For stereo FM music and sound fx in games? I don't know if there are that many to actually pose a problem but off the top of my mind Dune 2 and Ultima Underworld appeared to lack SB16 options and I remember these having Stereo sound on an SB Pro..

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Reply 6 of 91, by firage

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Pretty sure all SB Pro clones are of the CT1600, which has the same FM chip configuration as the SB16. The twin-OPL CT1330A would be a bit more unique, and quite rare.

My big-red-switch 486

Reply 7 of 91, by appiah4

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maxtherabbit wrote:

CT1330A Sb Pro

Unfortunately not an option that I own..

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Reply 8 of 91, by derSammler

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Personally, I like the ALS100Plus+ and using it in a 486DX4-100 build. The ES1868F is a good one, too.

However, for a low-end 486, I'd choose the ES688FC OPL3. It fits best and nothing can beat real OPL3 anyway.

Reply 9 of 91, by matze79

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I would Choose the Yamaha Card if its one without cost cutting and cheapo components, then it will offer nice audio quality and also opl sound.

But if you use less then 16Mb RAM stay away from softsynth driver for windows 3.x. it uses a lot of memory.

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Reply 10 of 91, by derSammler

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matze79 wrote:

But if you use less then 16Mb RAM stay away from softsynth driver for windows 3.x. it uses a lot of memory.

One of the reasons why I would not use the Yamaha card. It's wasted in a low-end 486, since you can not make full use of it.

Reply 11 of 91, by dionb

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gdjacobs wrote:

[...]

C-Media CMI8830/A C-Media FM

Compatibility is weak.

Eh? This is about the most trouble-free 'runs anything' card I have. For starters it does both SBPro2 and SB16, does both even in the more troublesome games I have and has an easily usable 'upside down' wavetable header. Not that it's the best match for what appiah4 is asking for, but that's because he doesn't want SB16 and probably could use a real OPL3 (although C-Media's FM isn't that bad).

[...]

ESS ES688FC OPL3
ESS ES1868F ESFM
ESS ES1898F ESFM

ESS is probably my favourite. No fuss, no muss.

As with the YMF719 cards, depends on the card. Driver-wise (or lack thereof) it's perfect, particularly the ES688 with non-PnP: just set the jumpers, add the corresponding SET BLASTER line and ready - SBPro2 with less bugs - and a real OPL3 as well. But some cards built with it are really shitty, with lots of hum and no high tones in output.

Of course how much noise is acceptable, what filtering (if any) is desirable, and whether OPL3 is the holy grail or other FM synthesis has merit are all subjective. Faced with this glut of choices I'd just try them out one by one and decide which sounds best for to me. I usually settle on an Aztech 2316 for SBPro2, but that's not one of these options...

Reply 12 of 91, by oeuvre

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I'd use a YMF719 as well. Good quality, easy to setup, decent compatibility, no hanging notes.

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Reply 13 of 91, by matze79

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derSammler wrote:
matze79 wrote:

But if you use less then 16Mb RAM stay away from softsynth driver for windows 3.x. it uses a lot of memory.

One of the reasons why I would not use the Yamaha card. It's wasted in a low-end 486, since you can not make full use of it.

Using a SoftSynth does not make use of the Card except for Waveplay. Who cares about this one ? he uses a Dreamblaster S2.
So he does not need it at all.

The Yamaha Card benefits from full integration. And therefore has good Audio Quality.

https://www.retrokits.de - blog, retro projects, hdd clicker, diy soundcards etc
https://www.retroianer.de - german retro computer board

Reply 14 of 91, by appiah4

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Thanks for all the feedback.

My first choice was to go with ES688/OPL3 as well but that card is what I use in my 386SX so some variety was welcome. Also it requires a TSR for MPU401 so its not ideal for MT32/GM.

I am curious about YMF71x cards honestly but I never tried them. Do they need memory consuming TSRs?

For the moment I am slapping on an el cheapo Formosa ES1868 card; I find ESFM to be on par with (even preferrable to) OPL3, and they have no driver overhead..

Formosa-MPB-000074-B.jpg

Last edited by appiah4 on 2019-08-17, 13:38. Edited 1 time in total.

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Reply 15 of 91, by Tiido

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YMF71x cards need no TSRs to run. You can also use my SETYMF utility to init and control the cards, which is a massive improvement over Yamaha's own software.

T-04YBSC, a new YMF71x based sound card & Official VOGONS thread about it
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Reply 16 of 91, by appiah4

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Interesting. Which of these three is the better card to try?

Best-Union-MF-719.jpg UTD65-A-PS-YM-01.jpg Yamaha-SM718.jpg

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Reply 17 of 91, by Tiido

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First one, it has both crystals. The others lack 24.576MHz crystal and in windows you'll have issues with 32 and 48KHz audio due to it.

T-04YBSC, a new YMF71x based sound card & Official VOGONS thread about it
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mida sa loed ? nagunii aru ei saa 😜

Reply 18 of 91, by appiah4

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Tiido wrote:

First one, it has both crystals. The others lack 24.576MHz crystal and in windows you'll have issues with 32 and 48KHz audio due to it.

I went with it.

I also used the latest Win3.1 drivers and your SetYMF utility for DOS (downloaded the latest version on your sound card homepage). I can't recommend SetYMF highly enough. Incredible work, well done. However, one small bug report: IRQ selections for Configurations A and B are reversed. Whatever I pick for A goes to B (MPU401) and whatever I pick for B goes to A (SB) and added to the SET BLASTER line.

Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.

Reply 19 of 91, by badmojo

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appiah4 wrote:

For stereo FM music and sound fx in games? I don't know if there are that many to actually pose a problem but off the top of my mind Dune 2 and Ultima Underworld appeared to lack SB16 options and I remember these having Stereo sound on an SB Pro..

A SB16 will do stereo FM, the SB Pro incompatibility only impacts digital voice. Not an issue for Dune 2 then but might be for Ultima Underworld, I've never tried that one. Not trying to be a jerk in pointing this out - this issue with the SB16 is brought up a lot but hasn't ever actually been a problem for me in the real world.

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