Anyone? 😀

Audigy 2 ZS is a good card for 98 and XP. I use one in my P4 build with both operating systems.

I know it can do SB emulation under Windows, but I haven't personally tried it so I don't know how well it will work.

Are you just planning on dual booting 98/XP or do you plan to have a dedicated DOS OS as well? If it's just for 98/XP, you might be able to just use the Audigy (or SB Live) and run DOS games through Win98.

Otherwise, if you are directly booting into DOS then having the AWE64 can't hurt, since it will provide a native ISA option under DOS. One caveat is that it uses Creative Lab's own FM synthesis which doesn't sound the same as Yamaha OPL. Which you prefer is ultimately up to you.

AWE64 doesn't use -5V as far as I know, so it should be fine with a modern PSU. I've been testing one with my P4 setup and it has worked fine.

Shponglefan wrote on 2024-10-09, 22:37:

Audigy 2 ZS is a good card for 98 and XP. I use one in my P4 build with both operating systems. […]
Show full quote

Audigy 2 ZS is a good card for 98 and XP. I use one in my P4 build with both operating systems.

I know it can do SB emulation under Windows, but I haven't personally tried it so I don't know how well it will work.

Are you just planning on dual booting 98/XP or do you plan to have a dedicated DOS OS as well? If it's just for 98/XP, you might be able to just use the Audigy (or SB Live) and run DOS games through Win98.

Otherwise, if you are directly booting into DOS then having the AWE64 can't hurt, since it will provide a native ISA option under DOS. One caveat is that it uses Creative Lab's own FM synthesis which doesn't sound the same as Yamaha OPL. Which you prefer is ultimately up to you.

AWE64 doesn't use -5V as far as I know, so it should be fine with a modern PSU. I've been testing one with my P4 setup and it has worked fine.

Thank you for your reply. No its just one computer with dual boot system 98SE/XP. So you saying the AWE64 card is meant to work only in booting DOS, not via 98SE?
Well i guess i will just get Audigy ZS 2 as my upgrade and hope the DOS games will sound decent then.

Studiostriver wrote on 2024-10-10, 01:30:

Shponglefan wrote on 2024-10-09, 22:37:

Audigy 2 ZS is a good card for 98 and XP. I use one in my P4 build with both operating systems. […]
Show full quote

Audigy 2 ZS is a good card for 98 and XP. I use one in my P4 build with both operating systems.

I know it can do SB emulation under Windows, but I haven't personally tried it so I don't know how well it will work.

Are you just planning on dual booting 98/XP or do you plan to have a dedicated DOS OS as well? If it's just for 98/XP, you might be able to just use the Audigy (or SB Live) and run DOS games through Win98.

Otherwise, if you are directly booting into DOS then having the AWE64 can't hurt, since it will provide a native ISA option under DOS. One caveat is that it uses Creative Lab's own FM synthesis which doesn't sound the same as Yamaha OPL. Which you prefer is ultimately up to you.

AWE64 doesn't use -5V as far as I know, so it should be fine with a modern PSU. I've been testing one with my P4 setup and it has worked fine.

Thank you for your reply. No its just one computer with dual boot system 98SE/XP. So you saying the AWE64 card is meant to work only in booting DOS, not via 98SE?
Well i guess i will just get Audigy ZS 2 as my upgrade and hope the DOS games will sound decent then.

I have an Audigy Platinum 2 EX, which is comprised of the main soundcard with an external sound module and some tidbits, very similar to the Audigy 2ZS Platinum. I'm sure there are some very slight differences between them, but I'm leaning towards thinking that the SB Emulation on both is the same. I'm sure someone will correct me if necessary.

I enjoy the SB emulation on Windows that it provides, changing soundfonts, etc. Don't take the title too seriously, but have a listen just to get an idea:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODfUjEMgB7Q

Even if you end up getting an AWE 64 or something else to use along with the 2ZS, at least you know what it can do. Since your intended use also includes music, maybe the external modules of both of these Platinum versions can be of some use?

Edit - the usual mention as well if/when the time comes: Guide: Installing Windows 9x and DOS drivers on Audigy cards (version 3.1)

Audigy 2 is just a newer version of the Live! If I'm honest I don't notice any difference between the 2 quality wise however while the SB Live does EAX 2 the Audigy will support up to EAX 4 which may be useful depending on your games list.

The Audigy 2 has dos mode drivers (modified from the Audigy 1) which andre_6 linked although these offer no benefits over the existing SBLive! dos mode drivers.

You can have both sound cards setup in Windows if you would just have to select the primary card in control panel.
I doubt you'll ever use the ISA card in windows, I know I don't, but it doesn't hurt either so I'll typically set them both up.
But in pure dos I've some games that don't like the Live/Audigy drivers , I've never had a game that doesn't work with the AWE

chinny22 wrote on 2024-10-10, 02:30:

Audigy 2 is just a newer version of the Live! If I'm honest I don't notice any difference between the 2 quality wise however whi […]
Show full quote

Audigy 2 is just a newer version of the Live! If I'm honest I don't notice any difference between the 2 quality wise however while the SB Live does EAX 2 the Audigy will support up to EAX 4 which may be useful depending on your games list.

The Audigy 2 has dos mode drivers (modified from the Audigy 1) which andre_6 linked although these offer no benefits over the existing SBLive! dos mode drivers.

You can have both sound cards setup in Windows if you would just have to select the primary card in control panel.
I doubt you'll ever use the ISA card in windows, I know I don't, but it doesn't hurt either so I'll typically set them both up.
But in pure dos I've some games that don't like the Live/Audigy drivers , I've never had a game that doesn't work with the AWE

Well Audigy ZS 2 has 24bit quallity so with proper speakers it should be noticeable bit fuller tone, not too much thou of course, but still its there.
For ISA card i planned to use it only in 98 SE or to switch between those two depending how game will sound when i play DOS games if that is valid option to do?

For my ears I cant tell the difference between the Live or Audigy2 but do notice a difference when moving up to an X-Fi, but that's just my ears very good chance you have better hearing.
and still just about all my Win98 PC's have an Audigy 2 as cards aren't that expensive so why downgrade?

Dos games will play wherever you point setup, for example.
if we gave the following resources.

AWE
Port=220, IRQ=5, DMA 1 & 5

Live! Legacy drivers
Port=240, IRQ=3, DMA 3 & 10

So if you tell setup to use port 220, IRQ 5 and DMA 5 it'll use the AWE

andre_6 wrote on 2024-10-10, 01:54:

I have an Audigy Platinum 2 EX, which is comprised of the main soundcard with an external sound module and some tidbits, very si […]
Show full quote

Studiostriver wrote on 2024-10-10, 01:30:

Shponglefan wrote on 2024-10-09, 22:37:

Audigy 2 ZS is a good card for 98 and XP. I use one in my P4 build with both operating systems. […]
Show full quote

Audigy 2 ZS is a good card for 98 and XP. I use one in my P4 build with both operating systems.

I know it can do SB emulation under Windows, but I haven't personally tried it so I don't know how well it will work.

Are you just planning on dual booting 98/XP or do you plan to have a dedicated DOS OS as well? If it's just for 98/XP, you might be able to just use the Audigy (or SB Live) and run DOS games through Win98.

Otherwise, if you are directly booting into DOS then having the AWE64 can't hurt, since it will provide a native ISA option under DOS. One caveat is that it uses Creative Lab's own FM synthesis which doesn't sound the same as Yamaha OPL. Which you prefer is ultimately up to you.

AWE64 doesn't use -5V as far as I know, so it should be fine with a modern PSU. I've been testing one with my P4 setup and it has worked fine.

Thank you for your reply. No its just one computer with dual boot system 98SE/XP. So you saying the AWE64 card is meant to work only in booting DOS, not via 98SE?
Well i guess i will just get Audigy ZS 2 as my upgrade and hope the DOS games will sound decent then.

I have an Audigy Platinum 2 EX, which is comprised of the main soundcard with an external sound module and some tidbits, very similar to the Audigy 2ZS Platinum. I'm sure there are some very slight differences between them, but I'm leaning towards thinking that the SB Emulation on both is the same. I'm sure someone will correct me if necessary.

I enjoy the SB emulation on Windows that it provides, changing soundfonts, etc. Don't take the title too seriously, but have a listen just to get an idea:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODfUjEMgB7Q

Even if you end up getting an AWE 64 or something else to use along with the 2ZS, at least you know what it can do. Since your intended use also includes music, maybe the external modules of both of these Platinum versions can be of some use?

Edit - the usual mention as well if/when the time comes: Guide: Installing Windows 9x and DOS drivers on Audigy cards (version 3.1)

Hey thanks for all infor provided, and yes the music sounds pretty full, love it. 😀 Lo fi crunchy beauty. I thinking about Roland SC88 module sometimes in a future, since i use old modules in my home studio and i was always fond of rompler sounds. Its just so nostalgic 90s to me least. 😉

Main idea putting 2 cards is that i can choose the source for certain games i find it fits better. I always suspect older DOS games have better support for AWE64, but i may be wrong.

Studiostriver wrote on 2024-10-10, 01:30:

Thank you for your reply. No its just one computer with dual boot system 98SE/XP. So you saying the AWE64 card is meant to work only in booting DOS, not via 98SE?
Well i guess i will just get Audigy ZS 2 as my upgrade and hope the DOS games will sound decent then.

The AWE64 will work under Windows as well. It just might be redundant if you're using a Live/Audigy 2 ZS with SB emulation.

chinny22 wrote on 2024-10-11, 00:10:

For my ears I cant tell the difference between the Live or Audigy2 but do notice a difference when moving up to an X-Fi, but tha […]
Show full quote

For my ears I cant tell the difference between the Live or Audigy2 but do notice a difference when moving up to an X-Fi, but that's just my ears very good chance you have better hearing.
and still just about all my Win98 PC's have an Audigy 2 as cards aren't that expensive so why downgrade?

Dos games will play wherever you point setup, for example.
if we gave the following resources.

AWE
Port=220, IRQ=5, DMA 1 & 5

Live! Legacy drivers
Port=240, IRQ=3, DMA 3 & 10

So if you tell setup to use port 220, IRQ 5 and DMA 5 it'll use the AWE

I want to have different sound pallete, thats all to it, but i get your point, AWE64 will be too similar with Audigy ZS 2 , and it will feel like downgrade.
Maybe i should find different card then maybe, FM one that will work well with 98SE. I just prefer to have different options.

Shponglefan wrote on 2024-10-11, 00:27:

Studiostriver wrote on 2024-10-10, 01:30:

Thank you for your reply. No its just one computer with dual boot system 98SE/XP. So you saying the AWE64 card is meant to work only in booting DOS, not via 98SE?
Well i guess i will just get Audigy ZS 2 as my upgrade and hope the DOS games will sound decent then.

The AWE64 will work under Windows as well. It just might be redundant if you're using a Live/Audigy 2 ZS with SB emulation.

Got your point, and if that is the case then i do not need it indeed. But i would like try maybe connecting Audigy 2 ZS with a module or maybe have additional FM card. Swapping sounds for some games for me at least changes mood and i sometimes prefer one over another. I try to find what would be good idea put in this computer that will provide different sound option then what Audigy already possess.

Studiostriver wrote on 2024-10-11, 00:30:

chinny22 wrote on 2024-10-11, 00:10:

For my ears I cant tell the difference between the Live or Audigy2 but do notice a difference when moving up to an X-Fi, but tha […]
Show full quote

For my ears I cant tell the difference between the Live or Audigy2 but do notice a difference when moving up to an X-Fi, but that's just my ears very good chance you have better hearing.
and still just about all my Win98 PC's have an Audigy 2 as cards aren't that expensive so why downgrade?

Dos games will play wherever you point setup, for example.
if we gave the following resources.

AWE
Port=220, IRQ=5, DMA 1 & 5

Live! Legacy drivers
Port=240, IRQ=3, DMA 3 & 10

So if you tell setup to use port 220, IRQ 5 and DMA 5 it'll use the AWE

I want to have different sound pallete, thats all to it, but i get your point, AWE64 will be too similar with Audigy ZS 2 , and it will feel like downgrade.
Maybe i should find different card then maybe, FM one that will work well with 98SE. I just prefer to have different options.

I was saying the Live and Audigy were very similar.
You'll definitely notice the difference between an AWE and Audigy!

Although if you want a card that gives you something different in Windows the Yamaha YMF cards are very good.
In dos you get true OPL chip vs Creative CPL on the AWE
and includes what's essentially a cutdown XG Midi device for some real good sounding midi in dos and windows.

and thats coming from me who really loves the AWE range!

I will, ISA versions are very expensive to be found compare to PCI.