You can technically do it, just find a board with three ISA slots, plenty of options on a 440BX chipset. Then you get an SB16 or a proper clone, GUS and a separate intelligent MPU401 card (SoftMPU is also an option, just a bit less compatible AFAIK).

Use standard 220/1/5/5 on SB card, set its MPU to 300. Set GUS to 240/7/7/7/7 (half-duplex mode means you can use the same DMAs and IRQ for playback and recording). Use standard 330/2 on MPU card because a lot of MT-32 games expect that. Note that IRQ 2= IRQ9, some newer motherboards use that for ACPI or USB but can change the address in BIOS. Disable SB16 and Sound Canvas emulation on GUS, also disable the joystick port on it.

Then add an Aureal Vortex card into PCI slot, make sure not to enable any DOS compatibility stuff.

Then the issue becomes that your sound hardware spans across like 15-20 years of games, so you’re bound to have issues with speed sensitive games. This will particularly be an issue for MT-32 games as a lot of them were made in 386-486 era. Some games will just flat out refuse to run or play MT-32 music on newer systems (like Legend Entertainment titles, for one).

You could use Super Socket 7 board instead of 440BX and use setmul to change CPU speed on the fly for 386-486 titles, but that system might be too slow for some A3D titles. Another option is VIA C3, that chip also has software-controlled multiplier.

So, yeah, it’s possible, but getting everything to work will be a path to madness if you really want to be able to run the majority of games with hour sound hardware. I’d advise to use at least two builds. Pentium MMX or 486 with turbo for AdLib/GUS/MT-32 stuff and something fast for A3D and late MIDI titles.

jheronimus wrote on 2022-03-15, 00:56:

I’d advise to use at least two builds. Pentium MMX or 486 with turbo for AdLib/GUS/MT-32 stuff and something fast for A3D and late MIDI titles.

Thanks, this was my gut feeling as well. I'll probably go with a 486-era build for the DOS stuff, and then figure out the Win 9X part later.

Actually scratch that, an early era Pentium does sound like the better option for broad DOS gaming.

Shponglefan wrote on 2022-03-15, 15:33:

jheronimus wrote on 2022-03-15, 00:56:

I’d advise to use at least two builds. Pentium MMX or 486 with turbo for AdLib/GUS/MT-32 stuff and something fast for A3D and late MIDI titles.

Thanks, this was my gut feeling as well. I'll probably go with a 486-era build for the DOS stuff, and then figure out the Win 9X part later.

Actually scratch that, an early era Pentium does sound like the better option for broad DOS gaming.

I've done something like this , but it can be a bit of nightmare sometimes conflict wise.

I'd agree with the jheronimus that you probably want to split this into at least 2 builds , one that has alot of isa slots and one thats fast for 3d stuff.

Ive got a socket 7 that has like 3 sound cards , plus 5 synths chained to a switchbox mpu 401 combo.

it gives me mt32 / cm32l , general midi, sound blaster , gravis ultrasound and tandy audio.

Im planning on making a Win98 rig with an aureal vortex 2 and a sound blaster live for later stuff.

You could also look at serdashops LPT devices , that could also help give you even more sound options and free some isa slots.

There was also a guy on vogons who had a crazy setup involving some kinda industrial motherboard , that has like 8 or 9 sound cards?

https://youtu.be/kk6nyrX4DK8?t=877

So seems you can go pretty crazy as long as you set it up right.

AppleSauce wrote on 2022-03-15, 17:46:

Ive got a socket 7 that has like 3 sound cards , plus 5 synths chained to a switchbox mpu 401 combo.

Nice setup! I'm hoping to get something similar rigged up probably with 4x external MIDI modules, plus sound cards.

There was also a guy on vogons who had a crazy setup involving some kinda industrial motherboard , that has like 8 or 9 sound cards?

Wow, that's pretty epic! 😳

And good to know that such setups are possible with that many sound cards.