The best Sound Blaster?! (3 Sound Blasters) \ VOGONS

The best Sound Blaster?! (3 Sound Blasters)

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First post, by TheVibe

Posted on 2015-05-12, 23:08

TheVibe Offline

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These are the 3 Sound Blasters that I own:

Sound Blaster Live! Value CT4780 ( I am guessing this is not the original release since it is the Value version)

Sound Blaster 16 PCI CT4740 (The Sound Blaster 16 but instead of ISA this one is PCI card)

Sound Blaster 16 CT2940 (Yes, The original release of the ISA Sound Blaster 16) (As far as I can tell it is not the Value PnP which has the same CT number because of the size difference)

I am sure most of you are familiar with the Sound Blasters. I am curious what you guys think about the varying models that I have listed so far. From the information that I recall the Sound Blaster Live! Value CT4780
is Windows oriented and not exactly meant for DOS. The Sound Blaster 16 PCI CT4740, I hear that this one has a multitude of crippling issues that the Sound Blaster 16 does not have and this of course leads me to the next Sound Blaster. The Sound Blaster 16 CT2940, apparently this is the one without the hanging note bug, it is also the one that is geared towards DOS. Now, I may not be correct with all this information but all I look for is confirmation of this information.

Is the Sound Blaster Live! Value CT4780 Windows oriented? Sound Blaster 16 CT2940 DOS oriented? What about the PCI version of the Sound Blaster 16?

Last edited by TheVibe on 2015-05-13, 00:03. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 1 of 10, by alexanrs

Posted on 2015-05-12, 23:18

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All PCI Sound Blasters are Windows oriented. The SB16 PCI is a modified Ensonic AudioPCI (not having anything to do with the ISA variant), and the Live! is the evolution of that. I dare say the Live! is equally, or even more competent in DOS than the SB16 PCI.
If you have a Windows and a DOS machine, use the ISA CT2940 in the DOS one, and the Live! in the Windows one.

Reply 2 of 10, by brostenen

Posted on 2015-05-13, 00:13

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Get rid of the SB16-PCI. The live has more features. And if it is the original first live (golden connectors) then keep it.
Other than that. Sell both PCI cards and get an AWE32 or 64.
Keep the SB16 ISA. PCI cards from creative, from the 90's are not that great compared to say Yamaha PCI cards.

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Reply 3 of 10, by brostenen

Posted on 2015-05-13, 00:18

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Or just keep em all.... Just for the collections point of view.
Please buy an AWE card. Just do it. You won't regret it.
After that. Look for other brands and expand the collection.
I started with what you have. Except for the SB16 Pci.
I had an PCI 128 instead.

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Reply 4 of 10, by Sutekh94

Posted on 2015-05-13, 00:48

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If the CT2940 has OPL, it's a definite keeper. Heck, for DOS games, it'll probably be your best option, no matter if it has OPL or not. The Live! is also a keeper if you're running Windows games, but the 16 PCI is kinda worthless, especially considering the Live! and other PCI sound cards of the time (Yamaha YMF724 etc.). Besides, it's not a "true" SB16, being based off of the Ensoniq AudioPCI as already mentioned.

For a good all-rounder that can do both DOS and Windows games, get an AWE64.

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Reply 5 of 10, by TheVibe

Posted on 2015-05-13, 23:25

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I should get an AWE64(I am guessing it is the AWE64 Gold)? Yes, but what is the point in getting an AWE64 when I already have Sound Blaster 16 and a Sound Blaster Live.
I will keep the Sound Blaster 16 since I have it boxed and there is no point in throwing it away when it will end up in a landfill in Southern Asia.

Reply 6 of 10, by brostenen

Posted on 2015-05-14, 00:24

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TheVibe wrote:
I should get an AWE64(I am guessing it is the AWE64 Gold)? Yes, but what is the point in getting an AWE64 when I already have Sound Blaster 16 and a Sound Blaster Live.
I will keep the Sound Blaster 16 since I have it boxed and there is no point in throwing it away when it will end up in a landfill in Southern Asia.

The point is to get an awe64 if the SB16 you have is the one without a real OPL chip.
If you want the ultimate in compatibility and sound options, then there is only two cards in my book.
The AWE32 in eighter the CT2760 or the CT3900 models. Both extremely expensive.
Like 4 times the value of the AWE64 gold.
The plain standard AWE64 is still better than the live in DOS.

The reason for one of those two AWE32 cards, are that they have all the 32's features, plus a real OPL chip.
Not just that emulation type of stuff. The 3900 being a PNP model, the other not.

Don't eat stuff off a 15 year old never cleaned cpu cooler.
Those cakes make you sick....

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