I have a CT2810 which is the same as yours without software IRQ/DMA configuration. I've found it to be decently quiet when the mixer is backed off full gain. It will suffer from hanging note issues if you use it for both MIDI and PCM.

Have you got a daughter card yet, or will you be looking? Also, does your SB Live have a joystick port or a Live Drive with MIDI inputs?

No daughter card yet. It looks like the DreamBlaster S1 is the most cost-effective option, so that is at the top of my list at the moment. I'm going to wait til the CT2800 arrives and I confirm it's fully functioning and has the daughter card header before I move forward further.

The SBLive in my Win98SE rig has a joystick port. It's probably a Value edition. I don't remember why I bought so many, but I seem to have quite a collection of SBLive! cards (at least 3). One of them is the full version (no color-coded jacks) with the header, ribbon cable and 2nd slot with additional connections (is this what you mean by Live Drive with MIDI inputs?). The other two are the Values with the color-coded jacks.

Well, you can output the MIDI of the Aztech card to the SB Live and pipe it to good software synths like Munt and Bassmidi. This will likely be cheaper than even the Dreamblaster S1 as you only need the cables. More complex, but cheaper and more versatile.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvuncHhza5A

I've been testing deemster's set of soundfonts to mimic Roland and Yamaha modules as well as the Awe32 synth. Very pleased!
Soundfonts that mimic old hardware (SC-55, DX50XG, AWE64 Gold)

For the CT2800 that's on its way, what is the recommended driver for DOS 6.22? I'm looking at my options here and there are lots of choices under SB16 drivers. Thanks.

I believe I used these ones:
http://www.vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?file … d=33&menustate=

The CT2800 will still have the hanging note bug. The CT2230 and CT2290 are the best SB16 if you want OPL3 and a GM synth (either daughterboard or external). Should run between $20-$30 shipped.

Hanging note issues noted above.

The hanging note bug is limited to a handful of games and only when running midi off the card with the bug. All the games that have the hanging note issues (as there are several distinct forms of it), can be run with FM instead of midi and avoid the bug altogether. It's really an issue that's blown WAY out of proportion for most retro PC gamers and has many viable workarounds.

IMHO go grab an Audician 32 plus off eBay real cheap and the latest drivers from http://www.philscomputerlab.com and watch his review of the card. It's a near perfect OPL3 card without hanging note bugs when running midi from it (via daughter board or external modules), its new old stock so its unused, and its cheap. It's really the best overall budget SB compatible sound card out there and makes life easy.

Kodai wrote:

The hanging note bug is limited to a handful of games and only when running midi off the card with the bug. All the games that have the hanging note issues (as there are several distinct forms of it), can be run with FM instead of midi and avoid the bug altogether. It's really an issue that's blown WAY out of proportion for most retro PC gamers and has many viable workarounds.

In other words it only happens when using the cards to output General MIDI, and the built-in OPL synth is not affected?

Having just re-read the relevant page on the wiki it certainly appears to be the case. In that case I agree with you - the issue is completely and totally blown out of proportion, as most gamers will be using the built in OPL synth anyways.

One question remains - does it affect the AWE synth of AWE32 cards? That may be the only case where it might actually cause problems to a noticeable portion of the users. Yes, I know the AWE32 can also use FM, but then its principal added value to DOS games is lost.

Kodai wrote:

IMHO go grab an Audician 32 plus off eBay real cheap and the latest drivers from http://www.philscomputerlab.com and watch his review of the card. It's a near perfect OPL3 card without hanging note bugs when running midi from it (via daughter board or external modules), its new old stock so its unused, and its cheap. It's really the best overall budget SB compatible sound card out there and makes life easy.

Yeah, that is definitely something to consider if things don't work out with the CT2800 I ordered. Love all the options and advice here. Incidentally, I owe my new-found retro rig passion to Phil. I don't even remember how, but I came across his YouTube channel a few months ago which started this whole ball of wax rolling for me. 😉 I've probably seen most, if not all of his videos.

To be clear, the hanging note issue only appears when using the same Creative card for both digital PCM audio and MIDI. To avoid the issue at the present time, I have a CS4232 card with everything disabled except the MPU401 interface to host my DB.

CT4170 compatible, compatible, compatible!!! and no hanging-notes with soft-mpu!
I have no game/demo with SB-support that does not work with this card.

Fantastic Card!

Likely DSP 4.16, in which case, yes it will be free of hanging notes. Unfortunately it is a Vibra with CQM synthesis instead of a true OPL3.

Creative giveth, Creative taketh away.

That's right, but it's overall the best card for me. From 286/SB Demos up to PII/W9x Stuff, everything works FINE.

gdjacobs wrote:

To be clear, the hanging note issue only appears when using the same Creative card for both digital PCM audio and MIDI. To avoid the issue at the present time, I have a CS4232 card with everything disabled except the MPU401 interface to host my DB.

There is one youtube video that I could find demonstrating the hanging note bug (search "hanging note bug") and I'm not sure I could hear it. There seemed to be some low volume high pitched squeals but I wasn't sure *that* was the bug. Any other sound clips that you're aware of that demo it well?

gdjacobs wrote:

To be clear, the hanging note issue only appears when using the same Creative card for both digital PCM audio and MIDI.

Well, that would be the way most people would be using their card. I don't think dual card setups are very common. However, I still would like to get a final confirmation regarding the following points:

The hanging note bug only happens when using the cards to output General MIDI, and the built-in OPL synth is not affected?

Does the hanging note bug affect the built-in AWE synth of AWE32 cards?

The hanging note, from what I've read, comes from a timing issue in the MPU-401 interface of SB16 based cards with affected DSP revisions. As such should only affect MIDI through the MPU-401 interface (daughterboards and external modules), and not OPL3 and EMU8K stuff.

clueless1 wrote:

There is one youtube video that I could find demonstrating the hanging note bug (search "hanging note bug") and I'm not sure I could hear it. There seemed to be some low volume high pitched squeals but I wasn't sure *that* was the bug. Any other sound clips that you're aware of that demo it well?

This video demonstrates it. It's the high pitched ringing underneath the music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KglBIcDUlMc

Yep, that was the one I was referring to. So that high pitched ringing is it...not as bad as I was expecting. Thanks!

Hexen level 2 has it, and it's awful. Like the ringing you get in your ears after a loud concert.