How about the Roland MT-32/LAPC-1? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_LAPC-I
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_MT-32
It uses LA synthesis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_Arithmetic_synthesis
Basically a combination of short wavetable samples (mainly for accurate attack of an instrument, to imply the proper timbre) and subtractive synthesis (for sustaining notes).

Scali wrote:

How about the Roland MT-32/LAPC-1? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_LAPC-I https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_MT-32 It use […]
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How about the Roland MT-32/LAPC-1? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_LAPC-I
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_MT-32
It uses LA synthesis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_Arithmetic_synthesis
Basically a combination of short wavetable samples (mainly for accurate attack of an instrument, to imply the proper timbre) and subtractive synthesis (for sustaining notes).

I don't recall setting up dos games for anything other than sound blaster. Definitely wasn't the LAPC as that card is huge. Also I remember setting up the majority of games to use sound blaster for both sfx and music.

I had an ISA sound card in a 1997 gateway 2000 that reminds me of what you mean. A soundblaster 16 was a downgrade. I Vivio maybe

Some OPL3 clones don't sound like OPL3, have you tried cards based on the chipsets you have drivers for on the CD? I have a couple of cards with onboard wavetable chipsets, but they're low end and don't sound nearly as good as the better known GM chipsets, could have just been bad GM you're remembering.

But then you'd have had to select General Midi in the game's setup programs, which it doesn't sound like you were doing.

Perhaps you were using an Audio PCI or Live! card, some of these map OPL3 to General MIDI, so they tend to sound very wrong and different to OPL3.

F2bnp wrote:

Perhaps you were using an Audio PCI or Live! card, some of these map OPL3 to General MIDI, so they tend to sound very wrong and different to OPL3.

I was thinking the same thing 😀

PhilsComputerLab wrote:

F2bnp wrote:

Perhaps you were using an Audio PCI or Live! card, some of these map OPL3 to General MIDI, so they tend to sound very wrong and different to OPL3.

I was thinking the same thing 😀

I take it they don't exactly advertise this feature? My sb live 5.1 doesn't do it, and I'm guessing an enqoniq would be the audio pci you're thinking of.

Yea it's the Audio PCI. Creative bought Ensoniq and then sold a few cards under various names. Sound Blaster PCI 128 or something like that?

PhilsComputerLab wrote:

Yea it's the Audio PCI. Creative bought Ensoniq and then sold a few cards under various names. Sound Blaster PCI 128 or something like that?

I have a 128, sounds almost identical to xp's software synth.

Try a DOS game with Sound Blaster / FM option.

PhilsComputerLab wrote:

Try a DOS game with Sound Blaster / FM option.

From within windows 98 or true dos?

Both.

I think your thread title say's it all, they where called opl4, a mix of the opl3 and wavetable technologies. Chances are you got an YMF278, I'll crave to listen to one of them!

gdjacobs wrote:

Both.

Well, this is what it sounds like in either mode. I had a similar problem with the live under dos, it was due to an incomplete patch set or file or something like that.

https://youtu.be/dU26F3LqgY8

That's it 😀

The AudioPCI simply does not have a FM chip, it "simulates" FM by mapping instruments from the wavetable.

It sounds horrible as a result 🤣

PhilsComputerLab wrote:

That's it 😀

The AudioPCI simply does not have a FM chip, it "simulates" FM by mapping instruments from the wavetable.

It sounds horrible as a result 🤣

I found an opl4 soundfont and it sounds much better than that.

bluejeans wrote:

PhilsComputerLab wrote:

That's it 😀

The AudioPCI simply does not have a FM chip, it "simulates" FM by mapping instruments from the wavetable.

It sounds horrible as a result 🤣

I found an opl4 soundfont and it sounds much better than that.

Well of course, any SoundFont sounds better than the AudioPCI's FM 😀

Though it makes no sense comparing the two, as the Audio PCI has its own General MIDI support anyway. Just use that instead.

PhilsComputerLab wrote:

bluejeans wrote:

PhilsComputerLab wrote:

That's it 😀

The AudioPCI simply does not have a FM chip, it "simulates" FM by mapping instruments from the wavetable.

It sounds horrible as a result 🤣

I found an opl4 soundfont and it sounds much better than that.

Well of course, any SoundFont sounds better than the AudioPCI's FM 😀

Though it makes no sense comparing the two, as the Audio PCI has its own General MIDI support anyway. Just use that instead.

How should its' general midi sound compared to the ms wavetable synth?

How long is a piece of string?

Just got to listen, compare and make up your own mind as it's subjective.