It's a "adsp" iirc. It's almost never used by anything. Both cards should be identical despite one having a "french" chip

The DSP chip also was known as ASP (Advanced Signal Processor) originally and later, CSP (Creative Signal Processor) - an indication for Creative's steadily increasing narcissism. 😉

It was very interesting, but in the end, only a few games used it. The Win9x drivers can make use of it, though, to lower CPU usage.
And for surround sound (q-sound).

Edit: I agree with Deksor on "ADSP" also.
That would technically be the correct term for such a device.
(Advanced Digital Signal Processor)

https://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/Creative … _Blaster_16_ASP

The Sound Blaster ASP chip, Q-Sound and Games.

What does the optional CSP chip on creative cards do?

http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2012/07/s … ations.html?m=1

"Accelerating" Windows 95 with Creative's Advanced Signal Processor (CSP)

Interesting! Thanks for the replies. So looks like it doesn't really matter if it's there or not given hardly any games used it... any idea if there's a difference with the "French" chip? I'm guessing no difference, just where it was manufactured?

The CT1745A chip is the mixer. CT1745A-S is a newer version. I read some people saying that the -S is less noisy, but I'm not completely sure there.

Just in general, the chip name is usually more relevant than any other terms printed on it.

Creative had many manufacturers make the chips for them. That particular mixer chip probably was made by ST, it is the only french manfacturer I know of.