Which games have you been trying to play and having issues with?

For DOS gaming on a Pentium III, you're really looking at non-CPU sensitive titles which is mostly games from 1993 and onward. This is into the era of General MIDI support and past the general era of MT-32 support. In that respect, the WP32 is a bit of a mismatch for this setup.

Are you specifically trying to use the WP32 with MT-32 support? Or for General Midi support?

Most AWE32 have the "hanging note bug(s)", and the ones that does not have the bugs, usually doesn't have authentic OPL. To summarize: There are no perfect Sound Blaster-cards for this purpose, unless you're willing to let the OPL go. In my Pentium 3, which is mainly for use with Windows games, I do run an AWE32 and a Sound Blaster Live! The prior for DOS-compatibility for the demanding games of the DOS-era like Carmageddon and Transport Tycoon. The Live! for games using EAX. The AWE32 actually has a list of compatible games, although slim, but AWE64 have even less, although you don't have to worry about "hanging note bugs". Using AWE64, you would lack a wavetable header, an OPL chip and you also need special RAM-boards, unless you mod your card.

The best Single-Card solution for late DOS is the MK8330, with its C-Media 8330 giving the holy grail of full SB16 compatibility and truly bug-free MIDI, and digital output, 1:1 OPL3 clone and WSS to boot. Keropi and Marmes' design also gives top notch quality and no noise

Might be a bit expensive so single card alternatives are:

- other CMI8330 cards (like the AV310). All the features of the MK8330, just a bit flimsier. Even has a decent (upside-down) wavetable header.
- a card with ALS100 (*NOT* 100Plus) chipset. Basically same specs, same challenges too

Now, one thing you don't get with any of them is AWE/EMu8k. For that you need a two-card solution, with the AWE card giving you AWE and SB16 and the other card doing SBPro2, WSS, OPL3 and MIDI.

My go-to 'other' card is anything Aztech 2316 or 2320 based, although OPTi 929 is pretty equivalent. If 1:1 OPL3 and WSS isn't needed, ESS16xx/18xx and CS423x based cards are fine too.

Best match AWE card IMHO is the CT3670, which is basically an AWE64 with two SIMM slots for as much RAM as you want (up to max 28MB). Usually cheaper than AWE32 or 64, but beats the lot of them in features, only the AWE64 Gold with RAM expansion is better with RCA connectors and optical out, but that is a lot more expensive. Of course, no OPL3 on the 64, but the other card already takes care of that.

Tempus wrote on 2023-12-27, 20:59:

Most AWE32 have the "hanging note bug(s)", and the ones that does not have the bugs, usually doesn't have authentic OPL. To summarize: There are no perfect Sound Blaster-cards for this purpose, unless you're willing to let the OPL go. In my Pentium 3, which is mainly for use with Windows games, I do run an AWE32 and a Sound Blaster Live! The prior for DOS-compatibility for the demanding games of the DOS-era like Carmageddon and Transport Tycoon. The Live! for games using EAX. The AWE32 actually has a list of compatible games, although slim, but AWE64 have even less, although you don't have to worry about "hanging note bugs". Using AWE64, you would lack a wavetable header, an OPL chip and you also need special RAM-boards, unless you mod your card.

The hanging not bug isnt an issue anymore.
All creative cards with a seperate dsp chip (ct1741) can be fixed to not have it. All you need is a socketed dsp and a replacement plcc44 eeprom.

S95Sedan wrote on 2023-12-28, 17:57:

[...]

The hanging not bug isnt an issue anymore.
All creative cards with a seperate dsp chip (ct1741) can be fixed to not have it. All you need is a socketed dsp and a replacement plcc44 eeprom.

Given quite a few SB16/AWE cards for not have socketed CT1741, I'd say it very much is still an issue.to bear in mind.

If the MT32-pi doesn’t work correctly it is likely an issue with the MPU-401 and not the MT32-pi/McCake.
If you wouldn’t have other issues with your Yamaha card I would have suggested to try SoftMPU.
Imho it would still be worth trying the McCake again with a different card.

I have to throw in a recommendation for an ess card since it hasn’t been mentioned yet. If you’re looking for dos games, good compatibility, and good MIDI support, I’d recommend an ess. It’ll sound better when using opl than an awe64 and most awe32s. No hanging note or other midi bugs also.

S95Sedan wrote on 2023-12-28, 17:57:

The hanging not bug isnt an issue anymore.
All creative cards with a seperate dsp chip (ct1741) can be fixed to not have it. All you need is a socketed dsp and a replacement plcc44 eeprom.

Do you have a link as to how this can be done?

orcish75 wrote on 2024-01-02, 00:10:

S95Sedan wrote on 2023-12-28, 17:57:

The hanging not bug isnt an issue anymore.
All creative cards with a seperate dsp chip (ct1741) can be fixed to not have it. All you need is a socketed dsp and a replacement plcc44 eeprom.

Do you have a link as to how this can be done?

Topic: The Soundblaster DSP project
This should be the rom with most fixes (4.13 patch5): Re: The Soundblaster DSP project

S95Sedan wrote on 2024-01-02, 14:52:

Topic: The Soundblaster DSP project
This should be the rom with most fixes (4.13 patch5): Re: The Soundblaster DSP project

Excellent, thanks!