Way easier and probably cheaper to get a Sound Blaster 1.0 or 1.5 and add the CMS chips if they are not already present.

And then you get Adlib and digital sound as well.

There are replicas of the CMS..
Just look for "CMS Game Blaster Clone"

More information:
https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/cre … -replica.47900/

https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/cre … er-clone.60705/

https://github.com/gemedetpaps/MUS-1099

But ja, getting an 8-Bit Sound Blaster with the CMS chips is fine, too.

Just make sure you have the correct PAL/GAL chips for upgrade (if you need ti upgrade).
In the early years, ca. early 2010s, the files for the PALs had to fit the correct SB2 revision or the FM chip could die.

Loading the right Creative DOS drivers for GameBlaster/CMS vs Sound Blaster is important, too.
Because the Sound Blasters have a logic that allows the SAA chips and the YM3812 to work same time without address conflict.

I have a Game Blaster, but to be honest I haven't used it much.

In my experience the only game that sounds really good with it is Silpheed. Though I suppose that is up to personal opinion.

As mentioned above, there are other options for CMS support besides a dedicated Game Blaster card including replica Sound Blaster cards with CMS support.

id suggest trying out the picogus, affordable and also emulates many sound cards including CMS

Pickle wrote on 2026-01-27, 15:50:

id suggest trying out the picogus, affordable and also emulates many sound cards including CMS

Before the PicoGUS i would recommend the PicoMEM. It allows to have all the sound card emulations enabled at once without need to constantly reprogram firmware. Also the PicoMEM is still being improved.

carlostex wrote on 2026-01-29, 00:19:

Before the PicoGUS i would recommend the PicoMEM. It allows to have all the sound card emulations enabled at once without need to constantly reprogram firmware. Also the PicoMEM is still being improved.

PicoGUS doesn't do that anymore, can now change with /mode variable. It is also still being improved. After PicoIDE, Polpo, will be going to PicoGUS v3 using the Pi5 chip.

As far as the CMS, This was the first sound card I owned, cause it was all I could afford, and was sorely disappointed until I got a SB.

Pi5? Or do you mean the RP2350? Pi 5 CPU is orders of magnitude more powerful than a Pico 1 or even Pico 2

Shponglefan wrote on 2026-01-27, 14:59:

I have a Game Blaster, but to be honest I haven't used it much.

In my experience the only game that sounds really good with it is Silpheed. Though I suppose that is up to personal opinion.

As mentioned above, there are other options for CMS support besides a dedicated Game Blaster card including replica Sound Blaster cards with CMS support.

Monkey Island Sounds great on it and it supports Stereo

Matchstick wrote:

PicoGUS doesn't do that anymore, can now change with /mode variable. It is also still being improved. After PicoIDE, Polpo, will be going to PicoGUS v3 using the Pi5 chip.

As far as the CMS, This was the first sound card I owned, cause it was all I could afford, and was sorely disappointed until I got a SB.

Nope, it is different as there is no need to run a command to move from one card to another.
PicoGUS 3 may be really late as ian is busy with picoide
Picomem 2 will be there in some months with gus, sb, general midi and more. (Tandy, cms, Covox, disney, mindscape, ps1)

PicoMEM 2 looks awesome, just needs a wavetable header and MPU-401