I'm pretty sure the drivers for pre-WinXP doesn't exist for X-FI. I'd use some AWE32/64.

kixs wrote:

I'm pretty sure the drivers for pre-WinXP doesn't exist for X-FI. I'd use some AWE32/64.

Ah yes, you are right. I wanted to pick them because they are so common these days. I did see an AWE32 going somewhere (CT3890), but it's IDE and I don't want to screw around with these cables anymore as I got them just right (one was actually JUST to short, so I had to use different manners)

AWE32/64 are ISA cards. They can come with additional IDE port that can be used for CD-ROM unit but this is optional. I've never used these IDE ports on sound cards. So you don't have to mess around with IDE cables unles you want to.

kixs wrote:

AWE32/64 are ISA cards. They can come with additional IDE port that can be used for CD-ROM unit but this is optional. I've never used these IDE ports on sound cards. So you don't have to mess around with IDE cables unles you want to.

Right, seems like I will need that. Luckily I have some spare IDE cables. (because I have a 48x CD-ROM drive lying about)

I also have been looking around for some more ISA cards, and I found some with scarce info, outside that it is an YMF719E-S. That means it supports XG and OPL3 right? I decided to look on the picture more closely and it said ATC-6631. Probably means it's an Atrend card, and I'll look into it, people say it's better than the Sound Blasters out there.

what's wrong with the onboard IDE and you want to use the sound card one?
If you want XG midi on a ISA environment you would either get the SW-60XG card or a DB-50XG / DB-60XG wavetable daughterboard and combine it with a soundcard that offers a wavetable header, preferably a SB16 or something...

Most games were made with MIDI for Roland GM / GS (Sound Canvas) BTW so no idea where XG fits in. 😀

The DB50XGs etcetera + a SB16 cost about 125€ in my country, used. I don't have such a budget for such a small project.

Besides, I really like the unique sound of XG. Things like OPL3 and SC-55 have been emulated through soundfonts. However, I haven't been able to find a high quality XG soundfont. It's the best quality and most realistic MIDI standard if used properly.

XG simply provides more instruments doesn't it? It's not applicable to many games, what do you want it for?

You mention Windows 95 but you won't be playing many 'Windows' games on a Pentium 100, so PCI sound cards become less of an option. I'd agree with the AWE32 / 64 option, it's ISA, but it's the cheapest way I know of to get OK sounding MIDI.

badmojo wrote:

XG simply provides more instruments doesn't it? It's not applicable to many games, what do you want it for?

You mention Windows 95 but you won't be playing many 'Windows' games on a Pentium 100, so PCI sound cards become less of an option. I'd agree with the AWE32 / 64 option, it's ISA, but it's the cheapest way I know of to get OK sounding MIDI.

Exactly. But since XG has backwards compatibility to GM, it can apply to quite a few games. And for games that don't: onboard OPL.

Besides, I will use Windows 95 because of it's GUI, and the few games that run on it. For the rest I'd probably use DOS 7.1

The YMF ISA cards don't have any hardware GM/XG synth capabilities. Their stock drivers include some "XGlite" softsynth instead. It does work for DOS games running in 9x, but the quality is garbage.

d1stortion wrote:

The YMF ISA cards don't have any hardware GM/XG synth capabilities. Their stock drivers include some "XGlite" softsynth instead. It does work for DOS games running in 9x, but the quality is garbage.

Oh ok. I already have a motherboard with P4 and Soundmax drivers that have XGlite. I know it doesn't even sound close to an XG.

For those with lack of budget or expansion slots Yamaha software XG synth bundled with Final Fantasy VII is a good alternative. I suppose it needs a more beefy CPU though, I use it in OEM PII-450 machine where all four expansion slots are used by Voodoo cards and their monstrous cooling solution. It sounds so well that I can't tell it from a real DB60XG.

Everything aside, I would get an AWE64, I just saw more pop up on a local secondhand website for about 10€, models like CT4500, AWE64 Gold CT4390, as well as the AWE32 CT3980 2MB and another CT3890 with unknown amount of memory.

Even though I already can emulate the AWE64 using SYNTHGMS.sf2 and others with some reverb, I think I might consider it with this price range.

EDIT: I might also look for a version with daughterboard support, in case I really want to upgrade to a NEC XR835 or the like.

EDIT2: However, I can also use an AWE64 and transfer the soundfonts from my main rig to the W95 rig and use it on the AWE64. Hmm, decisions, decisions.

The S-YXG synths are very good indeed, but they won't work for DOS games in real DOS/9x. YMF724 would be probably a perfect and cheap solution for hardware XG. AFAIK they had a driver that made everything usable in DOS. If SB compatibility turns out to be too finicky it would be trivial to use some Creative ISA card for that.

Just got a great idea. I have some soundfonts lying around, which I can use to emulate many other sound cards using the AWE32/64.

I think I will place a bid on that AWE32 CT3980, since I don't see any benefit in buying a AWE64 Value for the same price.

I think proper XG playback for the YMF series starts with YMF724. But that is PCI based of course. It's very nice for playing back XG midi files in Win9x, and it has great SB compatibility when running DOS games and programs in Windows. At least if you have the proper drivers. Not sure about the generic DS-XG drivers. For my Waveforce 192XG card I use the drivers that came on the CD. The card is very nice for Windows 95 and 98, but I never had any luck when running native dos.
Too bad Yamaha stopped doing consumer grade sound cards, cause it was a really nice card. Easily comparable with SB Live! back in the days. I guess it was just a market that was hard to make a profit from.

I would just buy it, play with it and then sell it again once you are done with it. Just my 2 cents. Why make it hard when you can make it easy. 🤣

TwOne wrote:

Just got a great idea. I have some soundfonts lying around, which I can use to emulate many other sound cards using the AWE32/64.

I think I will place a bid on that AWE32 CT3980, since I don't see any benefit in buying a AWE64 Value for the same price.

That AWE32 has the advantage of SIMM upgradeable ram, which would let you load large sound fonts. The AWE64 either needs proprietary ram upgrade or SimmCON which adds to the cost.
From what I've read the AWE64 has less noisy outputs thanks to a shorter signal path. If this is noticeable with the value edition I don't really know. Never tried a genuine AWE32, let alone done any side-by-side comparisons.
I think the AWE32 will be an awesome card for most purposes though 😀

LunarG wrote:

That AWE32 has the advantage of SIMM upgradeable ram, which would let you load large sound fonts. The AWE64 either needs proprie […]
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TwOne wrote:

Just got a great idea. I have some soundfonts lying around, which I can use to emulate many other sound cards using the AWE32/64.

I think I will place a bid on that AWE32 CT3980, since I don't see any benefit in buying a AWE64 Value for the same price.

That AWE32 has the advantage of SIMM upgradeable ram, which would let you load large sound fonts. The AWE64 either needs proprietary ram upgrade or SimmCON which adds to the cost.
From what I've read the AWE64 has less noisy outputs thanks to a shorter signal path. If this is noticeable with the value edition I don't really know. Never tried a genuine AWE32, let alone done any side-by-side comparisons.
I think the AWE32 will be an awesome card for most purposes though 😀

I saw the AWE32 CT3980 was strictly "not sending"

I however did find a AWE64 Gold CT4390 that did appeal, but it didn't appear to have a upgrade installed.
I bet it would be great to have it seated in the same PC as a Creative Labs 3D Blaster Voodoo2 (CT6670).