TURTLE BEACH / DAYTONA
S3 Sonic Vibes, 2MB EuPhonics patchset in RAM, 32 voices

The Daytona sports the S3 Sonic Vibes chipset, one of the first for PCI sound cards. This card loads either a 1MB or 2MB patchset into system RAM through its Windows control panel. Apparently, there is also a 4MB patchset, but this file did not come with my Daytona CD. I could not get the SB Pro legacy digital effects to work correctly, but I was able to get the card to output both GM and FM music. The GM music is below average in quality, with Tyrian being especially bad. I could not get the Descent setup program to recognize the MPU-401 from a Windows DOS box, but I could do so by restarting in MS-DOS mode. I'm including samples of FM synthesis because this card is relatively scarce. The output is very weak, so I had to compensate by increasing the recording level, introducing a little bit of noise. Overall, this is a flaky card that I cannot recommend for any reasons other than the historical. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/daytona-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/daytona-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/daytona-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/daytona-doom

Descent (FM) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/daytonafm-descent
Duke3D (FM) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/daytonafm-duke3d
Tyrian (FM) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/daytonafm-tyrian
Doom E1M1 (FM) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/daytonafm-doom

TURTLE BEACH / HOMAC DAUGHTERBOARD
Rockwell RWA030/035, 2MB ROM, 32 voices

This daughterboard was originally packaged with the Turtle Beach Pinnacle Project Studio. It features 4MB of Kurzweil samples compressed onto a 2MB ROM. For these recordings, it is hosted on a TB Vortex2 PCI card. The volume was very low at default settings on the Vortex2, so I used VORTMIX.EXE to raise the "master" and "video" (refers to DB) settings to "32," the maximum. A very nice synth overall, but it is not one that I would choose over a Roland or Yamaha at the same price. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/homac-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/homac-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/homac-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/homac-doom

ORCHID / SOUNDWAVE 32
ADSP2115, 1MB ROM, 24 voices

This odd duck of the early wavetable era is definitely for collectors only because its GM is one of the most unusual (and some would say worst) implementations in this roundup. The GM sounds like a cross between GM and FM, but not in a cool techno way like the Crystal CS9236. The Soundwave 32 is an interesting card nonetheless because its ROMs can be upgraded to a 2MB Innovision set, which supposedly sound superior to the original Orchid ROMs. The card's initialization program can load GM compatibility or MT-32 compatibility (no custom sounds, however). I have included a sample from Heart of China to demonstrate this feature. Unlike other cards with discrete MT-32 modes (e.g. Ensoniq Soundscape), the Soundwave 32 would not play any music in Gods in MT-32 mode. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/orchid-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/orchid-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/orchid-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/orchid-doom

Heart of China (MT-32) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/orchidmt32-hoc

LABWAY / LWHA151A00
YAMAHA YMF719B-S, OPL3-SAx soft synth, 32 voices

Labway was one of many OEMs using the Yamaha YMF719 chipset in its 16-bit SB Pro clones. I'm including the YMF719 in this thread because it is capable of running a soft synth as well as being plentiful and inexpensive. That is, there is no hardware wavetable on this card (no hardware synth and no patchset ROM). The install file from the Yamaha website identifies the card as an OPL3-SAx and loads an applet to the Control Panel that allows you to adjust the quality of the soft synth. You must run DOS games from a Windows DOS box in order to use the soft synth for GM music. The quality of the soft synth is slightly above average with some odd moments (the second half of Duke3D sounds like someone is plucking a harp). The soft synth is not as good as the YMF724 soft synth and not in the same league as the DB50XG / NEC XR385. It is not as loud as other synths in this thread, so I had to maximize the volume and increase the input level (done without excessive noise or clipping). If you play most of your DOS games from within Windows 98SE, for example, you can get real OPL3 digital audio and FM plus a good soft synth for a small investment. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ymf719-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ymf719-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ymf719-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ymf719-doom

LABWAY / A301-G50 (XWAVE 5000)
YAMAHA YMF724F-V, YMF724F-V with 2MB patchset in RAM, 64 voices (hardware assisted)

Once again, Labway produced a sound card that is more notable for the brand of the synth than for itself as an OEM brand. Cards using Yamaha's YMF7x4 chipset are a great option for those without an ISA slot and even for those with one. The wavetable quality is excellent, better than the OPL3-SAx soft synth. It uses a 2MB patchset that comes with Yamaha's install file. A third-party program, Power YMF, brings a 4MB patchset that supposedly improves the synth quality to close to the level of the DBXG50, but I cannot tell a difference between it and the stock 2MB patchset, especially for DOS games that do not take advatange of XG. The FM synth uses OPL3 technology (YMF289) embedded within the 7x4 chip. These 7x4 cards are still plentiful but are beginning to command a price of around $20, even for a loose card. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ymf724-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ymf724-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ymf724-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ymf724-doom

TURTLE BEACH / MULTISOUND PINNACLE (REV. D)
Kurzweil MA-1, 2MB ROM (4MB compressed), 32 voices

The Pinnacle may be the highest-quality board in this roundup. In its day, it was a professional-grade music production card and not a games card. Although it is an IRQ resource hog, it works for playing DOS games with GM music. Its Kurzweil MA-1 synth includes 4MB of samples compressed onto a 2MB ROM. Up to 48MB of RAM can be loaded onto the card for sample memory. The Pinnacle Project Studio includes the Turtle Beach HOMAC wavetable daughterboard (reviewed above) that adds another 32 voices of polyphony. Overall, the Kurzweil GM samples are excellent, rivaling those of Roland and Yamaha for quality. This card is usually not cheap when it turns up, but it is a lovely example of what the high-end of PC audio was like in the mid-to-late 1990s. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/pinnacle-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/pinnacle-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/pinnacle-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/pinnacle-doom

GUILLEMOT / MAXI SOUND GAME THEATER 64
Dream 9407, 4MB patchset in RAM, 64 voices

For all of the good things I've said about the Pinnacle, this Maxi Sound is probably my favorite ISA sound card of all. It uses the Dream 9407 synth and loads patches into its onboard 4MB RAM. Memory can be upgraded to 20MB with a single 72-pin SIMM. The quality of the GM music is excellent, quite similar to that of Dream's CleanWave patchsets. Windows usually assigns the Dream 9407 address 330, with the wavetable daughterboard at 320. This means that you can use two synths (e.g. save Doom GM to 320 and Duke3D GM to 330), a la Creative's AWE32 line--minus the bugs. FM synth is handled by the excellent ESS ES1868F, whose ESFM synth is described as an OPL3 "superset." x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/maxisound-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/maxisound-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/maxisound-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/maxisound-doom

SHARK MULTIMEDIA / PREDATOR 4D-PCI
Trident 4DWave-DX-1, 6MB patchset in RAM, 64 voices

The Trident 4DWave is one of the more obscure chipsets to grace early PCI sound cards. This is for good reason. The Shark Multimedia Predator is a typical OEM version of the card using the DX-1 revision. There appears to be a later NX revision, although the Predator's installation software recognizes the card as an NX (or perhaps there is only one driver). Although the specifications of the card seem promising--6MB GM patchset plus SBPro AND SB16 compatibility--their implementation is poor. The applet can load four different patchsets: 1MB, 1.5MB, 2MB, and 6MB. I used the 6MB for tests. The result is fair, but the Descent sample reveals that some instruments are just wrong; this was consistent across all patchsets. The FM synth is truly horrible and is not worth linking to. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/predator-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/predator-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/predator-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/predator-doom

ENSONIQ / SOUNDSCAPE S-2000
Ensoniq Otto/Sequoia, 2MB ROM, 32 voices

The S-2000 is the original Ensoniq Soundscape. It comes with the OTTO synth and a 2MB patchset ROM. The GM music from the Ensoniq is superior, in the first tier of cards in this roundup. There are no reverb or chorus options with this card, unlike the Soundscape II and Elite (which also revised the patchset ROM). You can intialize the S-2000 in MT-32 mode, and I have included samples from Gods and Heart of China for your evaluation (SSINIT volume is set to max of 127 for MT-32 emulation). The S-2000 should not be used for Sound Blaster FM emulation because it must approximate the sound from its wavetable samples, resulting in an unpleasant synth. Some games natively support Soundscape digital audio, which, when available, is better than SB16 digital audio. Playing a game like Descent with native support for Soundscape digital audio and its excellent GM music is a very fine gaming experience. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/soundscape-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/soundscape-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/soundscape-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/soundscape-doom

Gods (MT-32) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/soundscapemt32-gods
Heart of China (MT-32) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/soundscapemt32-hoc

TURTLE BEACH / TBS-2000
ICS WaveFront ICS2115V, 2MB ROM, 32 voices

Sticking with the "X-2000" naming scheme, we have the Turtle Beach TBS-2000 card. This all-in-one card boasts an impressive combo: OPL3 FM synth (YMF262-M) and an ICS WaveFront midi synth. This is the same synth that appears on the Turtle Beach Maui wavetable upgrade card and, unsurprisingly, GM music from the two cards is quite similar, if not identical. One big difference is that the TBS-2000 must load two TSRs: TBS2000 (112 bytes) and WFSURFER (38,304 bytes). It does not need EMM386, however. The card assigns different ports to its internal synth and its MPU-401. The controller/codec is the Crystal CS4232-KQ, which offers WSS compatibility as well. This is a very quiet card, both the volume and noise level. Although I had to increase the recording level, there was no additional noise on the line. I'm chalking this up to Turtle Beach's reputation for quality. Overall, this is a nice solution if you can deal with the size of the TSRs. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/tbs2000-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/tbs2000-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/tbs2000-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/tbs2000-doom

TURTLE BEACH / MONTEGO II
Aureal Vortex 2, 5MB patchset in RAM, 64 voices

The Turtle Beach Montego II features the excellent Aureal Vortex2 chipset. Advocates of Vortex2 cards tout the wavetable daughterboard header, a rarity among PCI sound cards. However, the Vortex2 is capable of native wavetable synthesis using a 5MB software patchset. The Aureal control panel applet allows you to set reverb/chorus, polyphony, and also load other patchsets (.ARL or .DLS format). This synth is recognized by DOS games only when they are launched from a Windows DOS box; however, the wavetable header works in pure DOS (TSR required but no EMM386). The synth is lower in quality than most and worse than that of the Vortex2's chief competitor, the Creative Labs Live! (reviewed later). Tyrian seems to suffer from its own "hanging note bug." Still, most enthusiasts own the Vortex2 for its A3D capability and not for its wavetable synth, which might do the job for a quick game now and then. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/montegoii-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/montegoii-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/montegoii-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/montegoii-doom

NEC / XR385
Yamaha XQ036A0, 4MB ROM, 32 voices

The NEC XR385 is a clone of the classic Yamaha DB60XG wavetable daughterboard. For the longest time, both the XR385 and DB60XG had eluded my grasp, until recently. Through the generosity of Vogons user badmojo, who sent this daughterboard to me as a gift (!), I now have this legendary synth in my collection. The Yamaha synth is truly unique and satisfying (compare the moody opening of Descent to the others). The XR385 has better balance than the softsynths of the YMF724 and YMF719, which are already very good. Once again, I used a Turtle Beach Montego II to host the daughterboard and tested from Windows DOS box. The XR385 goes alongside my Diamond Monster MIDI 4MB (Dream SAM9733 + "stolen" Roland patchset) as the class of my wavetable daughterboard collection. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/xr385-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/xr385-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/xr385-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/xr385-doom

REVEAL / SOUND FX WAVE (SC500)
Crystal CS9203, 1MB CS4112 ROM patchset, 32 voices

Reveal released multiple sound cards that are essentially clones of models from other OEMs such as Aztech (SC400) and Ensoniq (SC600). I've been unable to locate the "original" version of the SC500 and would welcome such information. The SC500 uses the Crystal CS9203 synth alongside the CS4112 patchset ROM. It is worth comparing this card to the Aopen AW32 Pro reviewed earlier that uses the CS9233 synth with the same patchset. Overall this is a high-quality wavetable solution, as I suspect that like the one on the AW32 Pro, the patchset may predate the Dream CleanWave patchsets and therefore consist of Roland samples. This card also has a YMF262-M for OPL3 FM synth. The only problem was some corruption in Tyrian; I was able to replicate this error across multiple processors and therefore believe it to be a problem between this card and the ever-fickle Tyrian. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/sc500-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/sc500-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/sc500-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/sc500-doom

SERDACO / DREAMBLASTER S1 2017 EDITION
Dream SAM2195, 512KB ROM, 64 voices

Serdaco's DreamBlaster filled a longstanding need when it appeared in 2014: an affordable wavetable daughterboard for retro PCs. This tiny daughterboard uses Dream's SAM2195 and achieves its unique sound through a combination of wavetable and FM synth. Overall, the synth is bright and pleasant, with a more techno than classic sound. Tyrian sounds quite nice on it, although the percussion in Descent is unbalanced. Combined with some additional hardware from Serdaco, the S1 can be converted into a compact external MIDI module. The S1 is now in its final edition (on a good-looking black PCB) and sells for 30 euro. It is a good choice for those looking for a nice upgrade from FM synth without hunting down a used and expensive premium wavetable daughterboard. The S1 was hosted on a Turtle Beach Montego II with games run from a Windows DOS box. Master volume and MPU-401 volume were at maximum. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/dbs1-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/dbs1-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/dbs1-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/dbs1-doom

SERDACO / DREAMBLASTER X2
Dream SAM5000, 64MB Flash RAM, 81 voices

The latest wavetable daughterboard from Serdaco is the DreamBlaster X2, released in December 2016. The X2 follows the discontinued X1 and still-available (for now) S1 models. Equipped with 64MB of flash memory, the X2 can be loaded with different patchsets via USB connection. It comes pre-loaded with the 16MB CleanWave128 patchset. An 8MB CleanWave patchset is already available for download, and we can expect custom patchsets to follow. When connected via USB, the X2 is natively recognized as a MIDI device by Windows XP (and up). I found the quality of the synth to be between good and excellent, depending on the game. Descent and Tyrian sound crisp and lively, while Duke3D and Doom sound a bit muddy and not as punchy as they do through other expensive synths. If the X2 were not able to be updated with new patchsets, I might hesitate to pick one up at 75 euro. However, I'm encouraged by the possibilities of a synth that grows with the commitment and innovation of the community. Volume settings were the same as the S1 above. x

UPDATE: Serge, the inventor of the DreamBlaster series, informed me that the "muddy" sound of Doom has to do with the default reverb/chorus. These settings can be adjusted using the preset editor. I tested with default settings, but I will update this thread once I have a chance to use the editor.

UPDATE 1/8/17: I finally had a chance to use X2UPLOAD to change the presets. I have replaced the old samples with new ones using the "NoEqNoEffect" preset, which should result in a very dry sound. When I have time, I will add samples using the Default preset (the old samples were a little "hot" and had some clipping).

UPDATE 1/8/17: Serge recommended that I try the "Serdaco_LessIsMore" preset, which is not quite as "wet" as the default preset but also not as dry as the "NoEqNoEffect" preset. I present the results for your listening pleasure. I prefer both of these presets to the default preset and think that there is tremendous value in the X2 with all of the tweaking possibilities and future patchsets, not to mention the community involvement and a responsive Serdaco.

Descent (NoEqNoEffect preset) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/dbx2_no … oeffect-descent
Duke3D (NoEqNoEffect preset) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/dbx2_no … noeffect-duke3d
Tyrian (NoEqNoEffect preset) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/dbx2_no … noeffect-tyrian
Doom (NoEqNoEffect preset) E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/dbx2_noeqnoeffect-doom

Descent (Serdaco_LessIsMore preset) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/dbx2_se … sismore-descent
Duke3D (Serdaco_LessIsMore preset) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/dbx2_se … ssismore-duke3d
Tyrian (Serdaco_LessIsMore preset) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/dbx2_se … ssismore-tyrian
Doom (Serdaco_LessIsMore preset) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/dbx2_se … lessismore-doom

ENSONIQ / SOUNDSCAPE OPUS
ENSONIQ OPUS, 1MB ROM, 32 voices

Unlike its brother, the Soundscape VIVO, reviewed above, the Opus is difficult to find. It was offered only as an OEM card in Gateway systems (hence the "Cow" chip). Its wavetable sounds very similar to that of the VIVO. However, the Opus does not need EMM386 to work as a DOS card, making it much more desirable than the VIVO. You can tell that the components of this card (such as PCB thickness) are of much higher quality than those of the others in this thread so far. Although its sound is still inferior to that of the premium Soundscapes, it is still better than most of its class, making the card a good buy if you can find it for $20 or so. Like other Soundscapes, the Opus has a discrete MT-32 mode that offers passable quality for those games not requiring custom patches. The Opus chipset is also found on a modem/sound card combo called the NEC Harmony, which is usually priced quite inexpensively, although I haven't tested it and can't vouch for its suitability as a wavetable card. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/opus-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/opus-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/opus-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/opus-doom

Gods (MT-32) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/opusmt32-gods
Heart of China (MT-32) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/opusmt32-hoc

ADMOS / ADWAVE32S DB REV 2.0
QDSP QS1000, 512KB ROM, 32 voices

This is a budget wavetable DB that uses the same AdMOS QDSP QS1000 synth onboard the WaveMaster 64FGP. This DB is often found attached with a Diamond Monster Sound M80 PCI card, and there is a sticker on the back of it identifying it as "MON SND WVTBL CRD 0.5MB." I attached it to my Turtle Beach Vortex2 PCI card and recorded from a Windows DOS box. This card sounds quite good paired with the Vortex2, arguably better than the Wavemaster 64FGP, which uses the same synth and patchset. This card shows up with some regularity on eBay and isn't a bad buy for $25. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/adwave32s-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/adwave32s-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/adwave32s-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/adwave32s-doom

TURTLE BEACH / MAUI
ICS WaveFront ICS2115V, 2MB ROM, 32 voices

The Turtle Beach Maui uses the ICS2115V synth and a 2MB patch set. The Maui is a wavetable upgrade card only and does not have any digital audio capability. The wavetable is perhaps a little better than that of most of the cards reviewed to this point, and the Maui has the potential to load up to 8MB of patches. Like its predecessor, the TBS-2000, the Maui seems to have a high level of reverb by default, as evidenced by the very prominent "siren" sound in the Descent sample at 0:20. There is a brief moment of corruption at the end of the Tyrian intro, but I credit this abnormality--once again--to the application rather than the card. The ICS synth appears on the Turtle Beach Rio daughterboard as well as the TBS-2000. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/maui-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/maui-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/maui-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/maui-doom

CREATIVE LABS / SOUND BLASTER 32 CT3930
CREATIVE EMU8K, 1MB ROM, 32 voices

The Creative Labs Sound Blaster 32 CT3930 uses the EMU8K synth found on AWE32 and AWE64 cards, but it has two DRAM sockets that can hold up to 32MB RAM (28MB RAM usable) for loading soundfonts in Windows. There is a YMF262-M for OPL3. It uses the Vibra 16 chipset (CT2501-TDQ). I used the AWE32 control panel to turn off reverb and chorus and to set neutral bass and treble. The EMU8K was on the lower end of quality among the synths in this roundup, similar to the AdMOS QS1000. Descent and Doom beeped and booped their way through their respective tracks. A non-PNP card, the CT3930 is an alternative to pricier non-PNP AWE32 cards with OPL3 (CT2760 and CT3900). I prefer it to the AWE64 because of the ability to load large soundfonts in Windows. Although it still has the hanging-note bug (DSP 4.13), I don't believe that this bug affects GM played via soundfont. The second set of samples uses a 25MB "Roland SC-55" soundfont. I think it sounds good, but some of the instruments were off in Doom. I paid $20 for the CT3930 and about $20 for 32MB RAM, so $40 for this versatile combo is not a bad MIDI solution. The output from this card was not as strong as others, so I had to increase the input level on the recording computer, thereby introducing a tiny bit of noise. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ct3930-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ct3930-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ct3930-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ct3930-doom

Descent (SF2) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ct3930sf-descent
Duke3D (SF2) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ct3930sf-duke3d
Tyrian (SF2) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ct3930sf-tyrian
Doom E1M1 (SF2) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ct3930sf-doom

SIC RESOURCE / SUPER SOUND ORIGINS 32W-3D
OPTi 82C941 (AdMOS QDSP QS700), 1MB, 32 voices

The Super Sound Origins 32W-3D by SIC Resource uses the OPTi 925 chipset and what appears to be an OPTi 82C941 synth. However, this synth is just a rebranded AdMOS QDSP QS700 (it even says QDSP on it). Thus, the music from this card is very similar to that of the Silicom Wavemaster 32FGP profiled above (which uses an OPTi 924 chipset). Same QDSP patch set. Not much to say about this card other than it uses OPTi's OPL3 clone instead of real OPL3 (as found on the Silicom Wavemaster 32FGP). x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/opt32w3d-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/opt32w3d-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/opt32w3d-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/opt32w3d-doom

BEHAVIOR TECH / BTC 1855
ESS ES690F, 1MB ROM, 32 voices

The BTC 1855 uses the popular ESS ES1868F controller for Sound Blaster compatibility but combines it with the less-common ES690F wavetable synth and ES981P ROM patchset, which I'm guessing is 1MB in size. ESS fanboys should seek out this card. The GM music is above average and noticeably different from that of other generic OEM cards featuring Crystal or AdMOS patchsets. The percussion sounds especially punchy to me in Duke3D and Doom. There is only a speaker out jack on this card, so I'm not sure if the output is amplified or not. There was no noise typical of amplified output, however. Overall, I'm very happy to have this card in my collection for its excellent ESS FM and digital audio alongside a fine and unusual wavetable. This card does not require a TSR. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ess-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ess-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ess-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/ess-doom

DIAMOND MULTIMEDIA / MONSTER MIDI
DREAM SAM9733, 4MB ROM, 64 voices

The Diamond Monster Midi is a premium daughterboard featuring the Dream SAM9733 synth and a 4MB patchset ROM. In all likelihood, the instrument samples in the patchset come from Roland. The GM music is usually well-balanced except for a really loud low-level bass in Descent and Tyrian. The recording meter rarely exceeded -6dB, so there was no clipping. A Turtle Beach Montego II hosted the daughterboard with all reverb and chorus effects turned off. I replicated this sound on a YMF719. Only when I used a pair of quality headphones did I not hear distortion from the bass. If you like thumping bass, this is the daughterboard for you. It is occasionally paired with a Diamond Monster Sound PCI sound card (MX200 or MX300) and can sometimes be snapped up at a bargain from sellers selling the two as a unit. Otherwise, when offered as a standalone item, it almost always commands over $100 from knowledgeable sellers. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/diamond-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/diamond-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/diamond-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/diamond-doom

PROCOMP INFORMATICS / PRO-MULTIMEDIA REV 4.0
SEC KS0164, 1MB ROM, 32 voices

I was having a hard time deciding whether or not I liked the Procomp Pro-Multimedia Rev 4.0, but at this point in the round-up, anything different is good. The synth and patchset are new to my collection: the SEC KS0164 and Samsung KS0174-1M01. This combo is used on the Pine Vivaldi wavetable daughterboard (PT-202A). I had no trouble configuring this card and could use pretty much the same setup that I had used for the Silicom WaveMaster 64FGP, which also uses the OPTi 82C931 controller/codec. The Descent music is fairly unpleasant, but I liked how different Tyrian sounded, as well as Doom. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/procomp-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/procomp-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/procomp-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/procomp-doom

CREATIVE LABS / AWE64 GOLD CT4390
EMU8000, 1MB ROM, 32 voices

No round-up would be complete without the AWE64 Gold from Creative Labs. It pairs the EMU8000 synth (also found in the SB32, AWE32, and Goldfinch cards) with the EMU8011 1MB ROM patchset. Reverb and chorus were kept at full, the default level at installation. The AWE64 Gold's GM music is quite different from that of the SB32 CT3930 (see above), which did not have reverb and chorus effects. I have included samples of the card's FM synth, which uses Creative's proprietary CQM technology instead of Yamaha's OPL3. The AWE64 Gold can apply reverb and chorus to its FM synth, a very nice feature. This card has 4MB of onboard RAM for loading soundfonts in Windows, and some of these are of superior quality to the EMU8011 patchset. Overall, the AWE64 Gold is a nice card, very quiet, and aesthetically pleasing. I can't say that the GM music is much better than what you would find from some value cards, and the better soundfonts are usually much larger than 4MB (see the 25MB soundfont loaded onto the SB32 CT3930). A card with an AdMOS wavetable and a real OPL3 or another Creative card like the SB32 CT3930 might be better buys than the AWE64 Gold, which now commands a price tag of $50 and up. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/awe64g-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/awe64g-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/awe64g-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/awe64g-doom

Descent (FM) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/awe64gfm-descent
Duke3D (FM) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/awe64gfm-duke3d
Tyrian (FM) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/awe64gfm-tyrian
Doom E1M1 (FM) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/awe64gfm-doom

ADVANCED GRAVIS / ULTRASOUND ACE
GRAVIS GF1, up to 1MB patchset in onboard RAM, 32 voices

This card is a sentimental favorite. I bought this card at retail to supplement a SB 2.0, and I still have the original packaging. I upgraded the onboard RAM to a full 1MB. I used it only for games and not demoscene music back in the day. Its wavetable is a mixed bag. For some games such as the Epic titles, the GUS was the only option for sample-based synthesis. The music for One Must Fall and Jazz Jackrabbit are a terrific upgrade to FM synth, and I have included samples here. But Descent just sounds wrong, as if one of the instruments were not mapped properly. I had to load ULTRAMID to get Tyrian to work. The GUS--and this ACE in particular--will always be one of my favorite wavetable cards, but its performance cannot justify its price tag unless you need absolutely wavetable for your Epic games. A cheap AdMOS or Crystal card provides similar performance at a fraction of the cost. x

UPDATE: Not long ago, I learned about Pro Patches Lite (PPL) but never had a chance to try it out. PPL is a set of replacement patches for the stock GUS patches. There are 248 replacement patches (about 80% of all patches) taken from a variety of patchsets, including those from Roland, Turtle Beach, Kurzweil, Yamaha, EMU, and others. I think that the sound of the PPL patchset is superior to that of the stock GUS patchset (for one, it is a lot louder--I had to reduce the volume significantly for some games). Duke3D and Tyrian sound a lot better to my ears, and Doom sounds much "dirtier." Descent refused to load. OMF and Jazz sounded almost the same (perhaps they use the same patches), so I did not add those samples. I believe that PPL works best with cards that have been upgraded to a full 1MB (Classic and ACE). I think PPL was a revelation back in 1996, but some retro enthusiasts may prefer the "original" sound of the GUS because they can get a sound similar to PPL from their other MIDI hardware.

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/gusace-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/gusace-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/gusace-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/gusace-doom

One Must Fall https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/gusace-omf
Jazz Jackrabbit https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/gusace-jazz

Descent (PPL) DNP
Duke3D (PPL) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/gusaceppl-duke3d
Tyrian (PPL) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/gusaceppl-tyrian
Doom (PPL) E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/gusaceppl-doom

CREATIVE MUSIC LAB / CREATIVE MUSIC SYSTEM CT-1300A
CT1302, PHILIPS SAA-1099 (x2), 12 voices

When Creative Labs was still known as Creative Music Lab, it brought out the Creative Music System (CMS) to compete with the likes of Adlib in the FM synth game. This card was later rebranded as the Game Blaster and sold at Radio Shack (it is labeled either CT-1300A or CT-1300B). I was lucky enough to snag my example complete in the box, with one exception: the volume knob. But the pot still works with a pair of pliers. There aren't a lot of games that natively support the CMS, so I made samples of what was already available on my HDD. x

Quest for Glory 1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/cms-quest1
Quest for Glory 2 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/cms-quest2
Silpheed https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/cms-silpheed

CREATIVE LABS / SOUND BLASTER LIVE! SB0060P
CREATIVE EMU10K1, 8MB E-Mu patchset in system RAM, 64 voices

Twelve years after the CMS, Creative released the Sound Blaster Live! Platinum. I have a love/hate relationship with this model in general. Because there were so many versions of the Live!, both retail and OEM, it can be frustrating to locate the appropriate installation package for any loose cards. When I use this card, I use only those that come with their original install CD. This particular example, the SB0060P, came new in box. It installed perfectly on my SE440BX-2 system, but Live! cards can have problems with other chipsets such as VIA 686B for Socket A. When this card works as it should, it is very good. The GM comes from an 8MB Ensoniq patchset (there are also 4MB and 2MB patchsets). The GM music is above average, and the Live! produces the cleanest, brightest sound of any of the PCI cards I tested. The wavetable is superior to that of the Turtle Beach Montego II (Aureal Vortex2), Turtle Beach Daytona (S3 Sonic Vibes), and Shark Predator (Trident 4DWave), all reviewed earlier. The YMF7x4 music may be a little better. Using this card in DOS requires EMM386. If you have a chance to pick up a retail version of the Live! (such as the SB0060) with its install CD for a low price, it can be a fine solution for playing the occasional later DOS game with GM on your 98SE box. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/sblive-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/sblive-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/sblive-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/sblive-doom

REVEAL / SOUNDFX WAVE 32
Ensoniq Otto/Sequoia, 2MB ROM, 32 voices

The Reveal SoundFX Wave 32 (also known as the SC600) is a near clone of the Ensoniq S-2000. I say "near" because the board layout is different from the S-2000 I own, with one very conspicuous difference: a rectangular IC near the top of the card, close to the slot cover. I've read on Vogons that this IC may introduce a "tone" control to the Soundscape, but I haven't had a chance to investigate further. (I will start a thread on this unusual Soundscape variant in the near future.) The samples from the SC600 do sound a little different to me compared to those from the S-2000, so the codefile (SNDSCAPE.COD) that is uploaded to the Motorola processor may add different effects. I prefer the sound of the SC600 to that of the stock S-2000. For example, to my ears, the rhythm electric guitar sounds better at the start of Doom. I purchased this card new in box. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/sc600-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/sc600-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/sc600-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/sc600-doom

Gods (MT-32) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/sc600mt32-gods

COMPAQ / BUSINESS WAVETABLE SOUND CARD
ESS ES692S, 1MB ROM, 32 voices

This OEM card is a viable option for those looking for an inexpensive ISA sound card with good Sound Blaster Pro 2.0 compatibility, excellent FM synth, and a good General Midi wavetable. I'm not sure what makes this card a "Business" card, but that probably had something to do with a small cache of these appearing on eBay recently. It features the ESS AudioDrive ES1869F controller/codec with ESFM synth that is very close in quality to that of Yamaha's OPL3 FM synth. The ES692S is an uncommon synth that is embedded with a 1MB ROM patchset. Overall, the samples were good to very good, the only trouble occuring with Tyrian, which exhibited a "hanging note" bug similar to the one exhibited by the Vortex2. As expected, the GM music is very similar to the BTC 1855 reviewed earlier with the ES690F synth and discrete patchset. At $10 or less, this card is a real bargain. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/compaq-descent
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/compaq-duke3d
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/compaq-tyrian
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/compaq-doom

ROLAND / SCC-1
ROLAND R15239148, 4MB ROM, 24 voices

At long last I have acquired the reference card for PC wavetable sound. The SCC-1 is basically the original SC-55 Sound Canvas external module on an 8-bit ISA card. Its MPU-401 interface operates in intelligent mode. This model is the original SCC-1; an updated version, the SCC-1A, is the equivalent of the enhanced SC-55mkII module. All of the samples sound perfect, which is no coincidence since game designers (such as those working on Doom) used the SCC-1 as their reference. The only issue with these samples is some clipping on Descent, which is much louder than the other samples. I couldn't reduce the volume on the setup page and couldn't lower the level going into Audacity. I also included a clip from Gods, which tests the card's ability to emulate the LAPC-I/MT-32 synth. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/descent-scc1
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/duke3d-scc1
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/tyrian-scc1
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/doom-scc1

Gods (MT-32 mode) https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/gods-scc1mt32

STB / SOUNDRAGE 32
AMD INTERWAVE AM78C201, 1MB ROM, 32 voices

The STB Soundrage 32 is one of many PNP cards based on the AMD Interwave synth. It is one of the lower-end cards featuring this synth, with 2MB samples compressed onto a 1MB ROM. The InterWave is best known as the synth for the Gravis UltraSound PNP line. The installation disks load an applet into the Control Panel that allows you to configure basic settings, including switching effects on and off. The applet also allows you to select the size (1MB or 4MB) and type (ROM or RAM) of the patchset, although I could load only the 1MB ROM option. The install also creates an Interwave folder with a shortcut to an MS-DOS prompt that loads the DOS drivers for the card. It worked fine for the four games below. The sound is quite different from most of the other cards in this roundup, with a more "electronic"-sounding synth. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/descent-soundrage
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/duke3d-soundrage
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/tyrian-soundrage
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/doom-soundrage

AZTECH / WAVERIDER PRO 32-3D
AZTECH AZT2320 + SAMSUNG KS0164, 1MB ROM, 32 voices

I'm not positive that Aztech is the OEM of this card, but Waverider is Aztech's name for its line of wavetable cards. This one uses the Samsung KS0164 synth paired with a 1MB ROM. This is the same combination used by the Procomp Pro-Multimedia Rev. 4.0 reviewed earlier, and the music is obviously quite similar. This was a difficult card to get working, even with the original driver disks. Windows 98SE recognizes the card natively as a Waverider, but I couldn't get DOS games to access the MIDI. After downloading some drivers for the AZT2320, and loading them on top of those from the driver disks, I was finally able to get wavetable music from DOS games in a Windows DOS box. There's a seller on eBay with a lot of these for about $40, which, even new, is too high for what you get. x

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/descent-waverider
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/duke3d-waverider
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/tyrian-waverider
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-306991531/doom-waverider

TURTLE BEACH / MULTISOUND CLASSIC
E-MU PROTEUS 1/XR, 4MB ROM, 32 VOICES

The Turtle Beach MultiSound (later dubbed the MultiSound Classic after Turtle Beach added other cards to the line) is one of my favorite cards even though it isn't meant to be used for DOS games. Intended for use with Windows 3.1 (or 3.0 with MME), it was the first ultra-premium sound card for the PC, originally selling for $999 in 1992. Its superb wavetable is on par with Roland and Yamaha quality, in my opinion. The MultiSound is capable of digital effects, although it is not Sound Blaster compatible, and it lacks an MPU-401. As such, when playing games, it can be used for music and speech in Windows 3.1 versions of titles such as Space Quest IV and King's Quest V (MPC-compliant). There are two versions of this card, the Rev. 01 and Rev. 02 (pictured). I have both but used the Rev. 02 (the more common one) for the recordings. Because I could not record directly from the DOS game, I used Windows 3.1's Media Player with .mid files using the MultiSound's default patchset. I'm not sure what's wrong with Descent, but it's possible that one of the drums is mapped incorrectly in the default configuration.

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-622281062/descent-multisound
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-622281062/duke3d-multisound
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-622281062/tyrian-multisound
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-622281062/doom-multisound

PROMETHEUS / ARIA 16
SIERRA SC18005CQ, 512KB ROM, 32 VOICES

The Prometheus Aria is one of the rarer wavetable cards in this roundup and one that I'm glad to finally add to my collection. A handful of OEMs made soundcards with the Aria chipset, the best known being the Diamond Sonic Sound. I believe that my card was manufactured by Prometheus itself. Some cards included jumpers, and some included a SCSI interface. Some included a 1MB ROM while others, like mine, made do with 512KB. The Aria tried to stake a claim in a crowded market for sound chips in the early 1990s, managing to get some software titles to include native support. Those games with native support (TES: Arena, Lords of the Realm, Terminal Velocity, among others) sound quite good. The Aria can emulate a Sound Blaster but doing so is not recommended. The card lacks a hardware MIDI interpreter, so its wavetable cannot be accessed like other GM-capable cards: a game must include native support for the card. Therefore, the samples below are not recorded in-game, which is usually my preference. Instead, I played .MID files from Windows 3.1's Media Player after installing the Aria's Windows drivers. That's why some of the samples are slightly different from the others in this thread (especially Descent and Tyrian). Overall, the quality is on par with other 512KB wavetables, but it's nice to have one that comes from a source other than the usual suspects--AdMOS, Dream, Creative/E-MU, Yamaha, and Roland.

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-622281062/descent-aria
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-622281062/duke3d-aria
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-622281062/tyrian-aria
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-622281062/doom-aria

CREATIVE LABS / SOUND BLASTER LIVE! CT4830
CREATIVE EMU10K1, 47MB SC-55 PATCHSET (@PATCH93) IN SYSTEM RAM, 64 VOICES

I'm returning to the Creative Sound Blaster Live! because of a new method developed by Vogons user Joseph_Joestar in this thread: Guide: Installing Windows 9x and DOS drivers on Sound Blaster Live! cards (version 3.1). It allows you to use Audigy 2 ZS drivers with a Live! card. The benefit is that you can use VxD drivers and large soundfonts when launching DOS games from Windows. Joseph_Joestar includes a link in his thread to a 47MB soundfont based on the Roland SC-55 created by a user known as Patch93. To my ears, this is a superior soundfont and in the upper-tier of the wavetables reviewed in this thread. For those looking for an inexpensive way to get high-quality wavetable PLUS Sound Blaster 16 compatibility, it's hard to beat this solution. Pair a cheap Live! card like the CT4830 I tested here with an ISA card with Sound Blaster Pro compatibility and a genuine OPL3, and you have a powerful and flexible solution for playing DOS games once the resources are properly allocated. This has been tested on a 5.1 version (SB0100) and a Value version (CT4830).

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-622281062/descent-sblivepatch93
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-622281062/duke3d-sblivepatch93
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-622281062/tyrian-sblivepatch93
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-622281062/doom-sblivepatch93

CREATIVE LABS / WAVE BLASTER
OKI E-MU IC404 REV. A, 4MB ROM, 32 VOICES

This is a wavetable that I've been after for a long time. Unless you get really lucky (I didn't), this daughterboard will command a premium price. Its patchset is different from the Wave Blaster II CT1910 reviewed above, and I like it quite a lot more. I recorded off an AWE32 CT2760 via speaker out using the internal amp because increasing the line out recording level introduced too much noise. I believe that this GM patchset is unique to this card, although the E-MU IC404 descends from the E-MU Proteus in the Turtle Beach Multisound Classic. Comparison is not exact because I had to record from .MID files for the Multisound and in game for the Wave Blaster, so Doom might be best example to use for this. The sound is a little muddy overall, so I'd like to re-record at another time using a sound card other than the CT2760 as host.

Descent https://soundcloud.com/user-622281062/descent-ct1900
Duke3D https://soundcloud.com/user-622281062/duke3d-ct1900
Tyrian https://soundcloud.com/user-622281062/tyrian-ct1900
Doom E1M1 https://soundcloud.com/user-622281062/doom-ct1900

Great thread this, thanks for your efforts. I have a thing for these all in one cards, and find the whole GM thing quite fascinating - so many interpretations of the same song depending on the capabilities of the hardware. And for all the effort went into developing the large range of GM chipsets out there, along came redbook and bam! See ya later wavetable.

boxpressed wrote:

Overall, however, I think that the Crystal CS9233 synth and 1MB patch set are pretty good, especially for a budget card. I certainly like it more than the EMU8K. This wavetable set appears on some daughterboards as well.

I have this chipset on both a wavetable card and onboard an aopen card, and yep I think it's pretty good too. It's pretty balanced and its sound has a bit of energy about it.

Thanks, badmojo. If it isn't apparent already, the most fun I have with this hobby is not playing the games themselves but experimenting with old hardware that I had never heard of or couldn't afford back in the day.

I suspect that these all-in-one cards get overlooked when it comes to the "definitive" DOS-era sound card. Of course, Sound Blasters dominate discussion, and a card like the AWE64 gets a lot of attention despite having medicore wavetable from the EMU8K and the capacity for small soundfonts at best. And the ESS AudioDrive makes for fine DOS cards too, but looking at their unpopulated PCB is, to me, as depressing as looking at a clear-cut forest. You usually still need a Dreamblaster or some other wavetable solution.

What I'd like to find out is what are the best controller and codec to go along with a decent wavetable synth like the CS9233. Then, if you can find one with an OPL3, you have a really nice all-in-one. At the very least, this hunt is another thing that makes retrocomputing collecting fun.

I love the sound samples, keep them up. 😀 It's great to not only hear these uncommon wavetables, but to see a pic of the card at the same time. Thanks, boxpressed!

Really cool to hear how much variation there is with these.

I have an Ensoniq VIVO-90DB and didn't realize it had built in wavetable MIDI. These seem to be pretty easy to find (got mine out of an old Pentium MMX Gateway 2000), and the quality of the Wavetable music sounds decent. How do you actually use the wavetable portion of a card like this, and is it possible to easily switch between it and an MPU401 device connected to the gameport?

Depending on ease of use and DOS compatibility, these could be decent cards for people looking for a cheap DOS gaming card that will give them decent GM support without requiring any external modules or daughterboards.

Thanks, clueless1 and Ozzuneoj. Check out this thread on Soundscape cards. My link takes you to my post on the VIVO, but the whole thread is worth reading: Re: Ensoniq Soundscape resources (manuals, files, links, help)

There's a rumor that the MPU-401 on the VIVO can do intelligent mode. I myself haven't tested it. I seem to recall from the SSINIT program that there is a check box for MT-32, but I haven't experimented with it (it doesn't appear on the Opus' SSINIT).

In the thread linked to above, I uploaded a directory that you can copy directly to a DOS directory named SNDSCAPE. From there, you just tweak the configuration file (CFG or INI) in a text editor, or you can use the config program.

The VIVO is indeed an intriguing card. There are examples for sale on eBay right now for less than $10 before shipping.

boxpressed wrote:

There's a rumor that the MPU-401 on the VIVO can do intelligent mode. I myself haven't tested it. I seem to recall from the SSINIT program that there is a check box for MT-32, but I haven't experimented with it (it doesn't appear on the Opus' SSINIT).

I bought a Soundscape once based on that rumour, but it didn't pass the Gateway test. My understanding is that it goes beyond your standard soundcard MPU401 (what are they called again? UART?) in that it reponds to some of the 'intelligent' requests, but it's still not enough for some games.

One correction: The OPTi card with QDSP wavetable has 1MB ROM.

Keep up the good work, highly appreciated!

FGB wrote:

One correction: The OPTi card with QDSP wavetable has 1MB ROM.

Keep up the good work, highly appreciated!

Oh, thank you. Do you mean the WaveMaster 64FGP or the WaveMaster 32FGP or both? Both have the Opti chipset and QDSP synth. I compared the cards to the daughterboards on this site to determine the ROM size, but this site could be wrong: http://members.home.nl/c.kersten/

Hi,
I'm referring to the one with 2 ROM chips. These cards were made for several bog trade companies like Trust or Typhoon.
On the Trust website it says 1MB ROM in the specs and this sounds reasonable to me:

http://www.trust.com/de/product/09245-sound-e … luxe-wave-32-3d

Best regards
Fabain

boxpressed wrote:

What I'd like to find out is what are the best controller and codec to go along with a decent wavetable synth like the CS9233. Then, if you can find one with an OPL3, you have a really nice all-in-one. At the very least, this hunt is another thing that makes retrocomputing collecting fun.

The CS9233 is a nice synthesizer chip indeed. It actually can function as an OPL3 like 4-operator FM sythesizer too, though it sounds way different. So when a manufacturer designed a card with CS9233 they had no need to buy a separate OPL chip (unfortunately). An example of this is the Terratec Maestro 32/96.

I suspect it was meant to work with CS4232 codec chips, much like the CS 3D effects chip with the abysmal FM clone.

gdjacobs wrote:

I suspect it was meant to work with CS4232 codec chips, much like the CS 3D effects chip with the abysmal FM clone.

Yeah. There was some kind of cooperation between Crystal Semiconductor (Cirrus Logic) and Dream France. Because some of those chips are marked CS9233 and others are SAM9233, but they are the same.

I read somewhere that CS4235 controllers had a malfunctioning OPL clone, while the CS4236 and CS4237 should be better in that regard. (Did I remember correctly it was the 4235?...)

gerwin wrote:

Yeah. There was some kind of cooperation between Crystal Semiconductor (Cirrus Logic) and Dream France. Because some of those chips are marked CS9233 and others are SAM9233, but they are the same.

I read somewhere that CS4235 controllers had a malfunctioning OPL clone, while the CS4236 and CS4237 should be better in that regard. (Did I remember correctly it was the 4235?...)

Yes, I understand the CS4235 was extra special awful where the Crystal Semi FM clone is ordinarily awful.

Added the AdMOS Adwave32S daughterboard.

EDIT 11/27/16: Re-tested with the Turtle Beach Vortex2, and the results were much better than they were with the SB16 CT2230. I will test all daughterboards with the Vortex2 now.