VOGONS

Creative SB Pro vs SB 16 ASP

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First post, by aries-mu

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Hi there!

I noticed some arguments on the forum about the real usefulness (or "betterness"?) of an SB 16 over an SB Pro.

To give a contribution, I'd like to share a very relevant personal experience with everyone, and I look forward to hearing your comments.

My first sound card was a Creative Sound Blaster Pro, which I proudly installed in my 486 and used mainly for MS-DOS gaming, but also some Windows (3.1 / 3.11).

After a while, I got enough money to get a new sound card. I got another Creative Sound Blaster which, in my country, was called "16 ASP Multi-CD". I can't say exactly which model it is using numeric identification, but ASP meant "Advanced Signal Processor", I suspect in North America it's called DSP or something. And it had 3 CD-ROM IDE connectors if I recall.

I removed the SB Pro, installed the new one. Closed the computer. Connected. Same speakers, which is important.

Turned it on.

Tried the new card by doing the usual things I did (Windows logon theme, changed settings to some of my favorite games specifying the new card, etc.).

Guys, it was amazing! An impressive and greatly perceivable improvement of the sound quality! Well beyond my expectations.
I remember very well that my thoughts were something like: "Wow! Is it THAT better? I didn't expect this!".

In conclusion, based on my experience, I must say: go with the SB 16! 😉

[then, when the AWE32 and, later, the AWE64 were released, I always wondered how would it sound with those cards... but, by the time they were released (and I could have afforded it), the software environment (and my speakers) changed too much, so there was no basis for comparison anymore, I remain curious about that].

Any thoughts?

They said therefore to him: Who are you?
Jesus said to them: The beginning, who also speak unto you

Computers should be fun inside not outside! 😉 (by Joakim)

Reply 1 of 9, by Scali

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I think it depends a lot on what you're doing with it exactly.
For example, I upgraded from a Sound Blaster Pro 2 to a Gravis UltraSound MAX.
Sure, for 16-bit/44.1 kHz CD quality audio content, tracked music, etc, the GUS MAX sounded a lot better, because it was just all around a much higher quality card. Less noise, crisp sound, excellent frequency response etc.

However, when I played DOOM on the GUS MAX, the sound effects just sounded 'meh'. Apparently they were designed for the fat, grainy, low-pass filtered sound of an early Sound Blaster. On the GUS, the sounds were too bright and crisp, and it just didn't sound right.

http://scalibq.wordpress.com/just-keeping-it- … ro-programming/

Reply 2 of 9, by aries-mu

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Interesting points!
Unfortunately, I don't remember what games I tried when i replaced the card.... 🙁
I just remember the shock 🤣!

They said therefore to him: Who are you?
Jesus said to them: The beginning, who also speak unto you

Computers should be fun inside not outside! 😉 (by Joakim)

Reply 3 of 9, by firage

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They are just different products. The SB Pro has a filtered and bassy output, which serves games designed with Sound Blaster 1.0-2.0 & Pro 1-2 quite well.

The SB16's clearer sound is better with later material that's produced to more modern sound quality standards, and 16-bit mixing can have some real benefits. SB16's *don't* all have especially good analog quality, though. They can be noisier than SB Pro's, and they have bugs in their backwards compatibility as well as MIDI support.

My big-red-switch 486

Reply 4 of 9, by aries-mu

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firage wrote:

They are just different products. The SB Pro has a filtered and bassy output, which serves games designed with Sound Blaster 1.0-2.0 & Pro 1-2 quite well.
The SB16's clearer sound is better with later material that's produced to more modern sound quality standards, and 16-bit mixing can have some real benefits. SB16's *don't* all have especially good analog quality, though. They can be noisier than SB Pro's, and they have bugs in their backwards compatibility as well as MIDI support.

I see! What's exactly the analog stuff?

They said therefore to him: Who are you?
Jesus said to them: The beginning, who also speak unto you

Computers should be fun inside not outside! 😉 (by Joakim)

Reply 5 of 9, by firage

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General sound quality and isolation from noise going from digital to analog, mixing and amplification for output.

My big-red-switch 486

Reply 6 of 9, by aries-mu

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firage wrote:

General sound quality and isolation from noise going from digital to analog, mixing and amplification for output.

Thanks!!!

They said therefore to him: Who are you?
Jesus said to them: The beginning, who also speak unto you

Computers should be fun inside not outside! 😉 (by Joakim)

Reply 7 of 9, by aries-mu

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For the Moderator(s): My apologies, I didn't realize there's a SOUND section of the forum. Will you please move the thread there? Thanks so much!

They said therefore to him: Who are you?
Jesus said to them: The beginning, who also speak unto you

Computers should be fun inside not outside! 😉 (by Joakim)

Reply 8 of 9, by Stiletto

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Moved.

"I see a little silhouette-o of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you
do the Fandango!" - Queen

Stiletto

Reply 9 of 9, by aries-mu

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Stiletto wrote:

Moved.

Thanks!!

They said therefore to him: Who are you?
Jesus said to them: The beginning, who also speak unto you

Computers should be fun inside not outside! 😉 (by Joakim)

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