See here for Sound Blaster AWE32 / AWE64 options. Not everything is perfectly correct, but really really close.
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2012/07/s … 64-options.html

Here for the Sound Blaster 16 models:
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2012/07/s … ibulations.html

More about the whole ISA Sound Blaster line:
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2010/06/i … d-blasters.html

There are about 5 revisions of the Sound Blaster Pro 2.0 alone.

That second 3990 looks like somebody removed the ASP chip.... weird. Probably to use it in a Sound Blaster 16.

cyclone3d wrote on 2020-02-25, 05:36:

See here for Sound Blaster AWE32 / AWE64 options. Not everything is perfectly correct, but really really close. http://nerdlyple […]
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See here for Sound Blaster AWE32 / AWE64 options. Not everything is perfectly correct, but really really close.
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2012/07/s … 64-options.html

Here for the Sound Blaster 16 models:
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2012/07/s … ibulations.html

More about the whole ISA Sound Blaster line:
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2010/06/i … d-blasters.html

There are about 5 revisions of the Sound Blaster Pro 2.0 alone.

That second 3990 looks like somebody removed the ASP chip.... weird. Probably to use it in a Sound Blaster 16.

Yeah, its curious. I've seen multiple CT3990s that reflect both layouts.

I am aware that the CT2760 had multiple revisions. I have the Rev3 CT2760, but i have yet to see any documentation about the CT3990 and possible revisions.

How are the two CT3990s different? One has ASP and the other doesn't. Isn't the layout identical?

The second example is silly. Those are two cards from different manufacturers. The only thing they have in common is they both use a Yamaha chip. The first one is a Labway, and the second is probably some generic Chinese crap.

yeah, the examples aren't exactly good, but the topic still stands, from another thread I noticed there are distinctly different revisions of the CT4500 for example, with different resistor placements and the like.

Anonymous Coward wrote on 2020-02-25, 08:36:

How are the two CT3990s different? One has ASP and the other doesn't. Isn't the layout identical?

The second example is silly. Those are two cards from different manufacturers. The only thing they have in common is they both use a Yamaha chip. The first one is a Labway, and the second is probably some generic Chinese crap.

Well I am curious why the CT3990 has different layouts and chips or missing chips. I was aware of the CT2760 having different revisions, but I figured that was do to it being the first run of the first model AWE32, but the CT3990??? Seems odd to me.

The Yamaha again is a curiosity. I had suspected that clones might be a thing but again not much documentation out there that I could find. Just about the chips themselves and not the actual card PCB's. Yet I see marketing and descriptions all these cards as the same...

V

The Yamaha things are all made by a variety of manufacturers, I have been collecting photos of the YMF71x based cards : http://www.tmeeco.eu/BitShit/YamahaCards/
Yamaha made cards have XRxxx markings on them, XR000 being SW20PC for example, XR394 is SW60PC sound card, XR712 being DB60XG daughterboard etc.

Often during that era manufacturers started with a first version rushed to get on the market. That included socketed chips, programmable logic, etc.

Then in subsequent versions were designed to reduce manufacturing cost by increased component integration (as well as remove some bugs found).

Nice example is two revisions of GUS MAX. Rev 1.8 vs rev 2.1:

Note the reduced PCB size, component count, soldered vs socketed chips, Lattice FPGA replaced by a custom chip.

All of these reduced the manufacturing cost (and improved the card too)...

Vanessaira wrote on 2020-02-25, 09:46:

Well I am curious why the CT3990 has different layouts and chips or missing chips. I was aware of the CT2760 having different revisions, but I figured that was do to it being the first run of the first model AWE32, but the CT3990??? Seems odd to me.

The Yamaha again is a curiosity. I had suspected that clones might be a thing but again not much documentation out there that I could find. Just about the chips themselves and not the actual card PCB's. Yet I see marketing and descriptions all these cards as the same...

V

As far as I know, Creative sometimes created special CT numbers for budget versions of certain cards, but rather than creating a new PCB they simply removed certain components from an existing product. Although the boxes reflected a different CT number, the circuit board carried the old one. I guess they were just too lazy to cover it up with a sticker.
The CT3990 sans ASP might be an AWE32 Value. the ASP/CSP chip is pretty useless, so no real loss.

Anonymous Coward wrote on 2020-02-26, 11:59:

Vanessaira wrote on 2020-02-25, 09:46:

Well I am curious why the CT3990 has different layouts and chips or missing chips. I was aware of the CT2760 having different revisions, but I figured that was do to it being the first run of the first model AWE32, but the CT3990??? Seems odd to me.

The Yamaha again is a curiosity. I had suspected that clones might be a thing but again not much documentation out there that I could find. Just about the chips themselves and not the actual card PCB's. Yet I see marketing and descriptions all these cards as the same...

V

As far as I know, Creative sometimes created special CT numbers for budget versions of certain cards, but rather than creating a new PCB they simply removed certain components from an existing product. Although the boxes reflected a different CT number, the circuit board carried the old one. I guess they were just too lazy to cover it up with a sticker.
The CT3990 sans ASP might be an AWE32 Value. the ASP/CSP chip is pretty useless, so no real loss.

Ah, great to know. Again I've seen people talk about the different versions of the CT2760 but never the CT3990. I know it's not a desirable card but still surprised.

Thank you all again.