The 12MB CHAOS soundfont used to be my favorite. Way better than the standard 8MB one that Creative supplied. Just depends on how much you want to play with Soundfonts.

I think the best soundfonts for SB32 and AWE32 are all 20+ MB. Lots like Chorium Rev, and I like a 25 MB SC-55 "clone."

I think the best one under 8MB is called "Fine GM."

boxpressed wrote on 2020-06-11, 23:14:

I think the best soundfonts for SB32 and AWE32 are all 20+ MB. Lots like Chorium Rev, and I like a 25 MB SC-55 "clone."

I think the best one under 8MB is called "Fine GM."

The best one I found under 8mb is one you can buy called vcgs4mv4.

kolderman wrote on 2020-06-11, 23:17:

boxpressed wrote on 2020-06-11, 23:14:

I think the best soundfonts for SB32 and AWE32 are all 20+ MB. Lots like Chorium Rev, and I like a 25 MB SC-55 "clone."

I think the best one under 8MB is called "Fine GM."

The best one I found under 8mb is one you can buy called vcgs4mv4.

You can buy from here . It may not be big, but it is very well optimized and balanced . Highly recommended .

http://www.voicecrystal.com/sfengine.mv?#top

EDIT : Same company that made the GUS patchset.

kolderman wrote on 2020-06-11, 23:17:

boxpressed wrote on 2020-06-11, 23:14:

I think the best soundfonts for SB32 and AWE32 are all 20+ MB. Lots like Chorium Rev, and I like a 25 MB SC-55 "clone."

I think the best one under 8MB is called "Fine GM."

The best one I found under 8mb is one you can buy called vcgs4mv4.

Right -- I should have said the best free sf I've come across. Will have to check out vcgs4mv4.

Considering Masterpiece.sf2 (ie the best soundfont ever) is 28mb the answer is yes. That said 8mb should be enough. Hell, even 2mb would be enough with the Scc1.sf2 which is a very efficient replica of the Sound Canvas.

I would install at least 4* MiB, so it can play larger MOD files in Impulse Tracker.. 😀

(* Assuming that the card can hold 4x 1MiB SIMMs. If not, use a pair of 4MiB SIMMs -> 8MiB RAM)

If only using DOS Games and Windows 3.1 Standard Functions 2x256Kb DRAM is enough.

^No offense, but isn't that as few memory as the AWE cards without SIMM sockets do have soldered into ? 😕
So effectively, it would really downgrade the SB32 into a cheap AWE OEM card.
Just with poorer RAM specs (256KB SIMMs/SIPPs were rather low-end).

matze79 wrote on 2020-06-14, 09:42:

If only using DOS Games and Windows 3.1 Standard Functions 2x256Kb DRAM is enough.

30-pin SIMM RAM is so cheap that I see no point in getting less than 2x4MBs .

EDIT: Clarity

Even 16MB is cheap as dirt (compared to price of card), I just use 2x 16MB. Just never gotten around to actually doing anything with the card beyond using it as an SB16 😮

dionb wrote on 2020-06-14, 20:42:

Even 16MB is cheap as dirt (compared to price of card), I just use 2x 16MB. Just never gotten around to actually doing anything with the card beyond using it as an SB16 😮

Maxing it out now is likely a good idea. Old RAM prices will go up eventually .

Anyway makes only sense if using win9x and loading sf2 banks.
if you don`t plan to use it.
you won`t need more then 512Kb.

My SB32 has no RAM soldered.
Hm the days of getting cheap 4Mb Modules are over now i think.

matze79 wrote on 2020-06-14, 21:06:

Anyway makes only sense if using win9x and loading sf2 banks. if you don`t plan to use it. you won`t need more then 512Kb. […]
Show full quote

Anyway makes only sense if using win9x and loading sf2 banks.
if you don`t plan to use it.
you won`t need more then 512Kb.

My SB32 has no RAM soldered.
Hm the days of getting cheap 4Mb Modules are over now i think.

In the USA, 4MB Simms are still $5-$6 a piece shipped. Even 16MB 30-pin SIMMs are not that expensive. They are about $11 a piece shipped.

cyclone3d wrote on 2020-06-14, 21:55:

matze79 wrote on 2020-06-14, 21:06:

Anyway makes only sense if using win9x and loading sf2 banks. if you don`t plan to use it. you won`t need more then 512Kb. […]
Show full quote

Anyway makes only sense if using win9x and loading sf2 banks.
if you don`t plan to use it.
you won`t need more then 512Kb.

My SB32 has no RAM soldered.
Hm the days of getting cheap 4Mb Modules are over now i think.

In the USA, 4MB Simms are still $5-$6 a piece shipped. Even 16MB 30-pin SIMMs are not that expensive. They are about $11 a piece shipped.

Considering the small weight and size, shipping worldwide should not be that bad either .

darry wrote on 2020-06-11, 23:53:

You can buy from here . It may not be big, but it is very well optimized and balanced . Highly recommended . […]
Show full quote

kolderman wrote on 2020-06-11, 23:17:

boxpressed wrote on 2020-06-11, 23:14:

I think the best soundfonts for SB32 and AWE32 are all 20+ MB. Lots like Chorium Rev, and I like a 25 MB SC-55 "clone."

I think the best one under 8MB is called "Fine GM."

The best one I found under 8mb is one you can buy called vcgs4mv4.

You can buy from here . It may not be big, but it is very well optimized and balanced . Highly recommended .

http://www.voicecrystal.com/sfengine.mv?#top

EDIT : Same company that made the GUS patchset.

I'd happily buy this SF if it happened to be available in SBK format. Any chance I'd get that lucky?

darry wrote on 2020-06-15, 00:46:

cyclone3d wrote on 2020-06-14, 21:55:

matze79 wrote on 2020-06-14, 21:06:

Anyway makes only sense if using win9x and loading sf2 banks. if you don`t plan to use it. you won`t need more then 512Kb. […]
Show full quote

Anyway makes only sense if using win9x and loading sf2 banks.
if you don`t plan to use it.
you won`t need more then 512Kb.

My SB32 has no RAM soldered.
Hm the days of getting cheap 4Mb Modules are over now i think.

In the USA, 4MB Simms are still $5-$6 a piece shipped. Even 16MB 30-pin SIMMs are not that expensive. They are about $11 a piece shipped.

Considering the small weight and size, shipping worldwide should not be that bad either .

Pretty sure shipping is still going to be horrible unless a large order is put in. USPS charges $24.50 for up to 2lb. All the other carriers have insanely high prices. The real question is what do those sellers charge for international shipping?

There is always the option of having a forum member in the USA do the order and then forward it on.

cyclone3d wrote on 2020-06-15, 01:01:

darry wrote on 2020-06-15, 00:46:

cyclone3d wrote on 2020-06-14, 21:55:

In the USA, 4MB Simms are still $5-$6 a piece shipped. Even 16MB 30-pin SIMMs are not that expensive. They are about $11 a piece shipped.

Considering the small weight and size, shipping worldwide should not be that bad either .

Pretty sure shipping is still going to be horrible unless a large order is put in. USPS charges $24.50 for up to 2lb. All the other carriers have insanely high prices. The real question is what do those sellers charge for international shipping?

There is always the option of having a forum member in the USA do the order and then forward it on.

As an experiment, I tried to see how much it would cost to order 4x4MB 30pin SIMMs from the USA and ship to the UK . It came out to £30.18 , of which £12.12 is shipping, so about 33 US$ total. Ordering 2x16MB 30pin SIMMs from the USA came to £34.29 including £14.55 shipping, so 38.57 US$ total . I imagine shipping to elsewhere in Europe would be similar, though I may be completely wrong . That said, I agree that shipping from USA to Europe is in no way cheap, but it's not catastrophic either, IMHO . Shipping to other parts of the world may well be much more expensive .

That really is not bad at all.