A small bug:
It says card detected: ES668 instead of ES688.

Hi, first of all would like to thank you for this tool, it's wonderful and works for all of my cards, but finally I have encountered a card bought recently which it has problem with:

Super Sound32 OPT32W3D
https://www.ebay.com/itm/167280213780

problem:
now card is initialized using unisound just fine and fm music is working properly and I can hear music, both opl3 and wavetable, but none of the sound effects like gunshots in doom are audible, volume is set up correctly.

now if I'm initializing the card with same settings but with it's own drivers using sndinit tool, everything works and I can hear gunshots and music
I am using driver from here:
https://hwmuseum.pp.ua/soundcard/1782.html

any suggestions? maybe I can somehow help with resolving this problem

troydm wrote on 2025-12-06, 11:45:

problem:
now card is initialized using unisound just fine and fm music is working properly and I can hear music, both opl3 and wavetable, but none of the sound effects like gunshots in doom are audible, volume is set up correctly.

Try to use in bios reservation for irq and dma.

@JazeFox, Hello!
Could you please tell me, is it possible to change CQM on SoundBlaster like Gold from 388 to 389 port? Like at Awe Legacy ?
I'll try to use in Set blaster F389 but have no luck. When I use second card like ESS, I have mix mode in music with CQM and ESFM.

Hi! First of all Thank you for this tool.

I have rather obscure Pentium MMX Laptop (Sharp Mebius MN-550-X20)
But seems that UNISOUND is unable to detect soundchip it has (Seemingly Crystal CS4236B).

I do require help here: The official driver seems to not support RedBook audio (???). (or never supported. idk.)
But I do wanna use UNISOUND.

Thanks. If you need anything about this laptop please DM me or something.

Is RedBook audio actually phsyically connected? As if there is no connection you might just be out of luck here. I am not sure how that would look like in a laptop though.

That I am not sure *at all*
I should check the board, but I believe it is connected... (Given the fact the spec sheet do tell "Music CD" working)
but then I can only rely on some DOS driver that isn't UNISOUND (idk why Crystal driver is that complex)

Maybe I should take apart this laptop and physically see.

AliceImagina wrote on 2025-12-22, 15:15:

I have rather obscure Pentium MMX Laptop (Sharp Mebius MN-550-X20)
But seems that UNISOUND is unable to detect soundchip it has (Seemingly Crystal CS4236B).

Does the laptop have options to change the IRQ/DMA/Address of the audio chip in the BIOS settings? As far as I know UNISOUND does not work with devices set up like that

NeoG_ wrote on 2025-12-23, 23:28:

AliceImagina wrote on 2025-12-22, 15:15:

I have rather obscure Pentium MMX Laptop (Sharp Mebius MN-550-X20)
But seems that UNISOUND is unable to detect soundchip it has (Seemingly Crystal CS4236B).

Does the laptop have options to change the IRQ/DMA/Address of the audio chip in the BIOS settings? As far as I know UNISOUND does not work with devices set up like that

Yes they do have it. Maybe it's "already initialized"?
But seems I may have to stick with CWDINIT or something.

Hi all,
I am new to this forum, please don’t be harsh 🙂

I have a generic ISA Crystal sound card with the only markings “3D-SOUND” and “AV309” on the PCB. The latter appears to be the card model, but I have not been able to find any real documentation online (only a few second-hand listings).
The main chips on the board are CS4232 and the FM chip CS4289. Very little information seems to exist about the CS4289, and it appears to be quite rare compared to Yamaha OPL chips.
UNISOUND correctly initializes WSS and Sound Blaster Pro digital audio, but FM/OPL does not work.
I have tried multiple official Crystal DOS driver versions. None of them fully work:
- Most initialize WSS only
- Some fail to initialize SBPro
- None provide working FM/OPL
- Some drivers hang during mixer or FM initialization

I have not tested MIDI output with an external MIDI device or wavetable daughterboard yet.

My current BLASTER variable is:
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T4 M330 U7

The Crystal Diagnostics (CWDIAG) utility reports:
- PASS for SB and WSS
- FAIL for FM/OPL3
- The “Test FM Music” button is disabled, while 8-bit digital sound tests work correctly.

Using Adlib Tracker II, I do not get real FM music, but I do hear very faint clicks or beeps. Some DOS games also produce similar faint noises when AdLib/OPL music is selected.

I have electrically checked continuity between the CS4232 and CS4289, and the FM output is routed through the mixer (“Synth” channel), so the OPL chip appears to be physically present and connected, but not properly initialized.

Windows XP installs a Crystal WDM driver automatically and sound works there, but FM (midi) is emulated in software under XP, so this probably does not help diagnose real OPL behaviour in DOS.
I have tried installing drivers under Windows 95, but it didn't work and when messing with versions i had totally ruined my installation.

An image of the card is attached.

I would appreciate any insight, especially if someone has experience with AV309 cards or CS4289-based Crystal designs, or knows whether full FM support requires a specific OEM driver.

gsedej wrote on 2026-01-11, 23:34:

Hi all, I am new to this forum, please don’t be harsh 🙂 […]
Show full quote

Hi all,
I am new to this forum, please don’t be harsh 🙂

I have a generic ISA Crystal sound card with the only markings “3D-SOUND” and “AV309” on the PCB. The latter appears to be the card model, but I have not been able to find any real documentation online (only a few second-hand listings).
The main chips on the board are CS4232 and the FM chip CS4289. Very little information seems to exist about the CS4289, and it appears to be quite rare compared to Yamaha OPL chips.
UNISOUND correctly initializes WSS and Sound Blaster Pro digital audio, but FM/OPL does not work.
I have tried multiple official Crystal DOS driver versions. None of them fully work:
- Most initialize WSS only
- Some fail to initialize SBPro
- None provide working FM/OPL
- Some drivers hang during mixer or FM initialization

I have not tested MIDI output with an external MIDI device or wavetable daughterboard yet.

My current BLASTER variable is:
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T4 M330 U7

The Crystal Diagnostics (CWDIAG) utility reports:
- PASS for SB and WSS
- FAIL for FM/OPL3
- The “Test FM Music” button is disabled, while 8-bit digital sound tests work correctly.

Using Adlib Tracker II, I do not get real FM music, but I do hear very faint clicks or beeps. Some DOS games also produce similar faint noises when AdLib/OPL music is selected.

I have electrically checked continuity between the CS4232 and CS4289, and the FM output is routed through the mixer (“Synth” channel), so the OPL chip appears to be physically present and connected, but not properly initialized.

Windows XP installs a Crystal WDM driver automatically and sound works there, but FM (midi) is emulated in software under XP, so this probably does not help diagnose real OPL behaviour in DOS.
I have tried installing drivers under Windows 95, but it didn't work and when messing with versions i had totally ruined my installation.

An image of the card is attached.

I would appreciate any insight, especially if someone has experience with AV309 cards or CS4289-based Crystal designs, or knows whether full FM support requires a specific OEM driver.

It looks like Zoltrix Audio Plus 6400

CS4289-KQ info here - Crystal Audio Chips.. any fans?

as i understand its OPL3 YMF289 clone without any additional tricks to initialize?

gsedej wrote on 2026-01-11, 23:34:

Using Adlib Tracker II, I do not get real FM music, but I do hear very faint clicks or beeps. Some DOS games also produce similar faint noises when AdLib/OPL music is selected.

Given the way FM is implemented on this card, with a OPL3L clone chip there is likely a lifted/damaged/bridged pin or damaged trace between the CS4232 and CS4289 chips

Thank you for replies!

@Babasha yes it is the same as "Zoltrix Audio Plus 6400 3D PnP AV309". Mine probably had sticker too, but i removed it, since I wanted to know what chip it is. It also had QC sticker that i also removed to checked traces.

@NeoG_ i have checked all the traces that connect the chips and they do beep out. I also checked nearby traces for a short, but I find none. The CS4289 does seem a bit "dirty" but with my multimeter i find not short around.

Any idea? Any option on unisound to enable CS4289? if no, what else can I try? I do not have original drivers, since i found the card in a old dirty computer from a car mechanic. The card was very dirty.

I also included "Crystal Diagnostics" screenshot.

Change the CS4289 for a YMF289 if you can find one . They are pin compatible. I tested it.