Soundcard recommendations please

Any advice based on expereince anyone can give me about sound cards would be very appreciated. I am wnating to upgrade my sound card to a PCI card. I would like something that hopefully doesnt suck up processor power, (it is kind of distracting when the GPL or F1RS slows down when certian sounds some on), one that has DOS support , and one that has a good gameport (I use an anolog steering wheel), and one that has good supprt for DirectSound 3D and A3D (hardware acceleration, not software). Thanks in advance to all!! (I currently have a Diamond M80, but am not 100% satisfied with it) Wheels down, pointy end forward!! Steve (remove NO-SPAM to e-mail)

Hi, Check out the new Soundblaster Live. Reviews are very good, and this soundcard indeed looks to be a very nice one.

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>Any advice based on expereince anyone can give me about sound cards >would be very appreciated. I am wnating to upgrade my sound card to a >PCI card. I would like something that hopefully doesnt suck up >processor power, (it is kind of distracting when the GPL or F1RS slows >down when certian sounds some on), one that has DOS support , and one >that has a good gameport (I use an anolog steering wheel), and one >that has good supprt for DirectSound 3D and A3D (hardware >acceleration, not software). Thanks in advance to all!! >(I currently have a Diamond M80, but am not 100% satisfied with it) >Wheels down, pointy end forward!! >Steve (remove NO-SPAM to e-mail)

-- Regards, Pieter van Dieren http://www.xs4all.nl/~pidi

It doesn't allways work in dos, gp2 won't recognise my SB Live, game port is better than my previous SB16 and Thrustmaster ACM Game Card. Borut

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>Hi, >Check out the new Soundblaster Live. Reviews are very good, and this >soundcard indeed looks to be a very nice one. >>Any advice based on expereince anyone can give me about sound cards >>would be very appreciated. I am wnating to upgrade my sound card to a >>PCI card. I would like something that hopefully doesnt suck up >>processor power, (it is kind of distracting when the GPL or F1RS slows >>down when certian sounds some on), one that has DOS support , and one >>that has a good gameport (I use an anolog steering wheel), and one >>that has good supprt for DirectSound 3D and A3D (hardware >>acceleration, not software). Thanks in advance to all!! >>(I currently have a Diamond M80, but am not 100% satisfied with it) >>Wheels down, pointy end forward!! >>Steve (remove NO-SPAM to e-mail) >-- >Regards, >Pieter van Dieren >http://www.xs4all.nl/~pidi

Hi, On Sat, 31 Oct 1998 20:37:40 GMT, "Borut Srebotnik" >It doesn't allways work in dos, gp2 won't recognise my SB Live, game port is >better than my previous SB16 and Thrustmaster ACM Game Card. But the sounds are great isn't it? Is it useful to upgrade from the AWE 32 to the Live one without having an 8 speaker system?

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>Borut >>Hi, >>Check out the new Soundblaster Live. Reviews are very good, and this >>soundcard indeed looks to be a very nice one. >>>Any advice based on expereince anyone can give me about sound cards >>>would be very appreciated. I am wnating to upgrade my sound card to a >>>PCI card. I would like something that hopefully doesnt suck up >>>processor power, (it is kind of distracting when the GPL or F1RS slows >>>down when certian sounds some on), one that has DOS support , and one >>>that has a good gameport (I use an anolog steering wheel), and one >>>that has good supprt for DirectSound 3D and A3D (hardware >>>acceleration, not software). Thanks in advance to all!! >>>(I currently have a Diamond M80, but am not 100% satisfied with it) >>>Wheels down, pointy end forward!! >>>Steve (remove NO-SPAM to e-mail) >>-- >>Regards, >>Pieter van Dieren >>http://www.xs4all.nl/~pidi

-- Regards, Pieter van Dieren http://www.xs4all.nl/~pidi

I have been trying to decide between Diamond MX200 ($150.00) and Sound Blaster Live Value ($99.00). The Mx200 is for A3D and SB Live has EAX. Which will be more compatible with games? I think the MX200 converts analog joystick signals to digital for smoother and faster game play. Does the SB Live do this? Why is SBL joy port better than SB16? SB Live claims to work with DOS games but you say GP2 wont work. Can I keep my SB32 for DOS games along with SBL? I cant find any online reviews of sound cards and the computer store salesman just said "Do you compose music? No? Then you dont need that!" So if anyone can give some input I would like to hear also. Lutrell :-) DSR #74 http://www2.scca.com/amateur/club_racing/runoffs/photogal/dsr-74.jpg >It doesn't allways work in dos, gp2 won't recognise my SB Live, game port is

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>better than my previous SB16 and Thrustmaster ACM Game Card. >Borut >>Hi, >>Check out the new Soundblaster Live. Reviews are very good, and this >>soundcard indeed looks to be a very nice one. >>>Any advice based on expereince anyone can give me about sound cards >>>would be very appreciated. I am wnating to upgrade my sound card to a >>>PCI card. I would like something that hopefully doesnt suck up >>>processor power, (it is kind of distracting when the GPL or F1RS slows >>>down when certian sounds some on), one that has DOS support , and one >>>that has a good gameport (I use an anolog steering wheel), and one >>>that has good supprt for DirectSound 3D and A3D (hardware >>>acceleration, not software). Thanks in advance to all!! >>Regards, >>Pieter van Dieren >>http://www.xs4all.nl/~pidi

I don't know why the game port is better. But you probably mean how can I tell one is better than other, well, it is a bit smoother, steering in GPL doesn't jump as much as with sb16. Is it digital or not I don't know. About two cards in one computer I don't know but I might try it and I will let you know if I have enough time to do it. Borut >I have been trying to decide between Diamond MX200 ($150.00) and Sound >Blaster Live Value ($99.00). >The Mx200 is for A3D and SB Live has EAX. Which will be more compatible with

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>games? >I think the MX200 converts analog joystick signals to digital for smoother >and faster game play. Does the SB Live do this? Why is SBL joy port better >than SB16? >SB Live claims to work with DOS games but you say GP2 wont work. Can I keep >my SB32 for DOS games along with SBL? >I cant find any online reviews of sound cards and the computer store >salesman just said "Do you compose music? No? Then you dont need that!" >So if anyone can give some input I would like to hear also. > Lutrell :-) >DSR #74 >http://www2.scca.com/amateur/club_racing/runoffs/photogal/dsr-74.jpg >>It doesn't allways work in dos, gp2 won't recognise my SB Live, game port >is >>better than my previous SB16 and Thrustmaster ACM Game Card. >>Borut >>>Hi, >>>Check out the new Soundblaster Live. Reviews are very good, and this >>>soundcard indeed looks to be a very nice one. >>>>Any advice based on expereince anyone can give me about sound cards >>>>would be very appreciated. I am wnating to upgrade my sound card to a >>>>PCI card. I would like something that hopefully doesnt suck up >>>>processor power, (it is kind of distracting when the GPL or F1RS slows >>>>down when certian sounds some on), one that has DOS support , and one >>>>that has a good gameport (I use an anolog steering wheel), and one >>>>that has good supprt for DirectSound 3D and A3D (hardware >>>>acceleration, not software). Thanks in advance to all!! >>>Regards, >>>Pieter van Dieren >>>http://www.xs4all.nl/~pidi

I have a SB Live and been very thrilled with it. I replaced an M80. The live can do a lot of things. Environmental Audio, 4 speakers, posistional stuff and it sounds great. Also works well with all my controllers something the M80 had problems with. I just added the new Digital Sound System 80 speakers from MS. They use the USB port. The sound coming out of this setup is sweet. I actually don't even use the SB Live except for the gameport controllers Totally digital not analog signal. They come with built in sound card, 10 function equalizer and built in surround sound. Check these things out as well. Regards Michael

I have an Ensoniq AudioPCI (SBPCI64) which I purchased at a local computer show for $35. It is a great card with good DOS support. -- Header address intentionally scrambled to ward off the spamming hordes. cisko [AT] ix [DOT] netcom [DOT] com >Any advice based on expereince anyone can give me about sound cards >would be very appreciated. I am wnating to upgrade my sound card to a >PCI card. I would like something that hopefully doesnt suck up >processor power, (it is kind of distracting when the GPL or F1RS slows >down when certian sounds some on), one that has DOS support , and one >that has a good gameport (I use an anolog steering wheel), and one >that has good supprt for DirectSound 3D and A3D (hardware >acceleration, not software). Thanks in advance to all!! >(I currently have a Diamond M80, but am not 100% satisfied with it) >Wheels down, pointy end forward!! >Steve (remove NO-SPAM to e-mail)

The Diamond MX300 is supposed to be released any day now, and according to Best Buy and EB will sell for $99. This sort of surprises me, because I still see the MX200 at $150, and isn't the MX300 supposed to be a better card? Jerry Morelock >I have been trying to decide between Diamond MX200 ($150.00) and Sound >Blaster Live Value ($99.00). >The Mx200 is for A3D and SB Live has EAX. Which will be more compatible with

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>games? >I think the MX200 converts analog joystick signals to digital for smoother >and faster game play. Does the SB Live do this? Why is SBL joy port better >than SB16? >SB Live claims to work with DOS games but you say GP2 wont work. Can I keep >my SB32 for DOS games along with SBL? >I cant find any online reviews of sound cards and the computer store >salesman just said "Do you compose music? No? Then you dont need that!" >So if anyone can give some input I would like to hear also. > Lutrell :-) >DSR #74 >http://www2.scca.com/amateur/club_racing/runoffs/photogal/dsr-74.jpg >>It doesn't allways work in dos, gp2 won't recognise my SB Live, game port >is >>better than my previous SB16 and Thrustmaster ACM Game Card. >>Borut >>>Hi, >>>Check out the new Soundblaster Live. Reviews are very good, and this >>>soundcard indeed looks to be a very nice one. >>>>Any advice based on expereince anyone can give me about sound cards >>>>would be very appreciated. I am wnating to upgrade my sound card to a >>>>PCI card. I would like something that hopefully doesnt suck up >>>>processor power, (it is kind of distracting when the GPL or F1RS slows >>>>down when certian sounds some on), one that has DOS support , and one >>>>that has a good gameport (I use an anolog steering wheel), and one >>>>that has good supprt for DirectSound 3D and A3D (hardware >>>>acceleration, not software). Thanks in advance to all!! >>>Regards, >>>Pieter van Dieren >>>http://www.xs4all.nl/~pidi

I can't say for sure, but I'd be willing to bet it has something to do with the fact that a PCI bus card is on a 33 Mhz bus and an ISA card is on an 8 Mhz bus. The extra speed would allow for more frequent polling of the gameport and therefore smoother response. The Thrustmaster ACM card claimed to increase polling speed by passing the gameport directly to the bus instead of through a soundcard, which makes sense, but it was still an ISA card, limited to 8 Mhz by the architecture of the computer. daxe

>I have an Ensoniq AudioPCI (SBPCI64) which I purchased >at a local computer show for $35. It is a great card with good >DOS support. The OEM version of this card has to be the best value around. While I think the PCI-vs.-ISA CPU-cycle saving has been exaggerated, the very clean digital sound and not-quite-Roland-but-not-bad wavetable MIDI are very impressive for the money. If the newish Linux drivers work okay, I may actually replace the SB16 in my maximum-compatibility system with one. -- spamgard(tm): To email me, put "geek" in your Subject line.

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>>I have an Ensoniq AudioPCI (SBPCI64) which I purchased >>at a local computer show for $35. It is a great card with good >>DOS support. >The OEM version of this card has to be the best value >around. While I think the PCI-vs.-ISA CPU-cycle saving >has been exaggerated, the very clean digital sound and

Since Janes F-15 has a framerate counter, I know for sure I saw a 22% increase in framerate by replacing my ISA Ensoniq Soundscape with an Ensoniq AudioPCI. No exaggeration, real numbers by a real person :-) -- Header address intentionally scrambled to ward off the spamming hordes. cisko [AT] ix [DOT] netcom [DOT] com >not-quite-Roland-but-not-bad wavetable MIDI are very >impressive for the money. If the newish Linux drivers >work okay, I may actually replace the SB16 in my >maximum-compatibility system with one. >-- >spamgard(tm): To email me, put "geek" in your Subject line.

If Nascar 2 works, it's not digital :) -Larry > I don't know why the game port is better. But you probably mean how can I > tell one is better than other, well, it is a bit smoother, steering in GPL > doesn't jump as much as with sb16. Is it digital or not I don't know.