[comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc] Sound Blaster and Sound Cards

dchun@aludra.usc.edu (Dale Chun) (09/16/90)

I am thinking of purchasing a sound card for my IBM-AT compatible. I
would like to hear from those having such a thing inside their machine
to comment on this situation. I would like the know the good and the
bad, the price ranges (my budget is $250) and what to look for/avoid.
I am particle interested in the Sound Blaster, but open to other
suggestions concerning this situation.

If there is enough response, I will post a summary.

Thanks for any info!
					...dale

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 name: Dale C. Chun	    | * 2 + 2 = 5, for sufficiently large values of 2.
PLAYMAC Technical Support   | * Hack First, Ask Questions Later.
email: dchun@aludra.usc.edu | * MAC; Maybe A Computer, but probably a toy.
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ftw33616@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (09/17/90)

I myself have a Adlib card, bought with the Personal Music system.

I like it quite a bit, & it sounds quite nice, though most of the sounds
are still metallic, though quite recognizable.  A whole truckload of games
support the adlib, in fact, every major game manufactorer sold games with
adlib support last year.

However, I bought the adlib to program in guitar music.  Though the adlib
did not have a classical guitar instrument file (sound file) I used jazz

guitar which worked quite satisfactorily.  However, the music program has
a number of flaws, though they can be worked out easily.  The format of your
music is set from the beginning.  number of beats per measure, number of divisions per beats.  Therefore, changing from 4 ticks a beat to 3 ticks a beat to
4 beats again, (quite common) can only be done by readjusting the tempo in the
middle.  It's quite annoying.  

I do have one more thing to say.  When you register, you get a registration 
bonus, a disk with some more songs on it.  When I got it it didn't work at all.
The 5 1/4" disk had errors everywhere, & not a single file was readable.
When I phoned in & told them, they mailed it to me again, and even on 3 1/2"
this time!

By the way, the sound blaster is a popular choice.  It supports digitized 
sound, & other nice things, & is 100% compatible with the adlib.  However
it does cost twice as much.

If you are loaded, you can buy the Roland MT-30, the mercedes of sound cards
but expect to pay for it.  Like 300 or so.  It supposedly sounds like you've
shoved a CD in your computer though.

					Frank

jims@pro-berks.cts.com (Jim Sloan) (09/18/90)

In-Reply-To: message from dchun@aludra.usc.edu

Stick with the Sound Blaster.  It is Ad-Lib compatible, which most game
software is aimed at, but also does stereo (Ad-Lib is mono).  
I have the Ad-Lib and wish I had gotten the Sound Blaster now.
Phoenix Systems Software
P.O. Box 2525
West Lawn, PA 19609
c/o Jim Sloan
Myemployer(s) is/are my customer(s).  I cannot represent their views.

mlord@bwdls58.bnr.ca (Mark Lord) (09/19/90)

In article <46500156@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu> ftw33616@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu writes:
>
>By the way, the sound blaster is a popular choice.  It supports digitized 
>sound, & other nice things, & is 100% compatible with the adlib.  However
>it does cost twice as much.
              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
WRONG.  This may have been true once, but current pricing is:

	AdLib -- as low as US$99
	SB    -- as low as US$139

These prices can be found in recent issues of PC-Magazine and ComputerShopper.
-- 
 ___Mark S. Lord__________________________________________
| ..uunet!bnrgate!mlord%bmerh724 | Climb Free Or Die (NH) |
| MLORD@BNR.CA   Ottawa, Ontario | Personal views only.   |
|________________________________|________________________|