From: davecole@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (David Cole)
Subject: List of known PC Sound Cards
Keywords: FAQ
Organization: Northwestern University, Evanston Illinois.
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 16:25:24 GMT

August 1992 
 
List of Sound Cards/Devices for ISA computers 
prices are from recent ads or reports; see vendor list at end 
I will try to keep this somewhat up to date.
 
comments, corrections, rumors, updated and useful info to:
dcole@ua.d.umn.edu 

Cards are listed in groups by their main sound generating
capabilities.  Within groups, are roughly in price order, if
known.
 
I. DACs: (play digitized sound only; commercial one's are mono)
 
Disney Sound Source $15-29  mono 8-bit DAC; includes speaker; 
               connects to parallel port; often bundled with 
               Disney software; support growing?  Not compatible
               with other DACs. 
Covox Sound Thing   circa $79;  8-bit DAC; includes speaker; 
                    connects to parallel port 
[plans for homemade parallel port DACs have appeared]  


II. mono FM synthesizer, no DAC: (made to play music, not
digitized sound; can play some digitized sound files with special
software) 
 
Adlib          $64 (Chips & Bits) 11 voice FM mono, no DAC 
               The original.  Still available??
Sound Runner    Adlib clone (ad in May 1992 Comp. Gaming World) 
 

III. mono FM synth with DAC:  (play music plus digitized sound
files, also record sound)
 
Boomboard      $79 CompUSA    SB clone, identical to:  
Thunderboard   $84 Chips & Bits  SB clone from MediaVision  22khz
               8bit DAC, Yamaha 3812 11 voice mono synth chip 
SoundBlaster   $100 Sam's Club  11 voice FM mono, 8 bit DAC, 
               joystick, MIDI but only with adapter.  Adlib
               compatible. 
               The original improvment on the Adlib card (added
               the DAC).
Sound Commander F/X      SB clone from "Media Sonic" w MIDI and 
                         echo; upgrades to stereo  
ATI Stereo F/X $129 SB clone with additions.  11 voice FM with
               stereo effects; MIDI. (not clear if the midi
               adapter is included; free speakers 
               included "for limited time") 
Audioport      $199 list; external, portable, connects to 
               parallel port, 11 voice FM, 8-bit mono 22khz DAC;
               includes 1.5" speaker (MediaVision)
Covox Sound Master II 
               $229 direct from Covox; 11 voice adlib FM; DAC; 
               midi cables; special voice control software 
 
IV.  FM STEREO synth and DAC: 
 
Sound Blaster Pro   $185 11-voice FM stereo, 22 mono. includes 
                    MIDI cables w/sequencer software.  
                    Proprietary CD ROM interface. Introduced
                    1991. Discontinued.
                    Replaced by following 2 cards mid-1992:
Sound Blaster Pro Basic  (circa $150) uses newer Yamaha OPL-3
                    chip.  Does NOT include midi kit.
Sound Blaster Pro   (circa $185) as above with MIDI kit. 
Adlib Gold 1000     $179C  20 voice FM stereo (new Yamaha chip);
                    12-bit stereo DAC; various upgrades including
                    2 SCSI options;  "fully MPC compatible"; not
                    shipping? (Adlib resurrected from bankruptcy)
Adlib Gold 2000     $245C above with SCSI; [16 bit AT card?] not
                    shipping 
Pro Audio Spectrum  $229C stereo FM, DAC; replaced by 
Pro Audio Spectrum Plus (circa $179) 
                    16 bit AT card; full SB compatilbility, 44k 
                    8-bit stereo DAC; 20 voice Yamaha YMF265 
                    (OPL-3) stereo FM synth chip; General Midi; 
                    MIDI adapter optional 
Pro Audio Spectrum 16    (circa $225) same as PAS Plus, but with
                    16 bit stereo DAC; mic & line-in;
                      "100% ... SB compatible" 
                    "exceeds MPC specs" 
SB Pro 16           Rumors: more expensive than SB Pro; 16 bit   
                 DAC; not shipping yet
 
 
V. Digital sample synth, no DAC: 
 
Roland LAPC         $369L MT-32 synthesizer on a card plus some
                    additional RAM and sound effects; MPU 401    
                    compatible MIDI port optional  (c. $150)
                    introduced circa 1988. 
Roland SCC-1        $369L Sound Canvas on a card; General MIDI 
                    compatible; no DAC; digital sound sample 
                    synthesis; 16 voice stereo; digital effects 
                    (echo, delay, chorus) full MPU401 MIDI port;
                    can emulate Mt-32 preset voices (but not 
                    downloadable SYSEX); no software 
                    introduced end of 1991

VI.  Digital sample synth with DAC: 
 
Turtle Beach MultiSound       circa $770.  16 bit DAC @ 44k.  
                    Uses EMU Proteus digital sample 
                    synthesis from Proteus 1/XR synth (32 voice 
                    polyphonic). Introduced early 1992.

Note: The Turtle Beach and the ProAudioSpectrum 16 are still the
only 2 cards I know of that record 16 bit stereo as of 9/7/92.
But there are a couple new sample players using new chipsets just
released or announced.
 
VII. Unknown types: 

Sound Galaxy        Probably SB clone? 

Sound Star          $49.95 direct from "American Pacific 
                    Concepts"; $14 from Chips&Bits 
                    Probably a mono parallel port DAC?
Ultra Gravis        circa $130  stereo (list $199), MIDI, 
                    promised endlessly, still not 
                    released  (rumor:  plays samples stored in
                    RAM, not ROM. ) 
 
Microsoft           Announced Aug. 1992 to ship later 1992
                    details not available

Tandy

Cardinal            announced sample player for Fall 1992.

Compuadd

Compaq Business     Not fully MPC compatible?


Vendors: (letter after price)
C = Computability  
CB = Chips and Bits 
L = Leighs Computers 
Sam's Club: membership warehouse discount store; division of 
WalMart


Disclaimers:  The information herein is provided "as is" and is
not warranted for accuracy.  Vendors and manufacturers revise
specificaions and prices frequently.  Nothing  herein represents
the views of the University of Minnesota.  

Dave Cole
dcole@ua.d.umn.edu
Organization: Senior, Math/Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA