From: waardenb@cs.utwente.nl (Jerry van Waardenberg)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: Re: Which is better, the PAS-16 or the GUS?
Date: 23 Dec 92 14:49:52 GMT
Organization: University of Twente, Dept. of Computer Science

In article <1992Dec22.040907.23711@en.ecn.purdue.edu>, jbs@en.ecn.purdue.edu (Jeff Sponaugle) writes:
|> 	I am going to purchase a sound board real soon here and I am not sure
|> if I should get the GUS or the PAS-16.  As far as I can tell the PAS-16 seems
|> to be better for midi.  I am looking for something that does SB, Midi, CDROM,
|> and 16bit 44KHz Stereo In/Out.
|> 
|> As far as I see..
|> 
|> Advantages to the PAS-16
|> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
|> o  16 bit Stereo 44.1 KHz in and out. (Available now!)
|> o  Good Midi Interface

Optional, like SB (you need a MIDI connector box).

|> o  "100% SB compatible"
       ^^^^
Make that 99.9%

|> o  Good CDROM support.  (Supports quite a few CD-ROMS)

Even better: SCSI interface. You can also connect a SCSI harddisk to the PAS!

|> o  $189 in Jan. Computer Shopper..
|> 
|> Advantages to the GUS
|> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
|> o  Cheaper ($129??)
|> o  On board RAM to load samples into. etc.
|> o  Wavetable sysths. is better than FM.

A lot!

|> o  Sound better than SB!

When not in emulation mode... In SB emulation mode, the GUS sometimes sounds
better, sometimes worse.

|> Does the GUS have MIDI?

Optional, like SB and PAS.

|> Does the GUS have CDROM?

Optional.

|> How do they compare?

Depends on what you want to do with it. The GUS has better sound capabilities,
the PAS is more compatible with SB and has more standard features.

|> How soon will the 16 bit recording option be out? Any ideas on cost?

January. Rumours say that it'll cost about $150.

|> It seems that the best board to buy today is the PAS, but that perhaps the 
|> GUS will be the best to buy in a few months?  The software approach to 
|> simulating the SB has advantages and disadvantages.  Anyone care to comment
|> on which board you think is better?

My personal opinion: I don't think a FM-based board is the best board to buy. Go
for the GUS or wait for other (cheap) wavetable-based boards.

|> Thanks.
|> Jeff

You're welcome.

|> =================================================================
|> Jeff Sponaugle                      Purdue University
|> 246 S. Salisbury #3                 Engineering Computer Network
|> West Lafayette, IN 47906            MSEE 104
|> (317) 743-7355                      (317) 494-3106 
|> Internet: jbs@ecn.purdue.edu        MSEE SB50:494-6106 
|> =================================================================
|> 

*-----------------------------------------------------*------------------------*
Jerry van Waardenberg                    *        *  /|\        *      *   TIOS
Tele Informatics and Open Systems             *     //|o\    Merry Xmas
Department of Computer Science          *      *   /o/|\\\   and    *        *
University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands    ///|\o\   A Great '93!
E-mail: waardenb@cs.utwente.nl                  *____/ \____   *         *
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard