[450]

My friend (computer guy like me) asked me if there are any *good* ISA soundcards available back in the day. I said: "sure, there were audiophiles then as there are now" but I'm not sure now. Someone tell me if I'm wrong or right and give me an example.


*good* = sub-Chaintech AV710 good

 

[Publius]

GUS?

 

[Daroid]

I don't believe soundcards has ever sounded better than the current ones do today. This makes sense since you'd be hard-pressed to find a DAC/ADC from 1990 or so that even sounds good, hence no really well-sounding old soundcards.
Their rendition of midi instruments was what seperated a junk card from quality. Roland LAPC-1 was a standard high-class instrument definition card which sounded more natural (i.e. betters sounding instruments). Samples here: http://www.spacequest.net/sq3/soundtrack/
As you move further back in time you'll find out that all soundcards couldn't reproduce wave samples, but merely recieved instructions for which wave-table/ROM instruments to play, or more simple - mono sine tones and interpolation of this: i.e. the Adlib and Disney Sound Source

EDIT:
Quote:

*good* = sub-Chaintech AV710 good

Simply put: Forget it!, they will be much below AV710 sound performance

 

[450]

My Sound Blaster 16 (ISA) plays 16bit 44.1khz files. (DATE: 1995)

Are there any ones that are around that era that are close to delivering good stereo (16bit, 44.1)?

 

[lan]

I don't think there were any good ISA soundcards if compared to today's standards and products.

 

[Mr.Radar]

Almost all ISA soundcards have craptacular SNRs, and crappy (by today's standards) DACs. Don't expect anything good from them. BTW, most good sounding soundcards today don't sound good because they were designed for audiophiles, but because they accidentally sound good (Chaintech AV-710), or are meant for the professional/prosumer market (EMU, M-Audio, etc.) which has recently made leaps and bounds in audio quality.

 

[dallasstar]

absolutely not. they all suck.