Soundblaster 16 ISA

2003-03-12 14:24:56

Amazingly, i'm still using an ORIGINAL SoundBlaster 16 ISA, not even the newer PCI versions.  I'm thinking about upgrading, and was wondering if you guys had any recomendations for some cheapish cards, that is, under $150.

Is anyone else out there still using an ISA Soundblaster?

Soundblaster 16 ISA

Reply #1 – 2003-03-12 14:47:38

I have SB AWE32 (ISA), but I can't say I really use it.

Soundblaster 16 ISA

Reply #2 – 2003-03-12 15:33:21

About recommendations, do a search or simply go back some threads, there are lots of related posts.

Soundblaster 16 ISA

Reply #3 – 2003-03-12 16:36:07

SB 32 AWE ISA here too.. )  I've used it a couple of times as it supports older games music properly

Soundblaster 16 ISA

Reply #4 – 2003-03-12 23:14:55

Hi streightedg, I still use a SB16 in an old DOS machine, because DOS doesn't do PCI to well.  I use it with the DOS based mp3 player MPXPLAY.  It works great, and may, someday soon, take on "automotive" duty.

    Dex

Soundblaster 16 ISA

Reply #5 – 2003-03-13 01:26:08

I have three (none active though). It has three features I liked...

1) Separate headphone & line-out jacks
2) Ability to disable the onboard amp (producing near or true line level output)
3) Daughtercard support (later versions) for the excellent Yamaha XG series MIDI daughtercards

xen-uno

Soundblaster 16 ISA

Reply #6 – 2003-03-13 01:30:17

I have one in an older computer. How does the quality stack up against newer cards? It doesn't support 48khz playback, which was the only reason that it got bumped to my old machine (plus the fact that it's ISA, and my Shuttle AK31 v3.1 has no such slots  B) )

Soundblaster 16 ISA

Reply #7 – 2003-03-13 02:23:37

Try to find the Ensoniq AudioPCI (1370 not Creative 1371.) PCAVTech rated it to have very good sound quality and it is about $15 in the used bin at a computer show. I am using one in my GiantDisc server ( http://www.giantdisc.com/ ). If you have to use ISA the SB64 is a good card.

Check out

http://www.pcavtech.com/soundcards/compare/index.htm

Lots of good info there.

Peace,
David

Soundblaster 16 ISA

Reply #8 – 2003-03-14 18:49:49

haha... yeah, still have a SB 16 ISA (CT2290 IIRC)... with IDE and all... from 1994. And it was HUGE! Still got it... but no system to use. Used it till last year around this time... then I bought a SB Live 5.1. What a change! On a normal speaker set the SB 16 was still ok, but with head phones... oh well. Thats why I bought the Live. Just recently I bought a nForce 2 board with SoundStorm... still trying to figure out how good the sound is... its ok, but I have to install the Live to compare... :-/ The Live is a extremely cheap card (compared to your $150) and is quite decent... if you get it to ork (I think $30). $150 is actually pretty much... you could get a decent card for that price.

Soundblaster 16 ISA

Reply #9 – 2003-03-14 18:53:48

i'm a proud owner of a SB16 ISA as well, BUT with an additional  waveblaster. 
and still in use...