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- Review of the Pro AudioSpectrum 16 Soundcard
- --------------------------------------------
- By Eric Hsiao for Gamebytes Magazine
- hsiaoe@rpi.edu
- Review Update: 1/21/93
-
- Hardware description:
-
- True 16-bit stereo sound
- --16 bit stereo playback and recording (16 bit linear DAC & ADC)
- --Sampling/playback at 8, 12, and 16 bit PCM 4kHz-44kHz in stereo
- --Dynamic filtering 2Hz-22kHz programmable
- --ADPCM compression (2:1) and decompression (2:1, 3:1, 4:1) mono mode
- --Microphone, external line-in, and CD-audio inputs (enables you to
- make CD-quality 16-bit recordings from a variety of sources)
- --Shielded circuitry and dynamic filtering for low noise and clear
- sound
-
- Advanced 20 Voice Stereo Synthesizer
-
- --Yamaha YM262 (OPL-3) synthesizer
- --4 operator FM synthesized sound for true stereo
- --16 bit FM DAC
- --General MIDI compatible
-
- Audio Mixing
-
- --Internal synthesizer (stereo)
- --Digital audio (stereo)
- --CD audio (stereo)
- --External line-in (stereo)
- --Microphone
- --PC speaker
- --10 channels with stereo enhance
-
- Volume Control
-
- --Master volume: 0 to -62dB (1 dB/step)
- --Input mixer +1 to -60dB (2dB/step)
- Signal quality (1 V p-p reference)
- Dynamic range and signal to noise
- --Synthesized and mixed audio: 85 dB
- --Sampled audio PCM: 90 dB
- --Total harmonic distortion: 0.05%
-
- Frequency Response
-
- --30 Hz - 20 kHz (+- 3 dB)
-
- Audio Outputs
-
- --Drive level: 11.5 V (p-p)
- --Power: 4 watts per channel (software controllable volume, bass, and
- treble)
- --Load impedance: will drive 4 or 8 ohm speakers
- --Output connections: stereo mini jacks
-
- 16 bit PC Interface
-
- --16 bit DMA
- --Selectable IRQ (2-7, 10-15)
- --Selectable DMA (0-3, 5-7)
- --Software selectable DMA and IRQ settings with auto configuration
-
- MIDI Interface (Requires Optional MIDI Mate)
-
- --Full duplex MIDI port (can record and playback at the same time)
-
- IBM Standard Joystick Port
-
- High Performance SCSI Interface (Requires Optional SCSI Cable Kit)
-
- --Supports CD-ROM drives, SCSI hard drives, removable/erasable optical
- drives or removable cartridge drives
- --690 kB per second
-
- System Requirements
-
- --IBM PC, AT, 80286, 80386, 80486, or 100% compatible
- --640k RAM memory
- --DOS 3.1 or higher
- --Hard disk with 6 MB free space
- --External speakers (4 to 8 ohm)
- Optional
- --Headphones: 1/8 inch stereo phone plug
- --Microphone: 600 to 10K ohm dynamic
- --External amplified speakers
-
- 3 Year Limited Warranty
-
-
- I bought my Pro AudioSpectrum 16 card, back in early June. At
- the time, it was the only card out there to use the new stereo FM
- synthesizer chip called OPL3. This chip offers what is called
- 4-Operator FM, providing better sounding instruments, compared to
- its older brother, the YM3812 chip, which was only a 2-Operator mono FM
- chip. Cards that used the older YM3812 chips include: Soundblaster,
- Soundblaster Pro Version 1, original AdLib, and Thunderboard.
-
- Firstly, installation did not give me any problems. Before
- installing, I was already familiar with my system's IRQ and DMA
- configuration. A program such as Checkit 3.0 or Microsoft's MSD (comes
- with Windows 3.1) will tell you what IRQ's and DMA's are used by
- your system. Mediavision is working on the next version of the DOS
- installation software, which will automatically scan the system and
- suggest the settings for you to use. Right now, it's advisable to
- be somewhat familiar with your peripherals, in order to avoid
- conflicts. In a typical configuration running DOS, IRQ 5 would be
- free and IRQ 7, which is used by the printer port, can also be shared
- with the soundcard. The Pro AudioSpectrum-16 (PAS-16 for short)
- needs two usable IRQs and two DMA channels. The reason for this is
- that the Soundblaster part of the card needs its set, and the
- PAS-16 part needs its set. In essense, there are two separate
- Digital-Analog-Converters (DAC) on board, and each needs its own
- setting. This allows the PAS-16 to simultaneously output two different
- DAC sounds at the same time, without resorting to mathematical waveform
- superposition. Playing two .WAV files at the same time in Windows
- is possible with the PAS-16. However, if you do not wish to have
- Soundblaster compatibility, you can easily disable the Soundblaster
- DAC, thus requiring only one free IRQ and one free DMA channel.
- However, most systems do have enough free IRQs and DMA channels, so
- there shouldn't be too much problems finding the setting that works
- for you.
-
- After getting the card up and running, I proceeded to test some
- of the software that came bundled with it. First thing that gets
- loaded is a 7K config.sys driver that tells the PAS-16 what IRQ and
- DMA settings to use. It also enables volume control using the
- Control-Alt-U (for Up) and Control-Alt-D (for Down) keys. The DOS
- software comes with some really nice programs and some really
- not-so-nice programs. One program that's a favorite is Trakblaster
- Pro, an excellent Soundtracker .MOD file player. It plays .MOD files
- in stereo at either 44.1 KHz or 32 KHz. While doing this, it sports
- an impressive display of VGA graphics, complete with a spectrum
- analyzer and real-time oscilliscopes. However, a 386-33 MHz machine
- or better is needed if you want to see all the graphics at once. If
- you have a slower machine, you can get away with just playing .MOD
- files by turning off the graphics options. Also, if you chose an IRQ
- higher than 10 or DMA higher than 5 during installation, Trakblaster Pro
- will lockup. This is because most DOS software does not support
- settings that high. Next, the software comes with Monologue
- text-to-speech software, which is licensed, speech-synthesis software
- from First Byte. The program speaks with an understandable male voice,
- and it has the capability of reading standard text back to you. It
- also includes a TSR that allows you to highlight something on the
- screen in any application and it will try and read that back. When
- installing Monologue, it is important to select the IRQ & DMA
- settings to what the Soundblaster part of the card is set to. Next,
- I tried sampling some of my CDs with the card. I used the DOS program
- provided, called RECFILE. Sampling to my harddrive on a 386-33 MHz
- machine at 44.1KHz 16-bit stereo proved to be a problem, as I kept
- getting an error about my drive being full, even though I had plenty
- of room. It turns out my drive could not keep up with the huge amounts
- of data transfer, and that is why the error was ocurring. It seems that
- 486 machines do not have this problem. However, it is still possible
- to sample on 386 machines. To do so, I sample to a large RAM drive,
- setup Norton NCACHE and enable Intelliwrite, or try a harddrive
- defragmentation program. Other DOS programs I really didn't get into was
- the waveform editor and the Voyetra sequencer program. The waveform editor
- does not support 16-bit samples yet, and I'm not really into MIDI. Next, I
- took a look at the Windows software. The Windows installation was not
- hard, and again, it requested IRQ and DMA settings. However unlike DOS,
- using higher IRQ and DMA settings are not problems for Windows programs.
- Windows software includes a control panel where you can change volume,
- treble, bass, and other aspects of the mixer. Also included is a recorder
- program, which lets you sample and perform a variety of waveform effects
- like adding echo, increasing amplitude, and so on. The Windows disk also
- includes some .MID files that can be played using the Media Player program
- that comes with Windows 3.1 -- which plays using the new OPL3 FM
- instruments. There also exists a shareware MOD player, called Win Mod
- Pro, that does stereo playback. Overall, software that comes with the card
- is a mixed bag, but recently Version 1.44 Windows Drivers was released
- and fixes many bugs. Also, OS/2 driver support for the PAS-16 right now
- is in beta form and is floating around on the net. From what people say,
- the SCSI port works well in OS/2, but it looks like OS/2 2.1 will not have
- the drivers bundled with it since the final version will not be completed
- in time. Instead, OS/2 2.1 users will be able to get the drivers from
- Mediavision when the final version is ready.
-
- How is third party software support for the card? Right now, the
- card has only some support for its full potential. Most games now use the
- card in its Soundblaster mode. However, this will be changing as you
- read this review. Microprose's Rex Nebular, Ancient Art of War in the
- Skies, F15 Strike Eagle III, Access' Amazon, Interplay's Battlechess 4000,
- Knowledge Adventure's Multimedia series all support the Pro AudioSpectrum
- Plus and 16 boards in its native stereo mode, providing rich sounding music.
- Also, currently in the works is ID Software's DOOM! game, which will have
- native PAS-16 support. Also, MediaVision has been kind enough to release
- programming information into the public domain, which means good news for
- future support. Mediavision is even holding a contest right now for the
- best shareware program to support the PAS-16. Among the prizes are $100,
- $1000, $2000, and $5000 shopping sprees, free t-shirts to all entrants,
- a potential software contract where your program can get on Mediavision's
- future multimedia CD-ROM, and other prizes. If you would like even
- more technical information about the card, you can call up the MediaVision
- ISV developer's support program at 1-800-472-6147. For contest entry
- information, on Compuserve, type GO PASCONTEST and go to library #1 and
- download PASCON.TXT or call their BBS at 510-770-0968. Voice: 1-800-356-7886
- or 1-408-655-6014 ext 211 -- The contest deadline is July 15, 1993.
-
- How is the Soundblaster compatibility? Overall, it's very good,
- working about 99% of my software. However, some people may have problems
- with Wolfenstein 3-D and other programs. In this case, just add the
- following to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
- SETBLASTER = A220 I5 D1 T3
- The I5 in the above statement signifies the IRQ 5 setting for the
- Soundblaster part of the card. If you set your IRQ to a different
- setting, change the number after the I. Overall, these programs worked
- on my machine: Ultima 7, Wing Commander, Jill of the Jungle,
- Kiloblaster, Links 386 Pro, all older Sierra games using the Soundblaster
- option, Modplay v2.19b, Super Pro Play, Wow II, and many others. If a
- program still gives problems, contact the author. Most likely, the
- programmers assumed the Soundblaster to be set at IRQ 7. A few titles
- will not work because they use a certain version of the Creative Labs'
- developer's kit, which was designed purposely to crash if a Thunderboard
- or PAS card is found. Among these titles are: Mindcraft's Siege and
- Three Sixty's Theatre of War. These programs use a set of drivers with
- the filenames: SB15.DRV, SB20.DRV, and SBPRO.DRV -- If you find these
- three files in your program, give Mediavision or the game manufacturer a
- call.
-
- So, how does this card compare to the Soundblaster Pro? Well,
- different people will tell you different things, but technically
- speaking, the PAS-16 is a much superior product. The hardware design
- is so much better -- it includes shielding against noise-pickup from
- the motherboard and power supply, an on-board clock crystal so playing
- .MOD files in protected mode environments (QEMM, EMM386, OS/2, etc.)
- do sound normal, a standard 50-pin SCSI port with a transfer rate of 690
- kb/sec for CD-ROM hookup (the SB Pro has a 40-pin proprietary port that
- can only connect to Panasonic drives), 16-bit 44.1KHz stereo DAC and ADC
- for CD quality sound (SB Pro is 8-bit 22KHz stereo), a mixer that allows
- you to sample from more than one source at once, and 62-step volume
- settings (SB Pro is only 8-step). However, the SB Pro has been out longer
- so there's more software support for it, but with the popularity of the
- PAS-16 and the availability of the developer's kit to anyone, support for
- it will not be too far behind.
-
- With all these technical specifications, how's the card sound?
- Basically, the card is great. The .MOD file player sounds excellent,
- games like Rex Nebular and King's Quest VI use stereo to add a new depth
- of dimensionality. Basically, the OPL3 FM provides a good improvement
- over the older FM chips, and 16-bit sampling is quite extraordinary.
- Using 16-bit stereo .WAV clips gives Windows 3.1 a new life. Also, since
- the DAC has filtering and components are shielded, samples sound cleaner
- and less noisy than a Soundblaster.
-
- Overall, if you're in the market for a great stereo soundcard,
- the PAS-16 is the way to go. You will not be disappointed with its
- capabilities. For some people, installation is easy, for others it is
- difficult. If you have a standard PC configuration, the default choices
- provided by MediaVision should work fine. Only when a system contains
- many other peripherals that also use IRQ settings like network cards and
- scanners, will conflicts occur. Being familiar with your system's IRQ and
- DMA settings will be helpful in installation. Once installation is
- complete, the card will serve you very well. The current retail price
- for the card is $299 for the 16 version and $199 for the Plus version.
- The big difference between the 16 and Plus is the 16 has the 16-bit
- DAC/ADC capability, and the Plus has an 8-bit DAC/ADC. I would
- definitely recommend getting the 16 over the Plus. If you only want to
- spend money in the low one hundreds, then you might be better off
- getting the Gravis Ultrasound. Else, mail order prices for the PAS-16 is
- around $180-$200, about the same price as the SB Pro.
-
- A special note to multi-media enthusiasts: MediaVision has just
- released the "Fusion" CD-ROM bundle. There are two models: Fusion and
- Fusion-16. The regular Fusion model has a PAS Plus and a CD ROM
- drive. The Fusion-16 model has a PAS-16 and a SONY CD-ROM drive, and
- comes with several CD's, including Wing Commander II. Also included
- is "Quick Start", an installation program that will configure every-
- thing for you. You insert the disk and just type install and it will
- take care of the rest. Street prices for Fusion-16 range between $500-$600.
-
- How to contact Mediavision:
-
- Media Vision, Inc. Main: (800) 348-7116 or (510) 770-8600
- 3185 Laurelview Ct. Sales: (800) 845-5870
- Fremont, CA 94538 Tech Support: (800) 638-2807 or (510) 770-9905
- FAX: (510) 770-8648 or (510) 770-9592
-
- BBS: (510) 770-0968 2400 (8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit)
- (510) 770-1661 2400 (8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit)
- (510) 770-0527 9600 (8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit)
-
- Tech Support can be reached at 75300.2772@Compuserve.Com
-