16-bit CD-quality stereo recording and playback
Orchestral 32-voice polyphony with Advanced WavEffects Synthesis
Programmable AWE32 Effects Engine: Reverb and Chorus or QSound
Programmable Advanced Signal Processor
SoundFont support via downloadable sound samples
4Mbit (512 KB) RAM onboard, upgradeable to a maximum of 28Mbytes
20-voice OPL3 FM music synthesiser
Multi CD-ROM interface: Creative, Sony, and Mitsumi drives
Creative VoiceAssist, Speech Recognition system
Sound Blaster 16, General MIDI, MPC2, Windows 3.1 compatible
486DX-33 ISA bus with 16 MB RAM, NEC CDR-84J CD-ROM drive, MS-DOS 6.2, QEMM 7.03, and Windows 3.1.
We would like to thank Christopher Ng, manager of Creative's showroom at Funan Centre, Singapore, for lending us a SB AWE32 to conduct this review.
Since we have already described most of the technical features of the SB AWE32 in our preview last issue, we'll focus on the software provided, memory configuration, and games compatibility in this review. Before we go into it, here's a short recap of the features on this new card.
The SB AWE32 allows recording and playback from 5 kHz to 44.1 kHz in stereo mode with real-time hardware compression/decompression of sound files. It uses the EMU8000 Synthesiser chip with 16 channels, 128 instruments, and 32-voice polyphony (GM compatible). It also has 6 GS compatible drum kits. The programmable AWE32 Effects Engine allows reverb and chorus or QSound for individual voices. The card has 512 KB RAM onboard expandable to 28 MB using SIMM modules. It supports E-mu's SoundFont library and allows downloading of additional sounds via samples, giving virtually unlimited variations of sounds. The Advanced Signal Processor chip allows programming for QSound 180 degrees soundscape effect and speech synthesis.
Volume control is now solely software driven. The stereo digital mixer allows software control of 10 mixing channels, with multiple recording sources, input and output gain levels; treble, bass, and master volume control. The MIDI interface is compatible with Sound Blaster and MPU-401 UART modes. Three CD-ROM interfaces are on the card, allowing connection to the Sony CDU-31A and CDU-33A, Mitsumi LU005 and FX001 series, and Creative CR-523 and CR-563. The Wave Blaster daughterboard can also be attached.
config.sys DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE 4096 RAM DOS=HIGH,UMB FILES=40 BUFFERS=25 LASTDRIVE=J DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOS\SETVER.EXE DEVICEHIGH=C:\SCSI\NECCDR.SYS /D:NECCD DEVICEHIGH=D:\SBAWE32\DRV\CSP.SYS /UNIT=0 /BLASTER=A:220 DEVICEHIGH=D:\SBAWE32\DRV\CTSB16.SYS /UNIT=0 /BLASTER=A:220 I:5 D:1 H:5 DEVICEHIGH=D:\SBAWE32\DRV\CTMMSYS.SYS STACKS=9,256 SHELL=C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM C:\DOS\ /p autoexec.bat PROMPT $P$G SET SOUND=D:\SBAWE32 SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 T6 SET MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E MODE:0 D:\SBAWE32\DIAGNOSE /S D:\SBAWE32\AWEUTIL /S D:\SBAWE32\SB16SET /P /Q LOADHIGH C:\DOS\MSCDEX /d:NECCD /m:10 /v LOADHIGH C:\DOS\SMARTDRV.EXE 4096 2048 LOADHIGH C:\TVGA\VESA.EXE SET MOUSE=C:\MOUSE LOADHIGH C:\MOUSE\MOUSE.EXE C:\JOYSTICK\CHJOY3 PATH C:\DOS;C:\SCSI;C:\QEMM;C:\MOUSE;F:\WINDOWS;F:\CPS;C:\PCTOOLS
Using this base configuration, I tested the setup with plain MS-DOS 6.2, MemMaker, and QEMM 7.03 with the following results:
Conventional Memory available MS-DOS 6.2 556 KB MS-DOS 6.2 with MemMaker 550 KB MS-DOS 6.2 with QEMM 7.03 634 KB
oddly enough, using MemMaker resulted in less conventional memory left than MS-DOS 6.2 alone. Given that QEMM 7.03 had the best result, I further tested this setup under GM, GS, and MT32 emulation mode. The SB AWE32 requires to loading of a TSR to run games that support MIDI output through the MPU-401 data port.
in autoexec.bat Conventional Memory available D:\SBAWE32\AWEUTIL /EM:GM 619 KB D:\SBAWE32\AWEUTIL /EM:GS 598 KB D:\SBAWE32\AWEUTIL /EM:MT32 596 KB
as we can see, only the GM mode results in more than 600 KB of conventional memory left. This doesnt bode very well as for today's games, any system setup with less than 610 KB of conventional memory is playing with fire. Note that the requirement for an emulation TSR means that one needs a separate setup for each MIDI mode, although this is less troublesome now that MS-DOS allows multiple configurations.
One of the most irritating aspects of the SB AWE32s predecessor, the SB16, was the hissing noise when low-frequency 8-bit digitized sound effects were played. This was evident in highly popular titles like Wolfenstein 3D. I am glad to report that this is no longer a problem. No noise was heard when digitized sound effects were played in Wolfenstein 3D or my current game, D&D: Fantasy Empires. Of the 18 games I tested, only two had problems - AD&D: Dungeon Hack had lots of popping noises during the speech segment in the introduction screen, but this was also evident with my SB16 ASP + WB setup. Given that all other titles had no problem with the SB AWE32, I suspect this is inherent in Dungeon Hack. The other game with popping noises during speech, though of a much lesser intensity, was Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss. I can't explain this one as it had no problems with my SB16 ASP + WB.
I also ran the 16 test games (all CD based except Empire Deluxe) in the applicable MIDI modes with the following results:
key: * = works, X = problems, ? = uncertain, - = not applicable
Game GM GS MT32 The 7th Guest ? - ? AD&D: Assault on Myth Drannor - - * AD&D: Dungeon Hack * * * AD&D: Shattered Lands (demo) - - * AD&D: Strahd's Possession X X X D&D: Fantasy Empires CD X X X Empire Deluxe - - * Eric the Unready - - X F15 Strike Eagle III CD - - * King's Quest 5 CD - - * King's Quest 6 CD * - * Might & Magic: World of Xeen ? X X Strike Commander CD * - * Ultima Underworld - - * Ultima Underworld II - - ? Wing Commander II deluxe - - X
I am a little uncertain about the music of 7th Guest, World of Xeen, and UW2 as they didn't sound right, even after giving leeway for possible different instrument settings. World of Xeen slowed considerably in GS and MT32 mode, WC2 hung completely, and Eric the Unready couldn't detect a Roland card. Strahd's Possession and Fantasy Empires could not run at all as AWEUTIL is incompatible with DOS extenders, and this is documented in the SB AWE32 manuals. This is probably the most troubling factor, as many new games like SimCity 2000, Doom, etc. are using the DOS/4GW extender. If the trend for new games is to use DOS extenders, then owners of the SB AWE32 will not be able to get MIDI music in their games until they are specifically programmed for the AWE32, or they have the Wave Blaster attached.
More than 10 bundled software is provided with the SB AWE32, most of them running in Windows. Creative VoiceAssist is a speech recognition software that with proper training (it tends to mix up single syllable commands) will allow you to use voice commands in Windows. The desktop microphone provided is a whole lot better than the fat and ugly karoake- type mic given in previous SB products. Creative TextAssist replaces Monologue as the text-to-speech system. It comes with nine predefined voices (most of which tend to evoke thoughts of strangulation) that can be adjusted (thankfully). Pronunciation can also be customized. With some heavy time investment, one can theoretically build a tool to read documents back to you in an acceptable manner.
Creative Ensemble is the flashiest of the lot; it is a sound control rack that resembles a home hi-fi system, complete with a remote! The racks include playbacks for CD, MIDI, and wave files. Creative WaveStudio 2.0 looks faster than v 1.0 that came with the SB16, and allows complete editing of wave files. Creative SoundO'le (object-linking and embedding of sounds) and Creative Mosaic (a game) are also provided. Rounding up the software included are Cakewalk Apprentice for Windows (a MIDI sequencer) and HSC Interactive (and multimedia development tool).
The SB AWE32 is obviously a state of the art soundcard. However, because of the need to emulate MIDI through a TSR which is incompatible with DOS extenders, gamers who currently own a SB16 and Wave Blaster system would not do much better with the AWE32. I would suggest that gamers wait till entertainment software that take direct advantage of the AWE32's capabilities like QSound, reverb and chorus, and WavEffects before taking the plunge, by which time the price should also have dropped (the list price is now around S$650 [US$500]). For those who cannot live with the hissing of the SB16, and who are also born with a silver spoon, go ahead and get the card. But you will need the Wave Blaster or some other MIDI device to ensure full MIDI compatibility with some of today's games.
NEWSFLASH - since I did this review, I've gotten some news from the Internet newsgroup comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard that several games have/ will have AWE32 native support:
AD&D Al-Qadim: The Genie's Curse (SSI)
Doom v 1.4 (Id)
The Elder Scrolls: Arena (Bethesda)
Inherit the Earth (New World Computing)
Raptor v 1.1 (Apogee)
In view of this, the wait for taking the plunge may be over sooner than we thought!
This review is Copyright 1994 by Sir Launcelot du Lake and The Blue Beetle for GameBytes. All rights reserved.