SoundBlaster AWE 64 Gold - Soundfont comparison

Channel:

pc-sound-legacy

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1,050

Published on January 4, 2021 11:58:16 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmI0WUFnxA4

Game:

Descent (1994)

Duration: 2:46

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66

Hello Friends, lets compare several soundbanks/soundfonts (up to 4MB) on the AWE 64 Gold. But it is not just the 64 Gold that is capable of loading different soundfonts: There ist the AWE 64 value, the AWE 32 and the SoundBlaster 32 as well. The cards have different ram upgrade capabilities and different sizes of onboard RAM, but all of them - as far as i remember - have a 1MB soundbank on the cards ROM, thats the only one accessible in real DOS.
But - as many titles are playable in the Windows 9X DOS-Prompt, it is possible to use upload another soundfont on the cards RAM then, and thats exactly what i've done - and i'd like to present you the result here.

All the soundfonts already came with the AWE64 driver disk.

1: SNTHGM.SBK - the smalest one with just 0,3 MB
2: SYNTHGS.SBK - 0.5 MB
(Both of these are ready to upload on all AWEs expect the SB32 CT3600 without additional RAM.
3.: GM35REVC.SF2 - 3.5MB
4: 2GMGSMT.SF2 - 2MB
5: 4GMGSMT.SF2 - 4MB.
The 3.5 and 4 MB ones are suitable für the AWE64 Gold as the Value has just 2MB of ram and the upgrade module is pretty rare. For this card, the 2MB one would be the best choice i think. On the AWE32 with additional SIMM modules it depends on the size. Most modules are just 1MB so the 2MB might also be the best one here.
As far as i can trust my ears, there isn't that much difference between the last two banks with 2/4 MB - at least at this title.
But what do you think, and wich one do you use (if you use an AWE card)?

The Tmusic is the title theme from Descent (Parallax Software, 1994).

Ernie
PC-SOUND-LEGACY

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