Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Ensoniq AudioPCI

The Ensoniq AudioPCI is a family of low-cost sound card chipsets developed by Ensoniq Corporation and introduced in 1997, designed to deliver high-fidelity to personal computers through a combination of and software-based synthesis while maintaining compatibility with legacy games and applications. The initial ES1370 chipset, released as the core of the AudioPCI solution, integrated a bus master controller, a 16-bit stereo (such as the AK4531), and support for up to 32-voice polyphonic wavetable synthesis using Ensoniq's proprietary sound libraries stored in system RAM. It featured multiple audio inputs (three stereo and three mono channels mixable to output), sample rates from 5.512 kHz to 44.1 kHz, and emulations for Pro, AdLib/OPL-3 FM synthesis, and UART interfaces to ensure broad software compatibility without requiring an ISA bus. Later variants, such as the ES1371 (AudioPCI 97), added full compliance for 18-bit audio resolution, 48 kHz , and enhanced power management compliant with PC97 standards, along with an interface for external MPEG or decoding. These chipsets supported 64-byte per-channel sound caching to minimize CPU overhead and included and GPIO ports for expanded functionality. Targeted primarily at the OEM market with retail prices around $80, the AudioPCI emphasized affordability and performance, boasting a greater than 90 dB. Following Ensoniq's acquisition by —signed on December 9, 1997, and closed in January 1998 for $77 million—the AudioPCI technology was rebranded as the Sound Blaster PCI 64 and subsequent models like the PCI 128, extending its influence into Creative's product lineup through 2000. This integration allowed for software wavetable patches in 2 MB, 4 MB, or 8 MB sets, supporting , , and MT-32 instruments for versatile music playback.

History and Development

Origins and Design Goals

Ensoniq Corporation, founded in 1982 by former engineers, initially gained prominence in the mid-1980s and early for its high-end synthesizers and samplers, such as and the SQ-80, which democratized professional-grade music production tools. By the early , the company extended this expertise to the PC market with the series of sound cards, including the Soundscape S-2000 (1994) and Soundscape Elite, which integrated Ensoniq's proprietary DOC II wavetable synthesizer chip—originally developed for musical keyboards—to deliver superior synthesis quality compared to contemporaries. These products targeted professional and enthusiast users, emphasizing hardware-based synthesis for rich, expressive audio in applications like and music composition. However, by the mid-1990s, Ensoniq faced intensifying financial pressures amid a rapidly commoditizing PC audio market dominated by Creative Labs' series, which captured significant share through aggressive pricing and broad compatibility. The high development costs of premium hardware, coupled with declining margins in the segment due to from cheaper alternatives, strained Ensoniq's resources, prompting a strategic pivot away from high-end standalone instruments toward affordable PC integration solutions. This shift was necessitated by the need to sustain viability in an industry where OEMs increasingly demanded cost-effective components for bundled systems. Development of the AudioPCI began around as Ensoniq's response to these challenges, aiming to capture the burgeoning budget OEM segment with a low-cost PCI-based audio solution priced at approximately $50 for manufacturers and $80 retail. The primary design goals centered on leveraging the bus for direct system integration, minimizing hardware complexity through software-based synthesis, and utilizing host system to load wavetable sample sets—reducing the need for expensive onboard or dedicated . This approach enabled efficient, scalable audio processing while maintaining compatibility with legacy standards, positioning AudioPCI as a pragmatic evolution from Ensoniq's premium heritage to accessible PC audio.

Release and Market Context

The Ensoniq AudioPCI was released in 1997, marking Ensoniq's final independent product prior to its acquisition by in January 1998. This launch occurred as the bus became the standard interface for PC expansion cards, enabling more efficient integration of audio hardware into mainstream systems. Ensoniq developed the AudioPCI amid declining , as dominated the discrete segment with its series, while the industry shifted toward cost-sensitive solutions including early integrated audio on motherboards. The chipset targeted high-volume OEM production to counter these pressures, with complete cards sold to manufacturers for around $50, a fraction of the price of higher-end competitors like the Sound Blaster AWE64, which emphasized advanced for gamers and audiophiles. This pricing strategy facilitated initial adoption by major PC builders, including Gateway 2000, which used customized AudioPCI variants in its consumer systems, and , which integrated it under branding for broad compatibility. By focusing on affordability and PCI-native design, the AudioPCI helped Ensoniq secure a foothold in the OEM market during a transitional period for PC audio.

Technical Architecture

Core Components and Design

The Ensoniq AudioPCI chipset serves as the foundational hardware for a series of PCI-based sound cards, integrating multiple audio and interface functions into a single primary chip to enable efficient processing on . At its core, the design revolves around a main controller chip that handles communication, (DMA) operations, and peripheral integrations, paired with an external for analog signal conversion. This architecture aimed to provide cost-effective audio solutions by minimizing dedicated hardware while leveraging the PCI bus for high-speed data transfer. A key feature is the bus mastering capability, which allows the AudioPCI to independently manage transfers for audio data, thereby reducing CPU overhead during playback and recording. The employs a three-channel controller that utilizes 64-byte circular buffers to move data between system and internal audio channels via burst transfers of up to eight longwords at 33 MHz. This bus-mastering design ensures low-latency audio streaming without constant host intervention, supporting sample rates up to 44.1 kHz in initial implementations. The chipset integrates essential analog and digital interfaces directly, including digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and analog-to-digital converters () via an external such as the AK4531 in early models. These employ 16-bit resolution, with for the ADC, enabling stereo output and mono input mixing with low distortion. Additionally, a port is incorporated with eight digital inputs configurable at standard I/O addresses, and a MIDI UART provides for external synthesizers, featuring an 8-byte buffer for interrupt-driven operation. Later iterations introduced an interface for standardized analog I/O, enhancing modularity while maintaining core digital functions. The design relies on the host CPU for wave table synthesis processing, offloading complex MIDI emulation to software rather than dedicated . Physically, the main AudioPCI chip is housed in a 100-pin plastic (PQFP) or thin (TQFP), facilitating compact board layouts. It operates on 3.3 V logic with 5 V tolerance for slot compatibility, consuming approximately 100-150 mW during active use and dropping to 15 mW in power-down mode, which supports energy-efficient implementations in desktop systems. The pinout allocates dedicated sections for address/data lines, codec signals, joystick, MIDI, and power/ground, ensuring robust electrical isolation for audio integrity.

Audio Processing and Synthesis

The Ensoniq AudioPCI employed , leveraging the host system's to store audio samples in proprietary .ECW (Ensoniq Concert Wavetable) format rather than onboard memory, enabling cost-effective implementation while relying on bus mastering for data access. Official sample sets were available in 2 MB (EAPCI2M.ECW), 4 MB (EAPCI4M.ECW), and 8 MB (EAPCI8M.ECW) configurations, containing instruments, drum programs, and additional and MT-32 compatible sounds in the larger sets. This approach allowed the synthesizer to draw from a library containing instruments, drum programs, and additional and MT-32 compatible sounds, with synthesis performed via software emulation that mixed sample playback with effects processing. Utilizing for audio buffering, the system achieved efficient transfer of wavetable data from to the audio without heavily taxing the CPU for basic operations. The AudioPCI supported 18-bit playback and 16-bit recording at sample rates up to kHz in later like the ES1371, with earlier ES1370 models fixed at 44.1 kHz using a dedicated . Audio inputs included three and three mono channels, mixed into a output stream, while the integrated (such as the AK4531) handled A/D and D/A conversion with an onboard preamp offering 30 dB/0 dB . Output capabilities extended to 4-speaker surround configurations, enhancing immersive audio experiences through hardware mixing. Digital effects processing was integrated into the chip's pipeline, providing reverb, , and spatial enhancement to both and synthesized output, particularly when driven by and later operating systems. These effects were applied in to the mixed audio stream, supporting spatialization for positioning compatible with DirectSound3D . The effects engine complemented the by adding depth and ambiance without requiring additional hardware. MIDI handling was facilitated through MPU-401 UART emulation, supporting up to 32-voice limited by CPU performance due to software-based rendering. The system achieved this polyphony across 16 MIDI channels using the wavetable engine for sample playback, rather than dedicated hardware voices. OPL3 synthesis was emulated entirely in software via the wavetable method, mapping FM patches to sampled equivalents, though this resulted in less authentic reproduction compared to native FM chips. For legacy compatibility, the AudioPCI incorporated a (SRC) engine, enabling on-the-fly resampling of input audio to the chip's native output rate, such as converting legacy 44.1 kHz sources to 48 kHz in supported variants. This SRC functionality ensured seamless integration of diverse audio sources into the processing pipeline, minimizing artifacts through configurable conversion parameters.

Chipset Variants

ES1370

The Ensoniq ES1370, the inaugural chipset in the AudioPCI family, was released on January 17, 1997, as a low-cost -based sound solution designed for consumer PCs. It marked a significant advancement in budget audio hardware by integrating built-in emulation for DOS-era compatibility directly on a card, allowing seamless operation in legacy environments without additional ISA adapters. This made it one of the first sound cards to provide robust support through software-driven , addressing the compatibility challenges of transitioning from to architectures in mid-1990s systems. Key specifications of the ES1370 included native support for 44.1 kHz sampling rates, enabling high-quality playback for the era, though it required an external 16-bit such as the AK4531 for analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion. synthesis was handled via software emulation, supporting up to 32 voices using the proprietary Ensoniq Concert Wavetable (.ecw) patch format, which relied on system for sample storage rather than onboard to reduce costs. The chipset featured for efficient data transfer between system memory and audio buffers, with a 64-byte cache per channel to minimize latency in playback. Innovations in the ES1370 centered on its virtualized legacy ports, which emulated 2.0, 16, and Pro interfaces alongside OPL-3 FM synthesis and UART, all managed through interrupts to avoid IRQ conflicts common in multi-card setups. This approach allowed the chipset to present multiple virtual devices over the bus, enhancing backward compatibility for games and applications without physical port mapping. Initial support for the .ecw patch set enabled customizable , drawing from Ensoniq's expertise in sampled audio, where general wavetable techniques involved interpolating waveform samples to generate polyphonic sounds. Despite these advances, the ES1370 had notable limitations, including higher CPU utilization for synthesis due to its software-based implementation, which could strain processors in resource-intensive environments compared to hardware-accelerated alternatives. Additionally, it lacked native codec compliance, relying instead on the older AK4531 interface, which limited integration with emerging audio standards and required discrete external components on reference boards. These factors positioned the ES1370 as an economical but one that prioritized compatibility over raw performance efficiency.

ES1371 and ES1373

The ES1371 and ES1373 represent iterative advancements in Ensoniq's AudioPCI chipset lineup, introducing compliance for enhanced integration and improved audio processing efficiency over the original ES1370. Released in late 1997, the ES1371 marked Ensoniq's transition to the standard, enabling seamless interfacing with external s while maintaining with legacy audio emulation features inherited from prior designs. The ES1373 followed in 1998 as a refined variant, incorporating additional interfaces to broaden application scope without significantly altering the core architecture. Both chips operate as PCI bus master devices at 5V with a 100-pin PQFP package, facilitating cost-effective manufacturing through reduced pin counts compared to earlier hybrid ISA/PCI designs. They support native 48 kHz sampling rates with on-chip sample rate conversion using FIR filters and linear interpolation, allowing variable input rates (e.g., 44.1 kHz) to be resampled to the fixed 48 kHz output for playback and recording. Audio capabilities include 16-bit stereo/mono DACs for two playback channels and a single ADC for recording, with mixing of up to three stereo and three mono inputs; signal-to-noise ratios exceed 90 dB typical when paired with compatible AC'97 codecs, which handle the actual analog conversion and can support up to 18-bit resolution in standard configurations. The integrated 64-byte cache per channel and three-channel DMA controller via the Cache Control Block (CCB) minimize PCI bus overhead, enabling efficient wave table synthesis from Ensoniq Concert Wavetable (.ecw) library for MIDI playback. Key differences between the ES1371 and ES1373 lie in digital I/O enhancements on the latter, which adds output for consumer-grade digital audio transmission and input for external serial audio sources, while defaulting to mode for pin with the ES1371. The ES1373 also includes a subsystem ID override mechanism, allowing OEMs to configure it as an ES1371 equivalent or enable the new features via a locked register write. Both retain full legacy support, including , OPL-FM, and UART emulation for DOS , with no removal of the UART interface in the ES1373. The ES1371 targeted full-featured PCI sound cards, while the ES1373 served as a versatile option for cost-optimized boards and integrated solutions. These chipsets formed the foundation for Creative Labs' PCI 64 series (e.g., model CT4700), which leveraged the ES1371 for mainstream audio cards post-Ensoniq's 1998 acquisition, emphasizing integration for /98 ecosystems.

EV1938

The EV1938, developed by Creative Labs following their acquisition of Ensoniq, represented the final evolution of the AudioPCI family into a compact, single-chip audio solution optimized for embedded applications. Released in September 1999, it integrated the 2.0 compliant directly on-chip, minimizing the overall footprint and eliminating the need for separate components found in prior multi-chip designs like the ES1371 and ES1373. Key specifications included 16-bit stereo audio processing at up to 48 kHz in full-duplex mode, 64-voice , and support for 16-channel , all while requiring fewer external components for implementation. Targeted primarily at integrated audio subsystems in motherboards and laptops, the chip operated at 3.3V to reduce power consumption, making it suitable for mobile and space-constrained environments. It also provided legacy compatibility with , , and games, alongside modern features like DirectSound acceleration and environmental audio extensions. The EV1938's advantages centered on cost efficiency and low power draw compared to earlier AudioPCI variants, enabling broader adoption in OEM systems without sacrificing core synthesis capabilities, though MIDI functionality was streamlined for internal processing in embedded contexts rather than full external interfacing. Post-release, it saw use in various OEM configurations, including onboard audio for motherboards and Creative's AudioPCI 64V cards, contributing to the chipset's enduring presence in late-1990s PC hardware.

Compatibility and Software

DOS and Legacy Support

The Ensoniq AudioPCI provided compatibility for applications through a legacy subsystem that virtualized ports, including SB 1.0, 2.0, and modes, by trapping accesses to emulated I/O addresses such as 220h-22Fh or 240h-24Fh and mapping them via the bus interface. This emulation relied on software interrupts and IRQ trapping to handle commands without requiring physical slots, allowing the PCI-based card to integrate seamlessly with legacy software. The chipset also emulated OPL2 and OPL3 FM synthesis using CPU-driven algorithms that simulated chip behavior through sample-based processing rather than dedicated hardware, which could result in suboptimal audio quality for FM-dependent titles. Joystick support was available via a dedicated interface at configurable base addresses like 200h or 208h, while MIDI passthrough utilized an onboard UART with a 16-byte for compatible input and output, enabling connection to external synthesizers. These features extended to by loading sample sets into system RAM for playback. Ensoniq's DOS drivers, such as those provided in the EAPCI package, supported the proprietary .ecw (Ensoniq Concert Wavetable) patch format for sample-based , with options ranging from 2 MB to 8 MB sets, though they required an Expanded Memory Manager like for operation. However, performance under DOS was limited by the software-heavy , leading to potential or glitches in demanding games, particularly those relying on direct hardware access. This compatibility was a significant advantage in the late , as it allowed PCI-only systems—common in budget PCs transitioning from —to run popular games like Doom or without additional legacy hardware.

Driver Ecosystem and OS Integration

The Ensoniq AudioPCI chipset received proprietary drivers from Ensoniq and later Creative Labs, providing native support for Windows operating systems through version XP via Windows Driver Model (WDM) implementations that enabled DirectSound acceleration for low-latency audio playback in games and applications. These drivers handled , synthesis, and mixer controls, with Creative's versions incorporating software-based emulation of () for 3D positional audio effects, though this relied on CPU processing rather than dedicated hardware. Official support extended to , 98, ME, 2000, and XP, but compatibility waned in later versions like due to the shift away from legacy PCI audio standards. In the open-source ecosystem, the (ALSA) provided robust integration starting with kernel 2.4, featuring the snd-ens1370 module for ES1370 variants and snd-ens1371 for ES1371/ES1373 chips, both offering full support for PCM playback, UART interfacing, and hardware mixer controls via the ALSA API. These drivers enable multi-channel audio, power management, and autoprobe for multiple cards, ensuring compatibility in modern distributions for legacy hardware revival. As of 2025, these drivers continue to be supported in versions up to 6.x. For BSD variants, FreeBSD's snd_es137x driver, introduced in version 4.0, bridges the chipset to the generic sound(4) subsystem, supporting audio DAC output, (where available), and latency adjustments to minimize artifacts. NetBSD's eap(4) driver, added in version 1.5, similarly handles ES1370, ES1371, and ES1373 chips with audio playback, ports, support, and an optional second DAC for stereo output, using an in-kernel mixer for volume and routing control. However, macOS integration remains limited, with no official drivers from Ensoniq or Creative; third-party ports exist for older versions like in virtualized environments, but native PCI support gaps in post-PowerPC Macs hinder broader adoption. The driver ecosystem extends to third-party utilities for enhancing MIDI synthesis, particularly through .ECW (Ensoniq Concert Wavetable) files that load sample-based instrument sets into system for software wavetable playback, configurable via the APINIT loader and SNDSCAPE.INI file edits for custom wavesets up to 8 MB. In contemporary contexts, AudioPCI cards maintain relevance in virtual machines for retro gaming, where emulators like DOSBox-X replicate ES1371 functionality to preserve authentic sound in and early Windows titles without requiring physical hardware passthrough. This virtual integration supports legacy game audio pipelines, bridging the chipset's architecture to modern hypervisors for archival and nostalgic play.

Acquisition and Legacy

Creative Labs Acquisition

In December 1997, Creative Technology Ltd., the Singapore-based maker of the Sound Blaster sound card, announced an agreement to acquire Ensoniq Corp., a leading developer of PC audio technology, for up to $77 million in cash. The deal was signed on December 9, 1997, and aimed to combine Ensoniq's expertise in low-cost PCI-based audio solutions with Creative's established market presence. The acquisition was completed in January 1998, marking a pivotal shift for Ensoniq amid intensifying competition in the PC audio sector. Creative's primary motivation was to leverage Ensoniq's AudioPCI chipset, which provided affordable, high-quality audio for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), allowing the company to strengthen its position in the growing market for integrated PC sound solutions. Ensoniq's technology, including its patented wave table synthesis methods, enabled efficient playback and compatibility with major PC builders like Gateway 2000 and , whose systems already shipped with Ensoniq products. By acquiring these assets, Creative aimed to accelerate its expansion into the OEM and integration segments, where low-cost audio was becoming essential for PCs. Following the acquisition, Ensoniq's ES137x chipset family was quickly integrated into Creative's product lineup, with the chips rebranded for use in budget-oriented cards such as the 64 and 128 models. This rebranding facilitated a seamless transition, enabling Creative to offer Ensoniq-derived audio solutions under its own branding while maintaining with existing software ecosystems. The move immediately bolstered Creative's portfolio in the entry-level audio market, with new cards like the Creative Ensoniq AudioPCI launched at $49.99 to target cost-sensitive consumers and OEM partners.

Post-Acquisition Impact and Modern Relevance

Following the 1998 acquisition, Creative Labs integrated the Ensoniq AudioPCI chipset into its product lineup, rebranding the ES1370-based design as the Sound Blaster PCI 64 and subsequently evolving it into the Sound Blaster PCI 128 with enhanced Sound Blaster 16 compatibility via updated drivers. These cards maintained the core PCI architecture and software-based MIDI synthesis of the original AudioPCI while adding Creative's proprietary features, serving as precursors to the more advanced Sound Blaster Live! series by incorporating DOS emulation techniques. The chipset's low-cost design also facilitated widespread integration into OEM motherboards, such as those from Intel and SiS, where ES1371 and ES1373 variants provided onboard audio solutions through the early 2000s. Production of AudioPCI-derived hardware ceased around as Creative shifted focus to newer EMU-based technologies, though persisted in driver updates until the mid-2000s. Today, the chipset endures in retro computing communities through software ; accurately simulates the ES1370 for virtualized environments, supporting features like wave table and DirectSound3D passthrough. Similarly, DOSBox-X emulates the ES1371 for gaming, replicating quirks such as the software ISA bridge for compatibility, with ongoing improvements to address driver-specific bugs. Vintage AudioPCI cards attract collectors for authentic 1990s PC builds, often valued for their clean analog output in period-correct setups despite lacking native . In modern operating systems, the AudioPCI remains relevant via robust open-source drivers; the Linux kernel's snd-ens1370 , part of the ALSA framework, provides full support for ES1370 and ES1371 chips, enabling playback, recording, and on legacy hardware with configurable sample rates up to 48 kHz. This driver maturity stems from community contributions since the early 2000s, ensuring compatibility in distributions like and for retro enthusiasts running older kernels. Emulation accuracy has advanced similarly, with and DOSBox-X achieving near-hardware fidelity for applications like guests, though some codec behaviors require tweaks for optimal performance. No new AudioPCI hardware has been produced since the early 2000s.

References

  1. [1]
    [PDF] ENSONIQ AudioPCI ES1370
    Jan 17, 1997 · 10INTRODUCTION. AudioPCI ES1370 is a new ENSONIQ device that provides the next generation of audio performance to the PC market.
  2. [2]
    October 9, 1997 - 4Front Technologies
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Open Sound System now supports Ensoniq's AudioPCI soundcard Los Angeles, CA, October 9, 1997: 4Front Technologies is announcing the ...
  3. [3]
    [PDF] ENSONIQ AudioPCI™ 97 ES1371 - DOS Days
    INTRODUCTION. AudioPCI 97 is the new ENSONIQ AC97 digital controller which provides the next generation of audio performance to the PC market.
  4. [4]
  5. [5]
    [PDF] Ensoniq to be Acquired by Creative Technology - [www.buchty.net]
    Per the acquisition, which was signed on Tues- day, December 9, 1997, Creative will pay up to US$77 million in cash for Ensoniq. The closing of the transaction ...
  6. [6]
    Ensoniq - DOS Days
    In January 1998 the company was swallowed up by Creative Labs and was merged with E-mu Systems who together made musical instruments. Many Ensoniq Soundscape ...Missing: date | Show results with:date
  7. [7]
    AudioPCI - DOS Days
    In 1997, Ensoniq introduced AudioPCI - a budget PCI sound card. At the time, the company was getting squeezed out of the market by Creative Labs.Missing: history | Show results with:history
  8. [8]
    Short Take: Creative acquires Ensoniq - CNET
    Jan 9, 1998 · Creative Technology has completed its acquisition of Ensoniq, a maker of PC audio technology. Creative, which paid $77 million for Ensoniq, plans to expand the ...
  9. [9]
    Different Versions of Ensoniq AudioPCI - VOGONS
    Feb 23, 2020 · There are 3 different drivers for these chips. ES1370/CT5507 one, ES1371/CT2518/ES1373/CT5880 one, and EV1938 one.Best and worst sound cards you have ever owned?Sound cards - from best to worstMore results from www.vogons.orgMissing: $20 | Show results with:$20
  10. [10]
    Sound Blaster model numbers
    Creative Ensoniq AudioPCI. CT4810. Sound Blaster AudioPCI Compaq. SB1010. Sound ... Sound Blaster Audio Pci 64 Dell oem. CT5807. Sound Blaster Audio PCI 128 ...
  11. [11]
    Ensoniq / Creative AudioPCI - Page 7 \ VOGONS
    D/A converter: 18-bit linear serial Sigma-Delta converter. Level and panning ... - Allows playback of stereo wave samples of 8- or 16-bit sound
  12. [12]
    Ensoniq AudioPCI - OSDev Wiki
    The Ensoniq AudioPCI is a low-cost PCI sound card that notably used software to emulate a MIDI synthesizer using a proprietary wave table format.Missing: history | Show results with:history
  13. [13]
    Ensoniq ES1370 (AudioPCI) - The Retro Web
    Oct 18, 2024 · Chip: Ensoniq ES1370 (AudioPCI) ... Release date. 17 January 1997. File. ENSONIQ AudioPCI ES1370 ...
  14. [14]
    Software Wavetables - Ensoniq AudioPCI - DOS Days
    Nov 25, 2021 · The Ensoniq AudioPCI range of sound cards have no onboard ROM for patches, instead relying on what they called .ECW (Ensoniq Concert Wavetable) ...
  15. [15]
    Computer Hardware Museum - Hattix.co.uk
    The Ensoniq ES1370 was released in 1997 and its development had almost bankrupted Ensoniq. Its synthesisers were selling poorly and, while its PC audio ...
  16. [16]
    Ensoniq - Vogons Wiki
    Mar 12, 2013 · Ensoniq was a popular electronic musical instrument and sound processor company that produced sound cards during the 1990s.<|separator|>
  17. [17]
    [PDF] ENSONIQ AudioPCI™ 97 ES1373 - DOS Days
    AudioPCI 97 is a 5.0 Volt PCI bus compatible device that enables the ENSONIQ SoundScape PCI solution. AudioPCI 97 along with an AC97 CODEC offer the next ...
  18. [18]
  19. [19]
    CREATIVE DELIVERS SOUND BLASTER AUDIO EXPERIENCE TO ...
    Creative's EV1958 and EV1938 single chip solutions are currently available for sampling. Additional Features for the EV 1958 and EV 1938: DirectSound ...Missing: Ensoniq | Show results with:Ensoniq
  20. [20]
    PCI audio notes - FlaterCo
    Notes on configuration of old PCI sound cards and integrated sound with a focus on DOS and Linux.
  21. [21]
    Intel RC440BX (Rochester, ATX) - The Retro Web
    Sep 28, 2025 · Onboard Audio can be AudioPCI64V (EV1938) or AudioPCI (ES1371). Katmai Pentium 3 faster than 450 MHz needs revision 718163-208 or later ...
  22. [22]
    Creative Ensoniq AudioPCI Driver Update (11/19/2001) - TechSpot
    May 16, 2002 · Download Creative Ensoniq AudioPCI Driver Update (11/19/2001). OS support: Windows 98/Me/2000/XP. Category: Audio and Multimedia.<|separator|>
  23. [23]
  24. [24]
  25. [25]
    snd_es137x
    ### Summary of Ensoniq AudioPCI Support in FreeBSD
  26. [26]
    eap(4) - NetBSD Manual Pages
    The eap driver provides support for the Ensoniq AudioPCI and Creative Labs SoundBlaster PCI series of audio cards. All models based on the ES1370, ES1371 ...Missing: FreeBSD | Show results with:FreeBSD
  27. [27]
    Download EnsoniqAudioPCI_v1.0.3_Common_Installer.pkg ...
    A display driver for Mac OS 10.5+ running as a VMware guest OS. Update [September 7th, 2014]: As of VMware Fusion 7.0.0, VMware Tools for Mac (darwin.iso) - ...
  28. [28]
    Ensoniq AudioPCI (ES1371) emulation. · Issue #4851 - GitHub
    Feb 27, 2024 · Emulation of the Ensoniq AudioPCI (ES1371) soundcard in DOSBox X. Describe alternatives you've considered. Installed it on a Windows 98 virtual machine in 86 ...Missing: retro gaming
  29. [29]
    Creative Officially Introduces PCI64 - GameSpot
    Apr 28, 2000 · Creative Technology officially introduced its two new PCI audio cards, the Sound Blaster PCI64 for US$99.99 and the Creative Ensoniq AudioPCI for $49.99.
  30. [30]
    Sound Blaster PCI 128 - PHILSCOMPUTERLAB.COM
    Well, Creative bought Ensoniq and rebranded the Ensoniq AudioPCI into Sound Blaster PCI 128. They did change the drivers, adding Sound Blaster 16 ...Missing: Compaq | Show results with:Compaq
  31. [31]
    All Downloads - Creative Worldwide Support
    Free delivery over $35This package is an update for the Sound Blaster Extigy for users running Windows 98SE, Windows ME, Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
  32. [32]
    Matrix:Module-ens1370 - AlsaProject
    Feb 19, 2011 · Introduction for Ensoniq ES1370 soundcard. There are two ways of getting Linux drivers to work, you can either compile them into the kernel or ...Missing: 1371 2.4 MIDI
  33. [33]
    All Downloads - Creative Worldwide Support
    This is a new stand-alone driver release of Sound Blaster PCI128 for users running on Windows 2000, Windows ME and Windows XP only.<|separator|>
  34. [34]
    i440fx PC (pc-i440fx, pc) — QEMU documentation
    ENSONIQ AudioPCI ES1370 sound card. Intel 82801AA AC97 Audio compatible sound card. Intel HD Audio Controller and HDA codec. Adlib (OPL2) - Yamaha YM3812 ...
  35. [35]
    Advanced Linux Sound Architecture - Driver Configuration guide
    This module supports multiple cards. Module snd-ens1370¶. Module for Ensoniq AudioPCI ES1370 PCI sound cards. SoundBlaster PCI 64; SoundBlaster PCI 128.
  36. [36]
    Patents Assigned to Ensoniq Corporation
    Patent number: 5321758 · Abstract: A power efficient hearing aid uses a programmable biasing technique to set the quiescent operating points of amplifiers used ...