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From: timur@seas.gwu.edu (The Time Traveler)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware
Subject: Here's some info on MCA SoundBlaster
Message-ID: <3008@sparko.gwu.edu>
Date: 9 Apr 91 00:04:20 GMT
Reply-To: timur@seas.gwu.edu ()
Organization: The George Washington University, Washington D.C.
Lines: 38

I just called Creative Labs in California and ordered my MCA SoundBlaster
at their pre-release price of $250 (not including $5 shipping).  They
are backordered, so I won't be getting it until May they said.  When
in May?  Beats me.

Their order number is 800-544-6146.  Technical support is 408-982-9226.
Here's is all the information I could get:

There is no on-board amplifier.  I was given two reasons for this: too
much power drain and too complex to incorporate.  I didn't ask, but
this implies that board space was NOT a factor.  Anyway, it doesn't
matter much, because a friend of mine has the ISA SoundBlaster, and he
says the amplifier is sucky anyway.  I asked if they recommended an
external amplifier, and they said that they don't have any recommendations.
Any decent amplifier (e.g. a stereo amp) will do.

This is the only difference between the MCA and ISA versions.

It has a joystick adapter, but there is no switch for speed selection.
I didn't bother to ask him how it works.  As you may know, joysticks
usually require a speed selector switch for different speed machines.
I can only assume that the reference disk takes care of this.

The CMS chips are NOT available.  Someone posted something earlier that
they were available for $30.  The CMS chips make the SoundBlaster act as
a GameBlaster card as well.  Not too important, since you really don't
need that compatibility.

The MIDI expansion option is available, but I don't know anything about it.

That's all I can remember.  I don't know how long the pre-release special
will last.

----------------------------------------------------------- The Time Traveler
I used to love her                                          a.k.a. Timur Tabi
But I had to kill her                            Internet: timur@seas.gwu.edu
I had to put her six feet under                  Bitnet:         HE891C@GWUVM
And I can still hear her complain  - Guns 'n Roses