![]() The board consists only of a very small software-driven audio chip (one of the following: S5016, ES1370, ES 1371) and a companion digital-to-analog converter (DAC). In comparison to the wide variety of chips on and sheer size of the older Soundscape boards, the highly integrated two chip design of the AudioPCI is an obvious shift in design philosophy. The AudioPCI, released in July 1997, was designed primarily to be cheap. Pressure from intense competition, especially with the dominant Creative Labs, was forcing audio card makers to try to keep their prices low. Their cards were very popular with PC OEMs, but their costs were too high and their musical instrument division was fading in revenue. Towards the end of the 1990s, Ensoniq was struggling financially.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |