The
Sound Blaster Pro is a sound card first released in 1991 by Creative Labs. It is the follow up to their successful
Sound Blaster card and added a number of new features and improvements
while maintaining compatibility with Sound Blaster. New features included the ability to playback digital sounds in stereo
with a sampling rate up to 22.05 kHz or in mono with a sampling rate up to 44.1 kHz, a simple mixer to provide volume control of
different sound sources, and a built in CD-ROM interface. Like the original Sound Blaster, the Sound Blaster Pro featured
FM synthesis based on Yamaha chips (the exact chips used varied depending on the model).
Sound Blaster Pro 1
Upon release the Sound Blaster Pro featured two YM3812 (OPL2) chips. This provided a total of 22 voices in stereo, with one
chip providing sound for the right channel and the other for the left (in order to direct sound to the "center", one voice
from each chip needed to be used). A similar dual FM chip configuration was also utilized by the
Pro Audio Spectrum.
Sound Blaster Pro 2
Later revisions of the Sound Blaster Pro replaced the two YM3812 chips with a single YMF262 (OPL3) chip. This newer chip
provided a total of 20 voices, each of which could be panned left or right for stereo effects. The more advanced YM262 chip also included
the option of 4 operator FM synthesis instead of the 2 operator synthesis found in previous cards; When utilized,
this provided the Sound Blaster Pro 2 with higher quality synthesized sounds when compared with the earlier model
and other OPL2 cards like the original Sound Blaster.
Other features of the original Sound Blaster Pro 1 remained the same in this version.
Pictures
Click on a picture below to view a larger version.
| Sound Blaster Pro 1 |
| Model # CT1330 |
| Sound Blaster Pro 2 |
| Model # CT1600 |
| Sound Blaster Pro 2 - Deluxe Edition |
| Model # CT1600 |
Marketing
Product catalogs, magazines, flyers, or other documentation
Sound Blaster Pro has appeared in.
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There are 85 games documented on PixelatedArcade
supporting Sound Blaster Pro.
