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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Marketplace => Topic started by: Tension on June 15, 2011, 11:55:20 PM

Title: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: Tension on June 15, 2011, 11:55:20 PM
Just wondering if any of my pals here have a sound card they would part with for cheap, as the buzzing produced when trying to make tunes on OctaMED is becoming unworkable.

Thanks in advance folks!
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: spihunter on June 16, 2011, 12:18:40 AM
I think the Toccatta & Maestro Pro were the only cards supported by Octamed if that's what your wanting it for.....
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: Tension on June 16, 2011, 12:19:53 AM
Quote from: spihunter;645556
I think the Toccatta & Maestro Pro were the only cards supported by Octamed if that's what your wanting it for.....


Yes, that's what it's for.

But doesn't the Prelude also work?  I always thought all sound cards worked with OctaMED...
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: spihunter on June 16, 2011, 12:25:32 AM
Quote from: Tension;645557
Yes, that's what it's for.

But doesn't the Prelude also work?  I always thought all sound cards worked with OctaMED...

Nah, Octamed can't use AHI so your stuck with Paula or one of the supported cards. can't remember if the Prelude was supported. for some reason I think it's only the two I mentioned above.
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: TheGoose on June 16, 2011, 12:58:51 AM
Ok, here's what I see listed in the mixing window:

Toccata
Delfina
MaestroPro
Melody

Also Aura for A1200. I had one, Mmmm not so great I recall. No mix down option. Sound was really good though, hard to remember the issues, but did offer tracker play back.

So far I have found the most useful thing you could do with a supported card is this: Take all 4 Paula channels and mix them down to 1 16Bit stereo sample, in perfect fidelity. That could be very useful if Amiga is only part of a large composition / song idea that's headed to be constructed in more modern equipment.

Play back has odd restrictions, only one 16 bit sample can be played in the mod (at a time, no simultaneous 16bit samples), along with the Paula stuff going on. They can be big too, memory permitting.
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: magnetic on June 16, 2011, 01:51:05 AM
@OP

Buzzing sound? What do you mean by that? Your amiga's sound output shouldnt have buzz..
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: Ral-Clan on June 16, 2011, 01:55:35 AM
The Repulse audio card will also work as it does Toccata emulation - I used it with OctaMED on my A2000.
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: Tension on June 16, 2011, 02:00:55 AM
Quote from: magnetic;645568
@OP

Buzzing sound? What do you mean by that? Your amiga's sound output shouldnt have buzz..


Yea it needs its caps replaced.  It's been like this since about 2002.  Just gonna get a sound card instead, as money's too tight to mention.
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: spihunter on June 16, 2011, 02:05:44 AM
as far as your original question, I think the Toccata is the most common card I see for sale. They go for about $100 USD or so.
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: mechy on June 16, 2011, 02:33:25 AM
If you let them go long enough they leak andthey will start eating traces which has been known to happen.
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: magnetic on June 16, 2011, 02:36:22 AM
Tension

Hmm that sux you should fix the board instead of a sound card imho the Paula sound and Octamed is PHAT!
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: Tension on June 16, 2011, 03:15:54 AM
Quote from: magnetic;645575
Tension

Hmm that sux you should fix the board instead of a sound card imho the Paula sound and Octamed is PHAT!


Yes I agree 100%, but how much would it cost to get the caps fixed? And where in the UK would I send it?
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: MelbourneBen on June 16, 2011, 04:19:10 AM
If I were you I'd do it myself....just get yourself a decent soldering iron and take your time.
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: amigadave on June 16, 2011, 05:40:03 AM
Quote from: Tension;645579
Yes I agree 100%, but how much would it cost to get the caps fixed? And where in the UK would I send it?

I think that AmigaKit offers Amiga cap replacement service.  Check with them.
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: magnetic on June 16, 2011, 07:02:11 AM
Tension

DO NOT attempt to do it yourself if you dont know how to solder. Chances are you will fsck it up and wreck traces :)

btw what machine is it?
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: Tension on June 16, 2011, 04:17:51 PM
Quote from: magnetic;645594
Tension

DO NOT attempt to do it yourself if you dont know how to solder. Chances are you will fsck it up and wreck traces :)

btw what machine is it?


It's an A4000.  I can solder, but IIRC I looked at the board a few years back and wasn't confident about doing it then.

Now that I think about it, the keyboard DIN connector could do with being replaced, and I'd much prefer to have 1/4 inch jacks than RCA connectors for the audio out...

Maybe I'll try and do the last one myself...
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: psxphill on June 16, 2011, 06:00:52 PM
Quote from: ral-clan;645570
The Repulse audio card will also work as it does Toccata emulation - I used it with OctaMED on my A2000.

I might be making this up, but I thought there was some way of getting AHI to emulate one of the other sound cards.
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: golem on June 16, 2011, 07:06:21 PM
Quote from: Tension;645557


But doesn't the Prelude also work?  I always thought all sound cards worked with OctaMED...


I've never used one but I've read in the Amiga Format review of Prelude 1200 (the clockport version) that ...
"Compatibility with soundstudio comes via a library that fools the software into thinking that your prelude 1200 is a Zorro tocatta sound card. With this installed you can select Tocatta from the Mixing options to route your 16-bit output through Prelude"

Whether or not this applies to the Zorro Prelude I don't know
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: TheBilgeRat on June 16, 2011, 07:19:14 PM
Quote from: Tension;645572
Yea it needs its caps replaced.  It's been like this since about 2002.  Just gonna get a sound card instead, as money's too tight to mention.

What amiga is it?  I just did my A2000 with an ok soldering iron, desoldering braid and flux.  I am still waiting to do my A4000 because of the surface mounted style (I have been told desoldering air gun the only way to do it safely).  Cosmos would know, but if its an A1200 I bet it has those SMD jobs like the A4000.

EDIT: Its an A4000.  I'd definitely invest in getting them replaced.  the ones on my 4000 in the audio section are leaky and have discolored (IE eaten at) the legs on a nearby chip and my sound channel is still good.
Title: Re: Zorro sound card wanted.
Post by: mousehouse on June 16, 2011, 07:51:01 PM
I sent you a PM with a nice Amiga repair guy in the UK. I found him on Amibay, he did a great job on my A4000D.