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The vast majority of people didn't buy Sound Blaster cards for their advanced 3D sound rendering, though. They bought them to play sound at a level more advance

by untog 7y ago

The vast majority of people didn't buy Sound Blaster cards for their advanced 3D sound rendering, though. They bought them to play sound at a level more advanced than a PC speaker, which is what most had at the time. Once motherboards integrated that there was no need for most people to buy a separate sound card. I know I didn't, especially when working out what you're spending your money on - video cards were far more important. But those, too, have become less important as integrated graphics have improved.

AnIdiotOnTheNet 7y ago
> Once motherboards integrated that there was no need for most people to buy a separate sound card. Sure, if you mean a strict majority of people, but what about gamers? There's no reason "most" people need to buy a separate videocard but it is still a huge market. For a time, a good soundcard was with advanced features for 3D sound rendering was looking like it was going to be just as important to PC gaming as good videocards.
TeMPOraL 7y ago
Also because built-in cards had shitty Realtek chips. I remember fetching a Sound Blaster on my third PC just so that I could use custom drivers to bypass the Realtek chip and use a proper card with advanced DSP support.
derefr 7y ago
> They bought them to play sound at a level more advanced than a PC speaker, which is what most had at the time. Yes, but why were they buying Sound Blaster cards instead of the much cheaper audio cards that were also on the market at the same time, but just didn’t have the same advanced feature set? The SoundBlaster, when it came out, was the “premium, workstation-tier” product of the audio-card world! Are you suggesting the SoundBlaster’s rise was entirely down to 1. Brand recognition, or 2. even the top-of-market cards still being cheap enough that a strategy of “satisficing with the most expensive thing you can easily afford” would have led people to the SoundBlaster; and not at all to its differentiating feature-set from other audio cards?
- glhaynes 7y ago
  I think a ton of people bought them because they weren't that much more expensive and compatibility was such a headache in those days, it was worth it for the peace of mind alone.

by untog 7y ago

AnIdiotOnTheNet 7y ago

> Once motherboards integrated that there was no need for most people to buy a separate sound card. Sure, if you mean a strict majority of people, but what about gamers? There's no reason "most" people need to buy a separate videocard but it is still a huge market. For a time, a good soundcard was with advanced features for 3D sound rendering was looking like it was going to be just as important to PC gaming as good videocards.

TeMPOraL 7y ago

Also because built-in cards had shitty Realtek chips. I remember fetching a Sound Blaster on my third PC just so that I could use custom drivers to bypass the Realtek chip and use a proper card with advanced DSP support.

derefr 7y ago

> They bought them to play sound at a level more advanced than a PC speaker, which is what most had at the time. Yes, but why were they buying Sound Blaster cards instead of the much cheaper audio cards that were also on the market at the same time, but just didn’t have the same advanced feature set? The SoundBlaster, when it came out, was the “premium, workstation-tier” product of the audio-card world! Are you suggesting the SoundBlaster’s rise was entirely down to 1. Brand recognition, or 2. even the top-of-market cards still being cheap enough that a strategy of “satisficing with the most expensive thing you can easily afford” would have led people to the SoundBlaster; and not at all to its differentiating feature-set from other audio cards?

glhaynes 7y ago
I think a ton of people bought them because they weren't that much more expensive and compatibility was such a headache in those days, it was worth it for the peace of mind alone.