                     ****************************************
                     *    Specs of the Ad Lib Gold 1000     *
                     ****************************************
                          Provided by Sander van Leeuwen

FM  Synthesizer:
--------------------------------------------FM Synthesizer Chip  YMF262

Number of FM Voices (stereo or mono)                 20
Operator FM Synthesis                                2 or 4
Number of FM Waveforms                               8
FM DAC                                               16 bits
Dynamic Range                                        96 dB

Sampling:
--------------------------------------------------Sampling Chip  YMZ263

Sampling DAC                                         12 bits
Dynamic Range                                        72 dB
PCM Data Accepted                                    16(!), 12 and 8 bits
Sampling Record and Playback Channels                2
Sampling Rates (stereo & mono)                       44.1     Khz
                                                     22.05    Khz
                                                     11.025   Khz
                                                      7.35    Khz
                                                      5.5125  Khz

Digitized Sound Data Format                          PCM & ADPCM
Hardware Compression/Decompression                   3:1
Simultaneous Use of two DMA Channels
Variable Antialiasing Filter
Double Oversampling Digital Filters
Double Undersampling Digital Filters

Mixer
--------------------------------------------------On-Board Analog Stereo

Mixer                                                8 entries
Accepts CD-Audio (RedBook) Input
Volume Control on Each Source                       42 dB
                                                   128 steps
Stereo Output Power Amplifier                      1.2 Watt RMS in 8 Ohm
Outpuit Volume Range                                80 dB
                                                     2 dB steps
Bass and Treble Range                               12 dB
Input Impedance                                     1 KOhm
Input Sensitivity                                   1-100 mV

Interfaces
--------------------------------------------------MIDI Interface

Ports                                              In, Out & Thru
Simultaneous MIDI In & Out
Joystick Port (accepts Dual Joystick cable)
SCSI CD-ROM Interface (optional)                   1.5 MB/sec

Option Connectors
--------------------------------------------------

Connectors for Surround Sound Option                      *
Connectors for PC Speaker
Connector for Internal Stereo Aux. Input
Connector for SCSI Option                                 **

* Surround Sound Module is already for sale
** SCSI Connector will be for sale within 1-2 months

The address of Ad Lib Multimedia in Canada is:
Ad Lib Multimedia Inc.
220, Grande-Allee East, Suite 850
Quebec, QC
Canada, G1R 2J1
tel: (418)-529-9676
fax:(418)-529-1159
Customer Service:1(800)-463-2686


From: Sander van Leeuwen <sandvl@sci.kun.nl>
Subject: Review on the Ad Lib Gold 1000


************************************************************************
*                       The Ad Lib Gold 1000                           *
*                       (by Sander van Leeuwen)                        *
*                       (email: sandvl@sci.kun.nl)                     *
*              Review Copyright (C) 1992 by Sander van Leeuwen         *
************************************************************************

  After a long period of problems, Ad Lib, now called Ad Lib Multimedia,
is back in business. With the help of a German company, Ad Lib is trying
to restore it's position at the top of the soundcard market.  With their
newest product, the Gold 1000, they have a big chance to accomplish this
goal.

  Although this card isn't SB compatible, it doesn't completely break
with the past. Games that support the old Ad Lib Music Synthesizer card
still work with it. You can even enhance the sound of these old games
with the optional Surround Sound Module.

  The Ad Lib Gold also complies with Microsoft's Multimedia PC sound adaptor
specifications. With the Windows drivers supplied by Ad Lib you can use all
available sound programs for Windows 3.1 to enjoy the new features of this
sound board.

oo The New Features oo

The old Ad Lib MSC and most other soundboards (SB and some SB Pro's
included) use 2-operator voices with only 4 FM waveforms. This results in
less richness in sound quality and fewer available sounds. The new Ad Lib
Gold uses 4-operator voices and 8 FM waveforms. All 20 FM stereophonic
voices are truly independent and can be positioned left, right or center.
This is not all: two digital voices can be combined with the 20 FM voices!
This creates music that can be compared to the quality of the music
produced by wavetable synthesizers (GUS and LAPC-1).

To produce good stereo sound you must have smooth volume transitions.
Unlike most soundcards, that have limited volume levels (SBPro, PAS),
the Gold offers 128(!) volume adjustments on each sound source.
The 12-bit stereo DAC on the Gold must also not be underestimated,
because it accepts 8, 12 and 16 bit data. It can generate and record
digital sound upto 44.1 Khz in stereo.

Unlike most of it's competitors, the Gold doesn't need to be connected to
expensive stereo systems to produce clear music. Five digital filters
make sure that, even when you plug headphones into the main audio output
of this card, the sound is free from annoying hiss and crackle.
The Gold also features hardware compression/decompression of 3:1 with all
record/playback rates.

oo The Software oo

The following software comes with the Gold:
- Voice Pad:
    For recording, selecting and playing back voice notes upto 22.05 Khz
    A new version, that will be out soon, will support sampling rates up
    to 44.1 Khz in stereo.
    It can also be used to sample songs (maximum time of 999 sec).
- Juke Box Gold:
    For selecting and playing back the synthesizer files (.rl2) that are
    included.  The example files give a good impression of what this card
    is capable of.
- Soundtrack Synchronization Editor:
    For timesynchronizing images with sound
- Soundtrack Playback Driver:
    A TSR for running synced soundtracks with presentation software such
    as Harvard Graphics.
- Autodesk Animator Playback Utility:
    For synchronizing .fli files with sound when using Autodesk Animator
- Batch File Sound Utilities:
    For playing back .rl2 files or recorded samples within batchfiles.
- Mixer Panel TSR:
    For controlling volume, balance and tone. (Windows version now available)
- Installation, configuration and test programs:
    Setup program for selecting Port Adresses, IRQ's and DMA channels,
    installing and testing.
- Windows 3.1 Drivers now available from Ad Lib.

oo Software Support oo

Software companies will certainly support the Ad Lib Gold, because the
difference between the old Ad Lib and the new one is too big to ignore.
Before Ad Lib went bankrupt they had already sent prototypes of the Gold
and development software to several software companies. That's why Ad Lib
could already sent me a list of 2 A4 pages with companies that support
the Gold. I'll give you a short list of the major software companies:

- Sierra On-Line    (all future titles)
- Access Software   (all future titles)
- Electronic Arts   (all future titles)
- Origin Systems    (Strike Commander)
- MicroProse        (several new titles)
- Spectrum Holobyte (several new titles)
- Multimedia software companies such as: Howling Dogs Systems, HSC,
  Mathematica inc. etc.

oo Expandability oo

Surround Sound Module: Daughter board that snaps right on the Gold.
                       Adds stereo depth simulation and artificial reverb
                       & echo. Works even with older games that support
                       the Ad Lib MSC.
SCSI Adapter Kit     : Daughter board for users that wish to add interfacing
                       capabilities for a CD-ROM drive. It can drive any
                       standard SCSI device.

oo Hardware Requirements oo

IBM PC, XT, AT, 386 and 486 compatibles. PS/2 models 25 and 30. Tandy 1000
(except EX/HX).
DOS 3.0 or higher, 640 KB, hard disk and graphics adapter.
On my old 286 the software works fine, even when sampling at 22.05 Khz in
mono. On my new 486SX it's even possible to play digital samples (such
as 1 Mb songs) in the background and running WordPerfect 5.1 ( with Desqview),
without noticing delays in the song.

oo Conclusion oo

The German Magazine Chip (7/92) concluded in their test of almost 15 sound
boards that the Ad Lib Gold 1000 and the LAPC-1 were best buys (SB, SBPro
and Turtle Beach cards were also tested).
Even BYTE (May 1992, page 58) tested the Gold. Tom Yager (BYTE's multimedia
expert) was quite impressed by the digital audio capabilities and the FM
music combined with two channels of digital music.

Although I had to wait almost 8 months for this card, it was certainly
worth the waiting. This card deserves it's name.

Contact Ad Lib for further information:

The address of Ad Lib Multimedia in Canada is:
Ad Lib Multimedia Inc.
220, Grande-Allee East, Suite 850
Quebec, QC
Canada, G1R 2J1
tel: (418)-529-9676
fax:(418)-529-1159
Customer Service:1(800)-463-2686
