CMS CT-1300A Isa Creative Music Lab Game Blaster Soundblaster 8-BIT

( Brand: Cms ), ( Manufacturer Part Number: CT-1300A ), ( Part Type: Lab ), ( Form Factor: Plug-in Card ), ( Country/region Of Manufacture: Singapore ), ( Compatible Port: Isa ), ( Channels: Stereo )

Review CMS Rare 8-bit Isa Creative Music Lab Game Blaster Pre soundblaster

The CMS Ct-1300A Creative Music System by Ad Lib is an 8-bit ISA sound card that was released in 1988, predating the more widely known Sound Blaster series. This music lab game blaster is a versatile and innovative tool for computer enthusiasts and musicians who wanted to add high-quality sound to their 8-bit computers.

The CMS Ct-1300A is an expansion card that plugs into an ISA slot on your computer, making it easy to install and use. It supports up to 16 voices of polyphony and offers a wide range of sound capabilities, including 128 voices of FM synthesis and 64 voices of raw PCM samples. This allows for a rich and diverse sound palette, enabling users to create complex and intricate compositions.

One of the most notable features of the CMS Ct-1300A is its built-in music composition software, which allows users to create and edit music sequences using a simple and intuitive interface. The software includes a range of tools for composing, editing, and arranging music, making it an excellent choice for musicians and hobbyists who wanted to create custom soundtracks for their games or applications.

The CMS Ct-1300A also includes a variety of input and output options, including MIDI in and out ports, joystick ports, and a line-in jack for connecting external audio sources. This makes it easy to integrate the sound card into various systems and setups.

Furthermore, the CMS Ct-1300A is compatible with a wide range of computers and operating systems, including the Commodore 64, Apple II, Atari ST, and MS-DOS. This makes it a versatile and adaptable tool for computer enthusiasts and musicians who wanted to explore the world of computer-generated music.

In summary, the CMS Ct-1300A Creative Music System by Ad Lib is an 8-bit ISA sound card that offers a rich and diverse sound palette, powerful music composition software, and a range of input and output options. Its compatibility with various computers and operating systems makes it a versatile and adaptable tool for computer enthusiasts and musicians who wanted to add high-quality sound to their systems.

The CMS Ct-1300A Creative Music Lab Game Blaster, released in 1988, was an early attempt to bring music creation and composition to personal computers, predating the more well-known Sound Blaster series. Here are some pros and cons of buying this vintage audio hardware:

1. Historical significance: This device was an early innovation in computer audio technology and might be of interest to collectors and history enthusiasts.

2. Unique features: The CMS Ct-1300A offered a range of unique features like an integrated MIDI interface, a built-in FM synthesizer, and a joystick port for playing games.

3. Learning opportunity: Using this device can help users gain a better understanding of early computer audio technology and the creative process involved in composing music on limited hardware.

4. Compatibility: This hardware can be used with a wide range of older computers, as long as they have an ISA slot.

1. Limited sound quality: The FM synthesis technology used in the CMS Ct-1300A is not as high-quality as modern digital audio workstations or even later Sound Blaster models.

2. Limited functionality: The CMS Ct-1300A lacks many of the advanced features found in modern digital audio workstations, such as multi-track recording, advanced MIDI editing, and high-resolution samples.

3. Incompatibility with modern operating systems: The CMS Ct-1300A is not compatible with modern operating systems, and to use it, users would need to set up an older computer or emulator.

4. Cost: These vintage devices can be quite expensive, especially when considering their limited functionality compared to modern alternatives.

The CMS Ct-1300A Creative Music Lab Game Blaster is an interesting piece of computer history, and for collectors, enthusiasts, or those who want to explore the origins of computer music, it can be a worthwhile investment. However, for professional music production or serious composing, modern digital audio workstations offer far more features and better sound quality. Ultimately, the decision to buy a CMS Ct-1300A depends on individual interests and priorities.

If you are interested in the history of computer audio technology, or if you're an enthusiast who wants to experiment with vintage hardware, then the CMS Ct-1300A Creative Music Lab Game Blaster could be a worthwhile addition to your collection. However, if you're looking for a serious music production tool, it's recommended that you invest in a modern digital audio workstation instead.

Details:

Over the years I added several options like EGA graphics, Sound, and a modem. It was an 8088 based computer with a 20 megabyte hard drive, CGA graphics and 640k of ram. This Game Blaster was my sound card in this system. It has reasonable compatibility with older dos games, and still works great.

These cards were not as popular the ad lib cards, or later soundblaster and are fairly rare.

part #: ct1300a price

• $99.99

specifications cardinternal:

• brand: Cms
• mpn: Ct-1300a
• part type: Lab
• form factor: Plug-in Card
• country/region of manufacture: Singapore
• compatible port: Isa
• channels: Stereo

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