In 1989, AdLib firmly ruled the computer audio market... until the Sound Blaster 1.0 appeared. Fully compatible, with added features (including a physical joystick port), and cheaper, the Sound Blaster 1.0 became the dominant force in less than a year. If you want one today in perfect condition, you'll pay close to $400... unless you're handy with hardware and prefer to build a clone: The Snark Barker.
Remembering the Sound Blaster 1.0
I was part of that transition, dear readers. Leaving the PC speaker behind, installing a sound card, stealing a speaker from the stereo (typical), and freeing a whole new generation of music and sound effects.
Once that was done, there was no turning back. Pure heroin. Every game had to be tested until late at night, and the scoldings for 'that damn noise' were part of the price to pay. Nothing else mattered.
Personally, I made the jump straight to the 16-bit series, but others had that chance thanks to the Sound Blaster 1.0. Today it's not too hard to find superior cards if you want a good dose of retro audio, however, the privilege of original hardware costs a fortune.
I guess the so-called 'retro bubble' owes us a burst, because some prices are truly ridiculous. Until that happens, we offer another alternative: Build a replica of the Sound Blaster 1.0.
The Snark Barker: A Sound Blaster 1.0 Compatible Card
How? By following Eric Schlaepfer's The Snark Barker project. The card is a 100 percent compatible clone of the Sound Blaster 1.0, and includes all the functions, from digital playback and recording to the Alps potentiometer for volume control.
The density of the PCB gives us a very good idea of the complexity of this board, and when studying the bill of materials we can see it easily exceeds 200 components.
One of the most difficult parts is the Intel 8051 controller, since it requires a copy of the original ROM. Eric's recommendation is to buy an Atmel 89S51 for a fraction of the cost, and burn the blob available on the GitHub profile.
Another very tricky piece is the plastic wheel for the potentiometer. Eric cuts to the chase and suggests printing one in 3D.
Honestly, I can't estimate the final cost of building The Snark Barker, but if prices for classic Creative hardware are going to float at those absurd levels, I think any electronics enthusiast and retro audio fan should follow this project more closely.
Otherwise, buy a Sound Blaster 16 clone for less than $10, or pay a visit to a computer recycling center. You'll be surprised what you can find there...
Official site: Click here
