Now as graphics card retailers are separated into two camps, chipset manufacturers are divided into these two categories:

• Card and device manufacturers who create their own chipsets
• Card and device manufacturers who utilize chipsets from other vendors

Audio adapter retailers reduce into similar categories. One of the pioneers of audio adapter business, Creative Labs, has also been among leaders in developing audio chips. Creative Labs enlarges audio chips mainly for its own Sound Blaster branded products, but it has sold some of its older Sound Blaster 16 products into OEM markets.

Creative's main audio chips have contained the following:

• Vibra-16. This was utilized in the presently Sound Blaster 16 cards; it does not support wavetable or 3D effects.

• Ensoniq ES137x series (ES1370/71/73). These were utilized in Sound Blaster PCI64 and PCI 128 series with Ensoniq Audio PCI and Vibra PCI series. They support soft wavetable features, four speakers on few models and Microsoft Direct 3D but don't support 3D acceleration or EAX positional audio.

• EMU-8000. This audio chip was utilized by AWE32/64 series and facets 32-voice wavetable synthesis but no 3D acceleration. The AWE64 utilized software to produce 32 extra voices for a full of 64 voices.

• EMU10K1. This audio chip was at the heart of Live and Live 5.1 series sound cards with PCI 512; it facets 3D acceleration, EAX positional audio for one audio stream, a reprogrammable DSP, and soft wavetable support.

• EMU10K2. This is the audio chip of Creative Labs' Sound Blaster Audigy series sound cards; it facets 3D acceleration, EAX HD positional audio for able to four audio streams, a reprogrammable DSP, and soft wavetable support. This chip supports professional-level 24-bit sampling at 96 KHz and real-time sampling at Dolby Digital–quality 24-bit examples at 48 KHz.

• CA0102. This audio chip is utilized by Creative Labs Audigy 2 series. It is a growth of EMU10K2 chip, including support for 24-bit 96KHz output, Dolby Digital EX 6.1 decoding and 6.1 sound in DirectX games, and 64 hardware polyphonic sounds.

• CA0185. This audio chip is utilized by Sound Blaster MP3+. It facets 2.1 audio support for analog and digital speakers, 48KHz/16-bit playback and recording, and 3D acceleration.

• A0186. This audio chip is utilized by Audigy 2 NX. It facets Dolby Digital EX 7.1 decoding, 7.1 sound in DirectX games, 96KHz/24-bit stereo output, and 3D audio acceleration.

• CA0102-ICT. This audio chip is utilized by Creative Labs Audigy 2 ZS series. It's a growth of CA0102 chip, including support for Dolby Digital EX 7.1 decoding, Dolby ETS decoding, 7.1 sound in DirectX games, and 192KHz/24-bit stereo output.

Different companies have created their own sound chips previously but no longer. The main manufacturers that fit in this type are

• Aureal. Its A3D technology was viewed by many as superior to Creative Labs' new EAX 3D positional audio, but company was engaged by Creative Labs in mid-2000. Because Creative's new EAX HD is bigger to A3D, there will be no further growth of this technology.

• Yamaha. It’s OPL2 and OPL3 chips were between best FM-synthesis chips utilized on older sound cards, and its MIDI performance in afterward models was excellent. Though, its importance is now on MIDI daughter cards and professional sound-recording cards like SW1000XG. Some of its retail and OEM products may available, still. Yamaha keeps drivers and support links for its branded.

• Philips. Its Thunderbird Q3D (SAA7780) and Thunderbird Avenger (SAA7785) chips, together developed with QSound Labs, given high-quality 3D acceleration for Philips's now discontinued line of PCI-based sound cards. Few third-party sound cards also utilized SAA7780 chip, but six-channel SAA7785 was utilized only by Philips. Details are shown in following table.

You must panic if your favorite audio adapter is an "orphan" Not essentially. If audio adapter retailer gives good technical support and advanced drivers, you are okay. But, next time an operating system update or new audio API appears, you most likely won't be able to take benefit of it unless you change your audio adapter.