Analog Devices
Analog Devices was a signal processing semiconductor company. Founded in 1965 and based in Wilmington, IL, they focussed on data conversion and power management technology as well as digital signal processing (DSP). Their codecs and sound controller ICs were employed on a large number of sound cards during the DOS and early Windows era, including those from Ensoniq, Terratec, Orchid, and Aztech.
These days we often compare AD with Crystal as their biggest competitor in the 1990s audio codec space, and the general concensus is that cards that use AD codecs are far inferior to those with Crystal codecs, both in sound quality and faithfulness of the audio compared to, say, original Yamaha OPL3 audio. Outside of OPL3, they are more equal.
Here is a list of their most common audio codec chips in chronological order. Click on a link to go to more specific information on each one:
| ISA |
PCI |
| AD1848 |
1992 |
ISA Controller/Codec with integrated OPL3 and WSS support. |
AD1815 |
1998 |
ISA Controller/Codec with integrated OPL3 clone and Plug & Play. |
| AD1845 |
1995 |
ISA Controller/Codec with MPC Level 2-compliance and integrated OPL3. 16-bit parallel port interface. |
AD1882 |
? |
Controller/Codec with Dolby 5.1 capability. |
| AD1846 |
1996 |
ISA Controller/Codec, low-cost alternative to AD1848. Integrated OPL3. |
AD18Max |
? |
? |
| AD1816 |
1996 |
ISA Controller/Codec, buggy OPL3. |
AD1981 |
? |
Controller/Codec with 2-channel sound. |
| AD1819 |
1997 |
ISA Controller/Codec, AC'97 compliant with "Phat Stereo 3D" stereo enhancement. |
AD1984 |
? |
Controller/Codec with 4-channel sound. |
| AD1881 |
1997 |
ISA Controller/Codec, AC'97 compliant. |
AD1985 |
? |
Controller/Codec with DLS soundfont support and Dolby 5.1. |
| AD1885 |
1997 |
ISA Controller/Codec, AC'97 compliant. |
AD1986 |
? |
Controller/Codec with DLS soundfont support and Dolby 5.1. |
| AD1886 |
1997 |
ISA Controller/Codec, AC'97 compliant. |
AD1987 |
? |
Controller/Codec with 7.1-channel sound. |
| AD1887 |
1997 |
ISA Controller/Codec, AC'97 compliant. |
AD1988 |
? |
Controller/Codec with 7.1-channel sound. |
| AD1981 |
1997 |
ISA Controller/Codec, AC'97 compliant. |
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Analog Devices / ADI / SoundMax Codecs
 AD1815 / AD1815 SoundComm     
Introduced: 1998
Type: Single Chip Audio Subsystem
Sample Range: 4 kHz - 55.2 kHz
Package:
100-pin PQFP
The AD1815 is an audio chip with an integrated OPL3 clone that supports Sound Blaster Pro and DirectSound, and an
MPU-401 MIDI port.
The chip supports Plug & Play and
has a 16-bit input resolution with a
55 kHz maximum sampling rate.
The AD1815 can be found on the following:
Click here for the AD1815 Datasheet. |
AD1816 
Introduced: 1996
Type: Single Chip Audio Subsystem
Sample Range: 4 kHz - 55.2 kHz
Package:
100-pin PQFP or TQFP
The AD1816 and AD1816A are audio chips with an integrated OPL3 clone that supports Sound Blaster Pro and Windows Sound System, and has an MPU-401 MIDI port. The OPL3 sound is widely known as being one of the worst emulations of the Yamaha original, so sound cards with this chip are not recommended.
The chip supports Plug & Play and
has a 16-bit input resolution with a
55 kHz maximum sampling rate.
The AD1816 can be found on the following:
Click here for the AD1816JS Datasheet. |
AD1819B, AD1881A, AD1885, AD1886A, AD1887, Ad1981A, AD1981B, AD1981BL and AD1981BW
Introduced: 1997
Type: Single Chip Audio Subsystem
Sample Range: 7 kHz - 48 kHz
Package:
100-pin PQFP or TQFP
An AC'97-compatible audio codec with 16-bit input resolution and 48 kHz maximum input sampling rate.
Signal-to-Noise ratio (SNR) range from 80-90 dB.
Click here for the AD1819A Datasheet. |
AD1845
Introduced: 1995
Type: Single Chip Audio Subsystem
Sample Range: 4 kHz - 50 kHz
Package:
66-pin PQFP or 100-pin TQFP
An MPC Level 2-compliant audio codec that supports Windows Sound System.
Pin-compatible with AD1848, AD1846, CS4248 and CS4231.
Found on:
Click here for the AD1845JP Datasheet. |
AD1846
Introduced: 1996
Type: Single Chip Audio Subsystem
Sample Range: 5.5 kHz - 48 kHz
Package:
66-pin PQFP or 100-pin TQFP
A low-cost alternative to the AD1848, the "AD1846 SoundPort Stereo CODEC" is a single-chip integrated audio solution.
Found on:
Click here for the AD1846 Datasheet |
AD1848
Introduced: 1992
Sample Range: 5.5 kHz - 48 kHz
Package:
The Analog Devices AD1848 was the chip that brought us the Windows Sound System for the first time, being the core component of the card from Microsoft. This card also had an onboard Yamaha YMF262-M for Ad Lib and Sound Blaster support.
The v1.0a Windows Sound System drivers were released in February 1993. v2.0 drivers followed in October of that same year, which added support for third-party cards from MediaVision, Creative Labs and ESS Technology. These drivers also added an improved DOS driver (WSSXLAT.EXE) that provided Sound Blaster 16 compatibility.
Found on:
Click here for the AD1848 Datasheet. |
AD1882
5.1 channels.
24-bit input resolution,
24-bit output resolution.
96 kHz maximum sampling rate
Signal-to-Noise ratio (SNR) range from 90-95 dB. |
AD18max, AD18max10, SoundPort
No information on this audio chip.
Found on Digitan Systems DSAC-300 sound card with wavetable header. |
AD1981HD, AD1983
2 channels.
20-bit input resolution,
24-bit output resolution.
48 kHz maximum sampling rate.
Signal-to-Noise ratio (SNR) range from 80-85 dB. |
AD1984
4 channels.
24-bit input resolution,
24-bit output resolution.
192 kHz maximum sampling rate
Signal-to-Noise ratio (SNR) range from 90-96 dB. |
AD1985, AD1986, AD1986A
5.1 channels.
20-bit input resolution,
20-bit output resolution.
96 kHz maximum sampling rate
Signal-to-Noise ratio (SNR) range from 80-90 dB.
AD1985 supports the .DLS (Downloadable Sound) v1.0 format for wavetable samples/soundfonts, as does the AD1888 and AD1980. |
AD1987, 1988A, 1988B
7.1 channels.
24-bit input resolution,
24-bit output resolution.
96 kHz (AD1987 only) maximum sampling rate. All others 192 kHz.
Signal-to-Noise ratio (SNR) range from 90-101 dB. |
