AudioPCI
1997
The Ensoniq AudioPCI, released in 1997, is a low-cost PCI sound card built on a highly integrated design: a software-driven audio controller (ES1370, later AC'97-compliant ES1371/ES1373) plus a companion DAC. It moved consumer audio from the ISA bus to PCI while still providing DOS Sound Blaster/General MIDI legacy compatibility in software, with 16-bit playback/record up to 48 kHz and host-RAM-based 32-voice wavetable synthesis. It was hugely successful as a mass-market card and its design was carried forward by Creative Labs after it acquired Ensoniq.
History Coming Soon
We're compiling the full history of the Ensoniq AudioPCI. Check back soon for production timeline, variants, notable users, and cultural significance.