ENSONIQ's Audio PCI Sound Board Enables Sound for Sun's Ultra AX Motherboards

Business Wire, Dec 16, 1997

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 16, 1997--Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced that ENSONIQ is the first company to provide sound capabilities for Sun's high performance, PCI-based Ultra(TM) AX motherboard family.

The ENSONIQ AudioPCI card has the sound quality, speed and performance to enhance the existing outstanding multimedia capabilities of the Ultra AX motherboard.

"To be competitive, the Ultra AX motherboard must provide innovation, speed, multimedia superiority and competitive pricing," said Jeff Veis, group manager, platform products group for Sun's Microelectronics Division of Sun Microsystems. "Enabling things like industry standard third-party sound cards is another example of Sun doing what it takes to lead the market."

Ultra AX

Sun's Ultra AX motherboard, the first PCI board-level product from Sun Microsystems, combines speed, bandwidth, network tuned software while taking advantage of the cost reductions associated with PCI bus components such as industry standard memory and peripherals. The speed and high quality performance of the AudioPCI sound board enhances the multimedia capabilities of the Ultra AX motherboard which supports a range of two- and three-dimensional graphics applications.

"Sun's Ultra AX is a fantastic PCI motherboard," said Joe Friel, vice president of ENSONIQ's multimedia division. "We are proud that Sun has tested the AudioPCI sound board for this platform."

AudioPCI

By directly taking advantage of the PCI bus, AudioPCI is four to twenty times faster than a card that uses an ISA bus for DMA transfers; however, AudioPCI's compatibility features allow pre-existing ENSONIQ driver software to function as though the ISA signals are present, therefore protecting the end-user's investment. AudioPCI allows the use of system RAM to hold digital sound wavetables and equates the cost of less sophisticated FM synthesis sound.

ENSONIQ offers 2, 4, and 8 megabyte wavetable instrument sets. The AudioPCI sound board uses an 18-bit DAC to provide the highest quality of digital sound reproduction available. With the capability for playback mode already in place, eventually the sound board will be available for the Ultra AX motherboard with recording mode as well.

About Sun

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision, "The Network Is The Computer(TM)," has propelled Sun Microsystems Inc. to its position as a leading provider of hardware, software and services for establishing enterprise-wide intranets and expanding the power of the Internet." With more than $8.5 billion in annual revenues, Sun can be found in more than 150 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://www.sun.com .

About ENSONIQ

Founded in 1982, ENSONIQ Corporation is a leading producer of audio and sound technology products. Well-known in the professional music industry for 15 years for the production of keyboard, synthesizers, and effects processors, ENSONIQ's custom IC design has made the company a technology leader in audio solutions. ENSONIQ's IC's may be found in PC's, arcade games, karaoke machines, and amusement park rides. To contact ENSONIQ's Multimedia Division, call 610/647-3930 or visit the company's Web site at http://www.ENSONIQ.com . -0-

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