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WANTED: Sound BLaster MCA for PS/2 Model 70

I

irishmike

Experienced Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2006
Messages
331
Location
Overland Park, KS USA
Greetings:

I am seeking a sound blaster MCA (microchannel) for my PS/2 Model 70. It would need to be in working order and in great condition, though obviously not seeking new in a box (wouldn't want to pay that much anyhow), but does need reference disk included or a copy of it or info on where to find it if not included.

Have a budget, so need asking price, if in budget, can pay via PayPal today. Shipping would be to Denver, Colorado 80221, please advise on this as well.

PM me if you can help.

Thanks,

Mike Needham
 
Mike, you should be able to find a reference disk online. If not, PM me - I've can image mine if need be. But as Frank already said, be prepared to pay.These things aren't cheap, and they don't work in too fast of a machine (I've never tried mine in my Model 90 with 486 or Pentium CPU cardplex, but I know it works in the Models 70 and 80 386 systems, as well as the Model 50z and 30-286 systems)

Also, fwiw, the Chip Chat and SoundPiper MCA sound cards are supposed to be decent. Though I kinda doubt that they'll be any cheaper, even if you could manage to find one.
 
The 30-286 was actually not microchannel, but a software setable ISA similar to EISA
 
Greetings all:

I am aware that the Soundblaster is fairly rare and therefore will command a premium, I am not saying that I would not pay a reasonable amount for the card, but I am saying that if you want to sell one to me that you need to include the asking price. I am on a budget for this machine (my model 70), but expensive in vintage gear is relative :)

I suppose as long as the soundblaster does not approach the cost of the machine itself then I am happy. If I don't find one, I will probably seek a 486 to play my old DOS games on instead of using the PS/2 which would be cool.

In any case, I do appreciate everyone's input, but no one so far has even offered one for sale so I can not worry about cost until I know what someone is asking and contacts me to sell one to me. As stated in my original post, if the asking price is in budget, I will buy it.

Thanks again,

Mike
 
@unknown K: Unless you are offering one up and have not specified the asking price in a PM to me, we can not be sure of that. I am real good at paying what I think is fair ;-) But that statement is definitely not called for in my opinion. Plus I don't believe I specified what I paid for my model 70 so that is definitely totally unfounded. Fine, the card is rare, but I will find one or I will not find one. Hopefully someone here will want to sell one or I will keep looking. I also have many recyclers that I deal with so the chances of one showing up someday, while slim, could happen too. I see a lot of talking about how expensive the card is and no one offering one at any price.
 
I don't think anyone here is trying to be rude to you, but just trying to give you an idea of what to expect so you can perhaps adjust your expectations or help you decide how to spend your efferts. I wish you luck finding the card. I've been looking for any sound card for my own model 70 for a few years with no luck. My model 70 was $30. They are fairly common machines. I would expect to pay 80 to over 100 for a MCA sound card if you cab find one.
 
OK, I wish I had paid $30 for my model 70, it was not easy for me to find that. I just paid north of $250 for mine. I expect the sound card to be less than that. Again, if someone has one to sell, just shoot me an asking price and if is in the budget I have set, I will be more than willing to buy. I expected about $100 for the sound card and if I manage to find one at my recycler (again a slim possibility, but I have seen other stuff there) I will end up paying less than $5 for it. I have for example bought several type M clicky keyboards for less than $3 in the last few months. I bought 2 in anticipation of buying a model 77, but settled on a model 70 when I could not find one in what I felt was a reasonable price range. Again, I do understand the market, but I personally am very good at paying what I feel is fair for any of my gear. If I don't think the price is fair, then I just don't buy it ;-)

I just felt that the last post was particular unfounded because the statement made was without the facts of my situation and so it hit me way wrong considering with shipping (in the last week) my Model 70 has already cost me $275 and I caught a break on the two MCA cards I have so I have like $25 in an XGA2 card and a Etherlink/32.

The parts I am now seeking are obviously the sound card and the IBM branded monitor, preferable a 15" SVGA (XGA2) to go with the system. I don't know if there is such a model, but IIRC, it would be a 8515.

So I appreciate the commentary, but I am actually not worried until someone offers the card about the cost.
 
I have dealt with recyclers also (have a couple model 70's and a few others that way on the cheap). MCA sound cards were never that common, and the soundblaster version was rare even when new. I am happy just to have an MCA sound card (not a SB).

Anyway I just posted to let you know that the card is not going to come cheap if you can find it so you either move on to something else or prepare to trade something else valuable for it. People in this forum tend to know what is rare and what is not, so its not like somebody is going to offer you one for $10. But you might get an offer to trade for something else as valuable (that maybe you got cheaply). They do come up on ebay once in a while, and you would probably have much better luck in the ps2 newsgroup with a wanted post.
 
@unknown_k: Obviously, you have not read my posts carefully, I am waiting for an offer if someone wants to sell it, I wish to find the soundcard for a reasonable amount and within my budget. Again, I EXPECTED AT LEAST $100. I am not unwilling to pay a reasonable amount but NO ONE has offered one as of yet. I always keep my options open though.
 
irishmike said:
I suppose as long as the soundblaster does not approach the cost of the machine itself then I am happy. If I don't find one, I will probably seek a 486 to play my old DOS games on instead of using the PS/2 which would be cool.
Click to expand...

Mike,

I don't know how much you paid for your machine but the last MCV card I saw sold on eBay (a few weeks back) for $400. The one before that which was just a card (no box, disks, or manuals) also sold for $300 plus. Last year a regular SB MCV (non pro) w/ disks sold for $199. So as long as you paid around $800 for your machine you are cool and good to go! ;)

EDIT: Saw your latest post for at least $100 you have to find someone who either doesn't know the money he can get for it on eBay. You should expect at least $200 and above.

EDIT 2: I now know how much you paid for your machine and expect to pay that much at least for the sound card.
 
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Agent Orange said:
IrishMike:

This is an old link but they seem to be hanging around. Not a SB but close enough. http://www.chipchat.com/mca/SoundCard/SoundCard.html

Good luck!
Click to expand...
I've emailed them a few times. No response. I consider them to be dead.

Mike, people aren't offering because the few people that do have them tend to hold onto them. There is a single ps/2 computer on ebay that has a Sound Blaster MCV in it. The seller wants $275 BIN for the whole machine. That's probably your best bet. FWIW, on your Model 70, unless it was in pristine/like-new with box,etc, you probably overpaid. That said, if you're happy with it, then that's all that matters :) Good luck on your SB MCA search. I'm on a quest for the SB MCV Pro now - and of course the Sound Piper or ChipChat MCA sound cards as well :)
 
I'll know when it gets here. It looks good from the pics, it has some flaws on the case, but was not yellowed and the previous owner doesn't appear to know too much about MCA, he stated that it boots but gives errors and did not know how to fix them. My assessment is that the battery is dead and I will need to rebuild it (reference disk wise) but it is plain other than the basic hard drive which may or may not be working... but I am thinking I may have overpaid, but if it works good and my hunch is right, the battery should be the worst of it. Thanks for the link, I was aware before I even started looking here about the Model 55 on ebay with SB in it, but I truly do not want a model 55.

If you saw my other thread, I am looking to upgrade the Model 70 to a 486 via the Kingston Blue Lightning upgrade, if I can find one of those as well. Have the replacement battery on the way as we speak too :)
 
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Wow ! If I was still into PS/2s I would jump at that. I waited many years from the late 90s on, to have at least 1 sound card for my considerable PS/2 collection, but could never afford one. The Chipchat card was always the preferred card for the MCA Mafia. The Soundblaster MCA card is likely that pricey because of it's rarity and brand-name. If you're into PS/2s Chipchat is the way to go.

Agent Orange said:
IrishMike:

This is an old link but they seem to be hanging around. Not a SB but close enough. http://www.chipchat.com/mca/SoundCard/SoundCard.html

Good luck!
Click to expand...
 
In googling for Chipchat's SoundPiper it led me to a japanese company Chipchat and also a renewal of the copyright in 2010. I used "mca Sound Piper card" which was Chipchat's name for it. The guy that ran chipchat in the US seems now to be roaming Japanese beaches. Interesting guy . Who knows, possibly he has a stash back in the US waiting for his return, and maintaining the site, when he will sell it all off Here's his update http://www.chipchat.com/mrc/ They are not likely to be making any more with the demise of MCA.

Lawrence

Maverick1978 said:
I've emailed them a few times. No response. I consider them to be dead.

Mike, people aren't offering because the few people that do have them tend to hold onto them. There is a single ps/2 computer on ebay that has a Sound Blaster MCV in it. The seller wants $275 BIN for the whole machine. That's probably your best bet. FWIW, on your Model 70, unless it was in pristine/like-new with box,etc, you probably overpaid. That said, if you're happy with it, then that's all that matters :) Good luck on your SB MCA search. I'm on a quest for the SB MCV Pro now - and of course the Sound Piper or ChipChat MCA sound cards as well :)
Click to expand...
 
Mike, I have one in box with everything that same in it. I do not have a paypal account! I will sell for $60.00 shipping included. Any other payment options? Please let me know via Email at Samuel.adkins@gmail.com. Thanks Sam Adkins
irishmike said:
Greetings:

I am seeking a sound blaster MCA (microchannel) for my PS/2 Model 70. It would need to be in working order and in great condition, though obviously not seeking new in a box (wouldn't want to pay that much anyhow), but does need reference disk included or a copy of it or info on where to find it if not included.

Have a budget, so need asking price, if in budget, can pay via PayPal today. Shipping would be to Denver, Colorado 80221, please advise on this as well.

PM me if you can help.

Thanks,

Mike Needham
Click to expand...
 
I know Mike. I will let him know about your offer. I don't know if he comes here often. I will tell him to come and post.

Nathan
 
Bad news - I opened box to take photo's - AND - no card in box. Only contained user reference manual, voice editor manual and diskettes disk 1 &2. Card must have been left in PC when scrapped (wife's order).
 
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