Ensoniq/Creative ES1373

Creative ES1373 Chipet

The Ensoniq ES1373, later known as the Creative ES1373, was an audio chip produced by Ensoniq, a company acquired by Creative Technology. The ES1373 chip was widely used in sound cards during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The ES1373 provided 3D audio and MIDI capabilities, offering enhanced audio performance for multimedia applications and games. It supported 16-bit audio playback and recording with sample rates of up to 48 kHz. The chip also featured wavetable synthesis, allowing for high-quality MIDI playback without relying on software emulation.

The Ensoniq/Creative ES1373 chip was compatible with various operating systems, including Windows, DOS, and Linux. It was commonly found in sound cards from Creative and other manufacturers, providing a significant improvement in audio quality and functionality over basic onboard audio solutions of its time.