*Warning: This thread means a DEEP dive into 'ye old times!*
Howdy! I'm new here, sorry I could not keep it short. If helped, though, I WILL gladly return the favor when I can.

If the reader knows about ESS Technologies PCI sound cards, or sound cards in general, then any help OR advice/explanation are VERY appreciated!

Here's the point:
Since some time, I have decided to set up an old Win9x/DOS machine next to my new WinXP.
I am experiencing difficulties with a ES1938 (/1946?) AudioDrive sound card. It is also known as the ESS Solo-1 1969. (Using legacy VXD driver (not WDM) for DOS games!)

I know about the required files, the emulation setup, and the like. (Pain in the ass, guys, hard to disagree, eh! hehe!) It works, BUT...

Here's the problem:
I cannot understand why it works so bad! Is it the emulation?
-> For instance, I take Bio Menace, an old game by Apogee: I run it, and all sound is perfect. The quality is amazing. (Means the card CAN DO IT... While I had a better one which couldn't... )
-> Now, I will run Day of the Tentacle, by LucasArts: there is no speech, only subtitles, and the music is worse than with my Creative Sound Blaster PCI128 (which is kickass by the way). And by worse, I mean it! Sounds more like Adlib, my dear God...
(My SB-PCI128 emulates DOS sound very well, but there is trouble with it too. It proves there is speech in that last game, but in every cutscene, after a second it just stops and the cutscene 'hangs' until you skip it. Whoa?! Also there are no subtitles, what the hell...)

Mai questionz, kind people.

- Should I just trash the damn card? Does it suck or what? Is it a low-end? How can I know this about them, in the future? How can sound 'suck'?! I mean, any card can play any sound, right?
- I have searched and found many versions of those MS-DOS initialization files. Tried 'em all.
No good. Fry the damn card goddamnit it still won't work like i want it to. Should I search more, or is it IMPOSSIBLE to emulate it "properly"? Did I miss a setting?
- Maybe a manual/help site you know of could help me with this?
- Finally, is there THE PERFECT legacy card, which plays EVERY GAME, PERFECTLY?
^ Have I guessed the answer to this one: A Sound Blaster 16 or Pro?

What I'd like is to know why my card's behavior is as such, knowing that all cards can play any sound. Bad emulation software caused by the company? Bad DOS driver version? Wrong setting?
Ultimately, what I want is to make my ES1938 to emulate the sound well, at least know if it is possible somehow, then perhaps I'll try to whip out another burst of my 1337-skills.

Thanks!

Lawl.
Weird, I can't edit nor delete my own thread.