If you want a new card, get a HardMPU (SoftMPU on an ISA ASIC based card).

HardMPU, anyone?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HardMPU-Intelligent- … ng/273931671506

If you want used, just keep a watch out at the various places where old hardware is available. I have been able to get quite a few MPU-401 Intelligent mode cards (not Roland branded) for $30-$50 a pop.

Also, you really only need an intelligent mode card if you have a Roland MT-32, CM-32L, CM-32P, CM-64, CM-500, or MT-100.

http://www.marshalltradecorp.com/coDe/old-gam … -and-cm32l.html

SETBLASTER wrote:

Hell it looks like can be cloned with off the shelf parts.

Yes, see here:
Music Quest MPU clone cards, anyone interested in them?

I have one of them, and it works fine.

SETBLASTER wrote:

is mpu-401 really worth it?

You need one for certain games. SoftMPU can be used on a 386+, but is not guaranteed to work with all software.

SETBLASTER wrote:

are those cards really worth it?

Better off buying a MQ clone or HardMPU I suppose, they're cheaper, and new, so you get the complete set of cables etc.

I also have the MusicQuest clone. Can thoroughly recommend it. Absolutely hassle free.

Probably the seller thinks the Music Quest brand name makes it more valuable then it really is.

As others have said, you only need one for very specific situations and even then any card that supports intelligent mode is fine, no matter what brand it is
The list of games needing it is pretty small in the grand scheme of midi (but does include some big titles)
Looking for a list of dos games that require an intelligent mode MPU-401

With a bit of patience, you can get MusicQuest cards for much, much lower prices. I have two and iirc the more expensive of the two cost me EUR 25. Thing is that they are much sought-after in the (relatively small) retro gaming community, but most people who have them are musicians who bought them as a low-budget alternative for Roland stuff back in the day. For them the cards are just old crap and they can be happy to part with them for (very) low prices. You just need to hang around the 'musical instruments' section of Craigslist or whatever the best local equivalent is.

If that takes too long, go with Keropi's design. It will cost more, but far less than an original MusicQuest (let alone Roland) on a certain large auction site 😉

Plus with Keropi's design you can attach a Waveblaster module, have great support and it looks neat with its blue PCB!

thanks for the kind words and support everyone!
atm all of our mpu cards are sold, maybe marmes has 1 or 2 last ones for sale...
keep in mind that the cable schematics that are posted on the PCMIDI thread will work with the original Music Quest cards as long as you stick to the 1xIN 1xOUT version of the cable.

Deals are always out there , you can even get real Roland cards for 20-30eur it all depends on how much you want to wait and where you are located.
SoftMPU is always a choice during the waiting period and HardMPU is another since it's readily available.
Everything is better now, 5 years ago you would search eBay for mpus, daughterboards, old soundblasters... now there are plenty of choices! 😀

As to the "is an MPU worth it?" question you gotta ask your self:
- do you have an old system and a MT-32 and you want to play the relevant games with it?
-- or is your main interest newer General Midi games? (if this is the case just get a gameport->midi cable)
- are you OK with a software solution like softmpu?
-- or you want to go full hardware?