which sound modules are worth collecting? any suggestions?
i bid a yamaha FB01 at a starting $10 last week, but it costed me over $60 to ship to china. 😳
anyway it would be a bit difficult to play old dos games with them, cause you need a midi interface(joystick) on the soundcard, and not many pci soundcards work well under dos.
don't worry, they work with dosbox
Modules for collecting purposes: I can't tell what modules are worth collecting, it depends on what you are interested in. But Roland CM-500 is widely considered a nice item to have (Sound Canvas + MT-32 in a single module). Very scarce and expensive, only LAPC-I could rival its insane price.
Modules for gaming purposes: you need at leat a GM/GS compatible module (Roland Sound Canvas), and a LA synthesis compatible module (Roland MT-32). If talking about Sound Canvas, the bigger is the better: SC-8850 > SC-8820 > SC-88 > SC-55mkII > SC-55 (more parts, voices, tones and drumsets). However, a newer MT-32 is not always better; some games were developed to take advantage of design flaws only present in first-gen MT-32, while other games make use of the additional effects only present in CM modules. Therefore you may need both a first-gen MT-32 and a CM-32L.
Interfaces for external modules: if you are worried about PCI soundcards compatibility in DOS, I guess you can't use ISA soundcards/interfaces. Well, don't worry because, as robertmo said, external modules do work in DosBox, either with an actual soundcard or with an USB to MIDI interface. Even an intelligent MPU-401 interface can be emulated in DosBox for games that need it. Other options that also have a collective value are true Roland interfaces (SCC-1, MPU-401/AT, etc) and MPU-401 clone interfaces (Midiman MM-401, Music Quest MQX-32, etc). Sound Blaster interfaces have debatable value due to the infamous hanging notes bug with DSP > 4.05 and < 4.16, only some very old SB16 models and AWE64 are bug free.
CM-500 is very nice but it is cheaper to get mt-32 old + CM32 or CM64 as batracio said.
I got myself a CM-64, MT-32 (old), Sc55, Sc55mk2 and mu50 and a Music Quest mpu401.
There are other cool modules of course but i am happy with those as i feel they do a good cover of pc games.
That's right, for the price of a single CM-500, I got myself a first-gen MT-32, CM-32L, SC-55, SC-55st (cheaper version of SC-55mkII), SCC-1 and MM-401.
I have also orderer a new Roland UM-One USB to MIDI interface for 27 EUR.
Someone should really build a module switcher, considering how simple the interface is! I would, but I have no modules so it'd be a bit pointless 😜
wrote:Someone should really build a module switcher, considering how simple the interface is! I would, but I have no modules so it'd be a bit pointless 😜
I even considered getting a Super MPU64 to connect all my four modules at the same time, but I discarded the idea because of the ridiculous amount of cables I would end having all around the place, and because driver support stopped at Windows XP:
For dosbox/windows i guess you can use a m-audio midisport 4x4
and for dos a mechanical midi switch box.
wrote:I have also orderer a new Roland UM-One USB to MIDI interface for 27 EUR.
Just genuinly curious, what is so special about the roland model, vs the much cheaper ones I see listed on ebay ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280732620364
in general, i don't like usb-midi interfaces because it may cause signal latency problems due to the nature of usb, and the worst case maybe inconsistant delaying.
and if i have to use one, of course i would trust in those made by roland and yamaha, being professional instrument makers they know how to handle this.
btw i have a yamaha sw1000xg sound card, which has mu100 sound module onboard and also an external midi i/o connector, but can't find the converter cable for it.
i even managed to find the pin definition for that converter cable, but can't find anyone to make one for me. 🙁
wrote:wrote:I have also orderer a new Roland UM-One USB to MIDI interface for 27 EUR.
Just genuinly curious, what is so special about the roland model, vs the much cheaper ones I see listed on ebay ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280732620364
The Roland USB to MIDI interfaces are reliable. They do not have latency issues or problems transmitting sysex. They also have drivers for Win 7 64-bit. I have a UM-1X and swear by it.
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/ - Nerdly Pleasures - My Retro Gaming, Computing & Tech Blog
and how they handle no midi mapper in win7?
wrote:and how they handle no midi mapper in win7?
There is a MIDI mapper but it's hidden. You can use an app called Vista MIDI Picker to change the default MIDI out device.
iirc Putzlowitsch's Vista MIDI Mapper is better but i wonder how official Roland drivers handle it
wrote:wrote:and how they handle no midi mapper in win7?
There is a MIDI mapper but it's hidden. You can use an app called Vista MIDI Picker to change the default MIDI out device.
I wonder why M$ adds unfeatures like that ...
they always first hide something that will be completely removed in next version. So no future for us 🙁
