I can't really comment on the SC-880 but, you might want to consider going the software emulation route: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nvuncHhza5A (for MT-32 & CM-32L).
Roland also has the Sound Canvas VA Plugin: https://www.roland.com/global/products/sound_canvas_va/

It appears that the SC-880 is, in effect, an upgraded SC-88Pro. As a result, it should be quite good at anything General MIDI or Roland GS. Either the SC-88 or SC-880 should be perfectly fine for your uses. The edge, to me, would go to the SC-88 purely because of the size difference.

As you've surmised, the MT-32, and that family of synthesizers, will not be properly emulated by the Sound Canvas line. In general, you'll need at least one module from each line to cover off most of your bases.

Generally, my recommendation is to go for an MT-32 (Old) and/or a CM-32L in addition to a Sound Canvas of some kind.

jesolo wrote:

I can't really comment on the SC-880 but, you might want to consider going the software emulation route: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nvuncHhza5A (for MT-32 & CM-32L).
Roland also has the Sound Canvas VA Plugin: https://www.roland.com/global/products/sound_canvas_va/

Thanks, I will definitely take a look at this 😁

fitzpatr wrote:

It appears that the SC-880 is, in effect, an upgraded SC-88Pro. As a result, it should be quite good at anything General MIDI or Roland GS. Either the SC-88 or SC-880 should be perfectly fine for your uses. The edge, to me, would go to the SC-88 purely because of the size difference.

As you've surmised, the MT-32, and that family of synthesizers, will not be properly emulated by the Sound Canvas line. In general, you'll need at least one module from each line to cover off most of your bases.

Generally, my recommendation is to go for an MT-32 (Old) and/or a CM-32L in addition to a Sound Canvas of some kind.

Right, the thing is my options are very limited locally, and Strangely I can get an 880 for cheaper than the other one (aprox $150 USD). But on the other hand, if it’s too big...

Might just hold off and see if my friend can bring me a smaller one from the US as he’s travelling in 2 weeks. What is a good source for these? Just ebay or any other pkace with better deals/prices?

sc880 is just a rackmount sc88 pro, so if you have the space its would be fine. Other rackmount stuff you could see that is gm compat etc would be something like Alesis S4 plus (plus is gm, non-plus is NOT gm).

Once you leave MT-32, your into the GM era, so you dont have to limit to Roland modules. Things like Korg NS5R, X5D. These can often be found cheap. More games use GM than GS, so it depends what you really want to do.

BloodyCactus wrote:

sc880 is just a rackmount sc88 pro, so if you have the space its would be fine. Other rackmount stuff you could see that is gm compat etc would be something like Alesis S4 plus (plus is gm, non-plus is NOT gm).

Once you leave MT-32, your into the GM era, so you dont have to limit to Roland modules. Things like Korg NS5R, X5D. These can often be found cheap. More games use GM than GS, so it depends what you really want to do.

So would the general guide be an MT-32 plus *any* GM module? Or are the roland specific games that will be noticeably different if you use a different GM device?

GM is a standard. songs played on any GM module will sound the same to an extent (ie: larger ROM allows better quality instrument sample), but for the most part, GM is GM.

MT32 is pre all the standards, there is nothing else like it, and it was the first consumer oriented midi device like it at the time, so its always a good reccomendation.

GM modules can be cheap or expensive, but if it has the GM logo, it should be fairly representational of 'GM' sounding instruments. Korgs Grand Piano is going to be different from Rolands Grand Piano, but a grand piano sounds like a grand piano regardless.

There were 3 eras, MT32, GM then GS basically, some might say XG, but meh. At the point you get to GS your talking windows games anyway and it had its own GM/GS sound devices. I'd basically stick to MT32 and GM.

BloodyCactus wrote:

GM is a standard. songs played on any GM module will sound the same to an extent (ie: larger ROM allows better quality instrumen […]
Show full quote

GM is a standard. songs played on any GM module will sound the same to an extent (ie: larger ROM allows better quality instrument sample), but for the most part, GM is GM.

MT32 is pre all the standards, there is nothing else like it, and it was the first consumer oriented midi device like it at the time, so its always a good reccomendation.

GM modules can be cheap or expensive, but if it has the GM logo, it should be fairly representational of 'GM' sounding instruments. Korgs Grand Piano is going to be different from Rolands Grand Piano, but a grand piano sounds like a grand piano regardless.

There were 3 eras, MT32, GM then GS basically, some might say XG, but meh. At the point you get to GS your talking windows games anyway and it had its own GM/GS sound devices. I'd basically stick to MT32 and GM.

Thanks!

Any recommendations for a GM one? Or are the 55 and 88 the most accessible ones..?

88 will give you the most compatability. 55 comes up because some games were composed on it, but then you fall into trying to get a very very specific firmware version with the capital tones fallback.

but basically any of the 88 series (sc-88, sc88-vl, sc-88 pro) will serve you fine. now a 55 will serve fine too, I'd say thats a good baseline model, the sc55 mk 2. The Korg NX5R is also perfectly fine, or the yamaha mu (mu50/80/100/128/1000/2000) series.

Roland is recommended as artists often composed directly on them.