VOGONS

Search

Common searches

I want my cake...and eat it

Topic actions

First post, by ketma

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

One of the things that I've always like about retro PC's is the sound and music capabilities.

I've recently acquired (at long last!) an Mt-32 (old) unit which sounds amazing on old DOS games. I just can't believe how good this sounds even today never mind back in the day.

Anyway with that and MPU-401 this has caused me to remove my Roland Sound Canvas SCB-55 that was on the wavetable header to allow the Mt-32 to function.

In addition to this I also have a Yamaha SW60XG that is connected to the Line in on the sound card, but now I'm swapping out audio cables when I'm using the various sound sources.

So my plan was/is to have:
OPL3
Mt-32
SCB-55 (sound canvas/general midi)
SW60XG (general midi)

The only way I can think of doing this is to purchase an Orpheus card which would allow this setup. However could anyone recommend a low cost mixer than can have a couple of inputs, don't really want to spend a load on something overkill, just something that will do the job. Thanks.

Reply 1 of 5, by Pierre32

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Some recent threads with good mixer suggestions:

Mixer for computer collection
Re: 6 or 8 channel audio mixer

An alternative to an Orpheus might be a PC MIDI card. These have intelligent MPU for your MT-32, and also a WT header with its own audio output for your SCB-55 (just confirm the sizing works):

http://pcmidi.eu/pcmidi.html
Music Quest MPU clone cards, anyone interested in them?

Reply 4 of 5, by dionb

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Second vote for the RX1602 for audio. Have two and am very happy.

Once you have audio sorted, next challenge is the MIDI. If you have an original MPU-401, you have two MIDI outs for starters and can potentially do passthrough. However that can be problematic as the device passing through generally needs to be on for devices behind it to pick up the MIDI. As you already seem to be heading quite deep down the rabbit hole with three different MIDI devices, it might be worth looking for a better/more flexible solution.

One option is a MIDI output selector like the MPU-105, which would let you add up to five MIDI devices to a single MIDI input. That however still limits you to a single input. What I prefer (and use myself) is a full MIDI patchbay, allowing you to select between multiple inputs and multiple outputs. The Roland A-880 is a very nice one, with 8 in and 8 out (and generally cheaper than 5-way patchbays like the Edirol UM-550).

Then you have the Yamaha. Waveblaster cards are very nice in a single card, single computer setup, but very inflexible if you want to use different systems. If you go down that route, Serge's CHiLL III interface PCB, preferably with CHiLLBOX enclosure, turns a card into a standalone MIDI module that can be shared over multiple systems with the patchbay.

Of course, going this far down the rabbit hole escalates quickly - I have two RX1602 mixers precisely because the output of all those MIDI modules (MT-32, SC-55ST, MU50, two Chillboxen and a Yamaha electric piano) needs mixing/merging too 😉

Go to top of page Go to top of page
Back to Sound
Close window
Close window