dnewhous wrote:

In case you are curious the D-50 is the keyboard version of the mt-32.

Eh, that's not quite accurate. They both use LA synthesis. However, the D-50 is a professional keyboard synthesizer, with the keyboard-less version being the D-550. The MT-32 in contrast is a prosumer sound module geared towards computer music.

Shponglefan wrote:

dnewhous wrote:

In case you are curious the D-50 is the keyboard version of the mt-32.

Eh, that's not quite accurate. They both use LA synthesis. However, the D-50 is a professional keyboard synthesizer, with the keyboard-less version being the D-550. The MT-32 in contrast is a prosumer sound module geared towards computer music.

How does the D-550 sound when playing MT-32 games? Does it sound better?

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman wrote:

How does the D-550 sound when playing MT-32 games? Does it sound better?

I currently own an MT-32 and a CM-64, and used to own a D-550 that I unfortunately sold a few years ago. To my ears, the D-50 or D-550 basically sounds like a much higher quality version of the MT-32. For example, let's compare the patch "Fantasia" on both machines (sound examples from http://www.syntmania.com)

MT-32 version:
http://www.synthmania.com/Roland%20MT-32/Audi … 3%20Fantasy.mp3

D-50 version
http://www.synthmania.com/Roland%20D-50/Audio … %20Fantasia.mp3

However, the D-50 or D-550 are totally unsuitable for games because they are mono-timbral, i.e. they can only play one part at a a time, as opposed to the MT-32 which can play eight parts plus a drum part (the D-50 and D-550 having no drum samples as far as I'm aware of).

MMaximus wrote:

I currently own an MT-32 and a CM-64, and used to own a D-550 that I unfortunately sold a few years ago. To my ears, the D-50 or […]
Show full quote

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman wrote:

How does the D-550 sound when playing MT-32 games? Does it sound better?

I currently own an MT-32 and a CM-64, and used to own a D-550 that I unfortunately sold a few years ago. To my ears, the D-50 or D-550 basically sounds like a much higher quality version of the MT-32. For example, let's compare the patch "Fantasia" on both machines (sound examples from http://www.syntmania.com)

MT-32 version:
http://www.synthmania.com/Roland%20MT-32/Audi … 3%20Fantasy.mp3

D-50 version
http://www.synthmania.com/Roland%20D-50/Audio … %20Fantasia.mp3

However, the D-50 or D-550 are totally unsuitable for games because they are mono-timbral, i.e. they can only play one part at a a time, as opposed to the MT-32 which can play eight parts plus a drum part (the D-50 and D-550 having no drum samples as far as I'm aware of).

I see. I wonder if there's a better-sounding version of MT-32 which is also multi-timbral, so it's suitable for games.

I've always wondered about the LA capabilities of the JV and XV series modules.

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman wrote:

MMaximus wrote:

I currently own an MT-32 and a CM-64, and used to own a D-550 that I unfortunately sold a few years ago. To my ears, the D-50 or […]
Show full quote

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman wrote:

How does the D-550 sound when playing MT-32 games? Does it sound better?

I currently own an MT-32 and a CM-64, and used to own a D-550 that I unfortunately sold a few years ago. To my ears, the D-50 or D-550 basically sounds like a much higher quality version of the MT-32. For example, let's compare the patch "Fantasia" on both machines (sound examples from http://www.syntmania.com)

MT-32 version:
http://www.synthmania.com/Roland%20MT-32/Audi … 3%20Fantasy.mp3

D-50 version
http://www.synthmania.com/Roland%20D-50/Audio … %20Fantasia.mp3

However, the D-50 or D-550 are totally unsuitable for games because they are mono-timbral, i.e. they can only play one part at a a time, as opposed to the MT-32 which can play eight parts plus a drum part (the D-50 and D-550 having no drum samples as far as I'm aware of).

I see. I wonder if there's a better-sounding version of MT-32 which is also multi-timbral, so it's suitable for games.

There was a thread about Roland D-110 drivers for Sierra games at Queststudios with audio samples, but the site is down. Here's a relevant Vogons thread: Roland D series drivers/patches for Sierra games

Laukku wrote:

There was a thread about Roland D-110 drivers for Sierra games at Queststudios with audio samples, but the site is down. Here's a relevant Vogons thread: Roland D series drivers/patches for Sierra games

Very interesting, but it requires specific driver for D-110, and the driver only exists for Sierra games. I wonder how would the music sound using MT-32 driver, like when playing Ultima Underworld, where D-110 driver doesn't exist.

I wonder if the sound would improve even when using MT-32, just like switching to better sound fonts while keep using the same GM driver. Though I'm not sure it would be the case, because it seems LA synthesis is more complex than merely switching sound fonts. For example, I played Ultima Underworld with Munt. When using CM-32L mode, footsteps sounded really weird. Only after switching back to MT-32 mode did the footsteps sound correct.

But still, it'll be interesting to try.

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman wrote:

Laukku wrote:

There was a thread about Roland D-110 drivers for Sierra games at Queststudios with audio samples, but the site is down. Here's a relevant Vogons thread: Roland D series drivers/patches for Sierra games

Very interesting, but it requires specific driver for D-110, and the driver only exists for Sierra games. I wonder how would the music sound using MT-32 driver, like when playing Ultima Underworld, where D-110 driver doesn't exist.

Like crap. The D-110 and the MT-32 respond to the same sysex, however, the ROM samples are either different or in a different order. If you try to play an MT-32 track on a D-110, all of the instruments will sound very wrong.

EDIT: The only way that I'm aware of to play MT-32 games on a D-110 without a driver is to recreate the MT-32's default patches on the D-110, placing them in the correct order. However, that will only work for the small number of games that use only the MT-32's default patches (like Dune). Any game that uses custom patches will not work.

Luckily I noticed I had downloaded the D-110 recordings onto my computer.

Here they are: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/bhleek10xdo7 … erra_D-110_MP3s

The Leisure Suit Larry 3 one has a pitch bend issue.

gdjacobs wrote:

I've always wondered about the LA capabilities of the JV and XV series modules.

Are you referring to a specific capability, or something more general? The JV and XV synths expand upon several principles of the LA-synthesis architecture, but lack the "VA-like" square and saw wave generation commonly associated with the D-series and MT-32-based synthesizers.

Notwithstanding, and given the flexibility of the later engines, the PCM-based square and saw waveforms can be manipulated to a degree that likely renders realtime generation of these waveforms unnecessary. I don't know that it would be worth the effort, but given the WAV import functionality of the XV-5080, someone could convert and upload the D-50 (et al.) PCM waveforms, and "build" comparable patches/timbres, in lieu of simply doing more comprehensive sampling.

Laukku wrote:

Luckily I noticed I had downloaded the D-110 recordings onto my computer.

Here they are: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/bhleek10xdo7 … erra_D-110_MP3s

The Leisure Suit Larry 3 one has a pitch bend issue.

These are the recordings I made several years ago. I'd subsequently "fixed" the LSL3 playback problem, the file for which is linked to in the earlier VOGONS thread you'd referenced.