Marmes wrote on 2020-11-28, 23:37:
People must understand that Yucatan or Cancun FX were not made to be a Roland clone. They were made for enthusiasts, not professionals. So some sounds may be differently equalized. More bassier than original Roland. There may be also some other changes. I just say that this card is excellent for what it is! I think it's one of the best sounding midi cards available atm. I wish those were not so limited in stock!
Keep the excellent work Serdaco!
Don't get me wrong, I think it is fantastic that Serdaco was able to bring out the Yucatan . It gives people a chance to experience and enjoy the SAM9733 + Dream GS soundbank at a reasonable price . Vintage cards based on this chip and soundbank combo are both hard to find and often crazy expensive, so a newly made option is a great thing indeed .
That said, we all have our preferences and those tend to change over time . My first impression of my Monster MIDI, 20-odd years ago, was not that great, but when I recently re-installed it following seeing it mentioned in a thread, I was quite happy with it . It was actually much better than in my memory . Re-experiencing the SAM9733 is, in fact, one of the reasons that motivated me to finally to get a Dream-based X2 .
Considering the fact that the Dream GS soundbank is so similar to the SC-55, I would go as far as to call cards using it "semi-clones" of the SC-55 . They sound similar enough, even if not identical to, an SC-55 that they can be a very reasonable (and less expensive) alternative to using one, IMHO . This was not my initial impression of the SAM9733 + GS soundbank, but it's the opinion I now hold after listening to it more extensively .
At the end of the day, choice is always a good thing, both in terms of having multiple purchasing options and also in the sense that owning multiple MIDI devices and alternating between them allows one avoid the "fatigue" that can result from always listening to the same device .
Finally, as I have mentioned in other posts, Serdaco definitely brings great projects to fruition . I am an extremely satisfied repeat customer and am happy to recommend them for the quality of their products and their excellent service . I am looking forward to the X8 as well .
Cheers to all the talented and hard-working people who help keep the dream alive for all of us retro amateurs!
EDIT : I wish I had more money to spend on all of this nice gear !