HunterZ wrote:

The SC-88 and newer have an SC-55mkII mode that has 100% compatibility as far as I know. I own an SC-88 and am very happy with it.

The SC-55mkII would be my first choice, but I'd pick an SC-88 or newer over a non-mkII SC-55.

You'll want to get a USB MIDI interface to connect it to a modern PC. I have M-Audio and E-mu (Creative) ones that work well enough, although the latter has SysEx data corruption issues when used with my MT-32. The USB MIDI interface will show up as a MIDI output device in Windows applications, including DOSBox and ScummVM.

What would you consider a good price for an SC-88, and the USB interface? I need to do some searching around. I already called all the music stores in my area, and they don't carry them. Just the newer Rolands, like the JT880, or whatever.

And what do you look out for in a used unit? First thing I check is battery corrosion, acid marks, and leaky capacitors.

These are basically the two interfaces I have, for reference - note that both are around $35:
http://www.amazon.com/CREATIVE-EMU-XMIDI-MIDI … ywords=usb+midi
http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Midisport-Uno-M … ywords=usb+midi

Note that you won't find the synthesizers in stores unless they deal in vintage equipment, as these were made in the 1990s, and MIDI synthesizers aren't very popular in the music scene any more. You're probably going to have to check eBay, Craigslist, etc. It looks like there are a bunch of SC-55's on eBay right now for around $100, and SC-88's for around $200.

I use this one:

http://www.rolandcorp.com.au/products/details/1249

No issues to report.

Mau1wurf1977 wrote:

I use this one:

http://www.rolandcorp.com.au/products/details/1249

No issues to report.

I was going to ask what synths you've used it with, and then I saw who posted. I'm still working my way through your awesome MT-32 family video 😀

I use my SC-8820 as a midi interface , connects through USB and I connect the other synth on it's OUT port... select "SC-8820 MIDI OUT" port as the playback device and you have the other synth working fine , even in win7/x64 🤣

HunterZ wrote:

I was going to ask what synths you've used it with, and then I saw who posted. I'm still working my way through your awesome MT-32 family video 😀

Cool 😀

I also have a cheap one off eBay but I know that not all of them work well. Seems to be luck really what chip you get.

keropi wrote:

I use my SC-8820 as a midi interface , connects through USB and I connect the other synth on it's OUT port... select "SC-8820 MIDI OUT" port as the playback device and you have the other synth working fine , even in win7/x64 🤣

Nice! I do something slightly similar: My USB-MIDI adapter connects to my SC-88, and then it's MIDI THRU connects to my MT-32. My MT-32's audio outs then connect to my SC-88's line in, and my SC-88 line out goes to the PC's aux in (don't ask).

Then, when I want to use the MT-32 I globally mute the SC-88, and when I want to use the SC-88 I power off the MT-32. Both synths sit on top of and are powered by one of those old power stations that is meant to sit under a monitor and has on/off switches on the front for each outlet, so it's really easy to turn them on and off while sitting at my computer.

I could probably hook both synths up in parallel since I have two USB-MIDI adapters, but I've never bothered because I get by pretty well with my current setup.

^ yeah that works great, I was doing something similar before I get a midi-thru box 😀