VOGONS


First post, by walterg74

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So after hearing about the wonders of MIDI devices of yesteryear, and getting obsessed as I normally do, I managed to hunt a few down and buy them.

I obtained:

- An MT-32 (old)
- An SC-55
- An SC-88

Now after reading a bit, it seems the SC-88 actually contains the SC-55’s same sounds and performance, is this right?

Do I maybe have one device too many and should sell the SC-55 and just keep the MT-32 and SC-88..?

P.S. I know someone will probably say there’s no such thing as one device too many 😊

Reply 1 of 17, by keropi

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The SC-88 does contain a -55 map but it's not exactly the same - if you want to sell one then my vote goes to the SC-88 🤣
The MT-32 and SC-55 will cover 99% of your needs

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Reply 2 of 17, by tpowell.ca

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There’s no such thing as one device too many 😊

  • Merlin: MS-4144, AMD5x86-160 32MB, 16GB CF, ZIP100, Orpheus, GUS, S3 VirgeGX 2MB
    Tesla: GA-6BXC, VIA C3 Ezra-T, 256MB, 120GB SATA, YMF744, GUSpnp, Quadro2
    Newton: K6XV3+/66, AMD K6-III+500, 256MB, 32GB SSD, AWE32, Voodoo3

Reply 3 of 17, by tpowell.ca

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I agree with keropi though. Had it been an SC-88Pro, or better, an SC-8820 I'd keep all three, but an SC-88 just isn't the case.

  • Merlin: MS-4144, AMD5x86-160 32MB, 16GB CF, ZIP100, Orpheus, GUS, S3 VirgeGX 2MB
    Tesla: GA-6BXC, VIA C3 Ezra-T, 256MB, 120GB SATA, YMF744, GUSpnp, Quadro2
    Newton: K6XV3+/66, AMD K6-III+500, 256MB, 32GB SSD, AWE32, Voodoo3

Reply 5 of 17, by Dominus

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You are missing a CM-32 or CM-64, just for the missing sound effect(s?) in the Ultima Underworld games 😀

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Reply 6 of 17, by SuperDeadite

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Rule #1 with MIDI modules. Never sell them. Just keep building the tower!

Modules: CM-64, CM-500, SC-55MkII, SC-88 Pro, SY22, TG100, MU2000EX, PLG100-SG, PLG150-DR, PLG150-AN, SG01k, NS5R, GZ-50M, SN-U110-07, SN-U110-10, Pocket Studio 5, DreamBlaster S2, X2, McFly, E-Wave, QWave, CrystalBlaster C2, Yucatan FX, BeepBlaster

Reply 7 of 17, by walterg74

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Dominus wrote:

You are missing a CM-32 or CM-64, just for the missing sound effect(s?) in the Ultima Underworld games 😀

Well, nothing I can do about that yet, haven’t found any to get.

Reply 8 of 17, by Dominus

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😉
The good part of not having one? They are butt ugly...

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Reply 9 of 17, by SpeedySPCFan

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The SC-55 map of the SC-88 isn't entirely accurate. If you don't plan to make music, then I don't think you need to keep the SC-88 unless you really like the GM and GS maps on it. I mean personally, I do, but not many games were built for it aside from a few Falcom titles, and it's not so much better in quality over the 55's GS and GM maps that both are worth owning.

Personally, I'd sell the SC-88 and get a Yamaha MU50 for gaming instead. Many GM games sound much better on it than the SC-55 imo and some GS games do as well. For music making though, just get an 88 Pro instead of an 88.

Musician & music gear/game reviewer.

MIDI hardware: JD-990, SC-55, SC-880, SD-90, VL70-m, Motif ES, Trinity, TS-10, Proteus 2000, XK-6, E6400U

Reply 10 of 17, by j^aws

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walterg74 wrote:

Do I maybe have one device too many and should sell the SC-55 and just keep the MT-32 and SC-88..?

P.S. I know someone will probably say there’s no such thing as one device too many 😊

Keep them all. Any subtle variations between modules can be taken advantage of through an analogue mixer to get a 'fatter' sound, especially with the SC-55 and SC-88 (or SC-55 map).

EDIT:
You'll need to use MIDI THRU or a MIDI THRU box.

Reply 12 of 17, by Dominus

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lvader wrote:
Dominus wrote:

😉
The good part of not having one? They are butt ugly...

I like them, they are a better ecstatic match for old pcs.

That's true, but next to a modern machine the sheer formerly white now yellow plastic looks cheap 😀

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Reply 14 of 17, by SpeedySPCFan

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the Goat wrote:
SpeedySPCFan wrote:

For music making though, just get an 88 Pro instead of an 88.

Please explain why the SC-88 Pro is worth owning?

The two main reasons are the new instruments that are, like with the 88, based on the JV and SR-JV sounds, and bring the total amount of sounds to 700 some odd, most of which are still just as usable as the original sounds they're cut down from, and the effects filter, which still sounds great to this day.
Romantique Tp. on YouTube has an upload of every demo if you want to hear how they sound - I still think it's a very impressive synth to this day and worth trying out.

If you only want to play games though, there's no reason to own an 88 Pro imo. The 88 Pro's GM and GS maps are good but not as good as a Yamaha for general listening, and don't beat an SC-55 for games designed around it.

Musician & music gear/game reviewer.

MIDI hardware: JD-990, SC-55, SC-880, SD-90, VL70-m, Motif ES, Trinity, TS-10, Proteus 2000, XK-6, E6400U

Reply 15 of 17, by SuperDeadite

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SpeedySPCFan wrote:
The two main reasons are the new instruments that are, like with the 88, based on the JV and SR-JV sounds, and bring the total a […]
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the Goat wrote:
SpeedySPCFan wrote:

For music making though, just get an 88 Pro instead of an 88.

Please explain why the SC-88 Pro is worth owning?

The two main reasons are the new instruments that are, like with the 88, based on the JV and SR-JV sounds, and bring the total amount of sounds to 700 some odd, most of which are still just as usable as the original sounds they're cut down from, and the effects filter, which still sounds great to this day.
Romantique Tp. on YouTube has an upload of every demo if you want to hear how they sound - I still think it's a very impressive synth to this day and worth trying out.

If you only want to play games though, there's no reason to own an 88 Pro imo. The 88 Pro's GM and GS maps are good but not as good as a Yamaha for general listening, and don't beat an SC-55 for games designed around it.

Depends on what games you are into. A lot of Japanese doujin games (Touhou being the most popular) are meant specifically for the 88 Pro.

Modules: CM-64, CM-500, SC-55MkII, SC-88 Pro, SY22, TG100, MU2000EX, PLG100-SG, PLG150-DR, PLG150-AN, SG01k, NS5R, GZ-50M, SN-U110-07, SN-U110-10, Pocket Studio 5, DreamBlaster S2, X2, McFly, E-Wave, QWave, CrystalBlaster C2, Yucatan FX, BeepBlaster

Reply 16 of 17, by SpeedySPCFan

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SuperDeadite wrote:

Depends on what games you are into. A lot of Japanese doujin games (Touhou being the most popular) are meant specifically for the 88 Pro.

A lot? As in... there's more than Touhou and Falcom games? If you could list some of them off I'd really appreciate it because I don't know of any besides Touhou 6 and 7, and Ys II Eternal.

Musician & music gear/game reviewer.

MIDI hardware: JD-990, SC-55, SC-880, SD-90, VL70-m, Motif ES, Trinity, TS-10, Proteus 2000, XK-6, E6400U

Reply 17 of 17, by Jo22

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I heard of the SC-88 Pro because of Virtual Sound Canvas 3 (Edirol VSC 3)..
It's implementation is the one which is buggy/which one's MIDI map is off (sound effects in place of instruments).
At least in my copy (orig. boxed copy). The normal SC-88 and the SC-55 seems fine, though.

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