well LAPC1 is an internal CM32, which is an MT32 with sound effects and integrated MPU401. SCC1 is an SC55, SCCIB is SC55-MK2.

the real question is, if you think you can actually obtain an LAPC1 or SCC1, very hard to do and very very expensive.

Also, you have to think what your gonna do with one... not a lot of games use them, and you really need to like the games that do and hope its worth the $$$$

they also dont replace needing a soundblaster or some other sound card etc. its best seen as working alongside or working with a primary sound card.

BloodyCactus wrote on 2022-12-28, 21:00:

well LAPC1 is an internal CM32, which is an MT32 with sound effects and integrated MPU401. SCC1 is an SC55, SCCIB is SC55-MK2. […]
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well LAPC1 is an internal CM32, which is an MT32 with sound effects and integrated MPU401. SCC1 is an SC55, SCCIB is SC55-MK2.

the real question is, if you think you can actually obtain an LAPC1 or SCC1, very hard to do and very very expensive.

Also, you have to think what your gonna do with one... not a lot of games use them, and you really need to like the games that do and hope its worth the $$$$

they also dont replace needing a soundblaster or some other sound card etc. its best seen as working alongside or working with a primary sound card.

I have the sound blaster cards to match, and in any case a sb16 possibly costs a little, it doesn't need to have the opl3 because it would be replaced by the Roland right? About the games I heard Doom and Monkey island on youtube and the difference is huge between the Roland and the SB.

Roland MT-32 (and LAPC-I) is generally used by games from 1988 to early 90s.

Roland SC-55 (and SCC-1) is generally used by games that support General MIDI (early to mid 90s).

The music playback with these devices is much better than FM synthesis you would get with a normal SoundBlaster or Adlib cards of the era.

Which you choose depends on the era of games you are playing. If you're playing games from late 80s to mid 90s, I'd recommend both an MT-32 and SC-55. These are going to be the more affordable options though you will need some way to connect the devices to your computer via MIDI.

If you really would rather have the internal cards (LAPC-I and SCC-1) note that these are more rare and can be quite expensive. For example, there is an SCC-1 card for sale on Ebay right now for over $800 USD. In contrast, an external SC-55 unit can be purchased for less than $200 USD.

The other option is to look for clones or close equivalents of these devices. For example, MT-32 support can be achieved with a MP32L + Raspberry Pi. And for SoundCanvas-like General MIDI sound, you can use something like a DreamBlaster X2GS wavetable card (provided you have a sound card with a wavetable header).

Shponglefan wrote on 2022-12-28, 22:21:

Roland MT-32 (and LAPC-I) is generally used by games from 1988 to early 90s. […]
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Roland MT-32 (and LAPC-I) is generally used by games from 1988 to early 90s.

Roland SC-55 (and SCC-1) is generally used by games that support General MIDI (early to mid 90s).

The music playback with these devices is much better than FM synthesis you would get with a normal SoundBlaster or Adlib cards of the era.

Which you choose depends on the era of games you are playing. If you're playing games from late 80s to mid 90s, I'd recommend both an MT-32 and SC-55. These are going to be the more affordable options though you will need some way to connect the devices to your computer via MIDI.

If you really would rather have the internal cards (LAPC-I and SCC-1) note that these are more rare and can be quite expensive. For example, there is an SCC-1 card for sale on Ebay right now for over $800 USD. In contrast, an external SC-55 unit can be purchased for less than $200 USD.

The other option is to look for clones or close equivalents of these devices. For example, MT-32 support can be achieved with a MP32L + Raspberry Pi. And for SoundCanvas-like General MIDI sound, you can use something like a DreamBlaster X2GS wavetable card (provided you have a sound card with a wavetable header).

i think i will use for games 1992/93 ->

AlessandroB wrote on 2022-12-28, 22:46:

i think i will use for games 1992/93 ->

Then I would stick to General MIDI support either with an SC-55 or an internal wavetable card like the DreamBlaster X2GS.

AlessandroB wrote on 2022-12-28, 22:00:

I have the sound blaster cards to match, and in any case a sb16 possibly costs a little, it doesn't need to have the opl3 because it would be replaced by the Roland right?

opl2/opl3 are FM and have nothing at all to do with midi. MT32/SC55/LAPC1/SCC1 are midi devices. There is no overlap to FM with these.

BloodyCactus wrote on 2022-12-28, 23:45:

AlessandroB wrote on 2022-12-28, 22:00:

I have the sound blaster cards to match, and in any case a sb16 possibly costs a little, it doesn't need to have the opl3 because it would be replaced by the Roland right?

opl2/opl3 are FM and have nothing at all to do with midi. MT32/SC55/LAPC1/SCC1 are midi devices. There is no overlap to FM with these.

I mean technically, and I dont wanna be that um Acktually guy but the yamaha fb01 is a desktop midi synthesiser box and it has an fm chip at its heart so fm can be tied to midi, midi is just an interface protocol , you can have whatever type of synthesis linked up to the midi protocol , ie sound canvas which is a rompler.

BloodyCactus wrote on 2022-12-28, 23:45:

AlessandroB wrote on 2022-12-28, 22:00:

I have the sound blaster cards to match, and in any case a sb16 possibly costs a little, it doesn't need to have the opl3 because it would be replaced by the Roland right?

opl2/opl3 are FM and have nothing at all to do with midi. MT32/SC55/LAPC1/SCC1 are midi devices. There is no overlap to FM with these.

What do you mean? In Doom for example I can make the opl of the soundblaster or the sc-55 play the music.

Yes, and then it is OPL music. The underlying data is sometimes midi (not really with DOOM) but the better games had specific data for OPL and General MIDI or Sound Canvas (those referring to the SC-55) because they are so different that using one piece of data for both would lead to a compromise (for both, sometimes)

Ok, i will take an SCC-1. Can you help me to set this card? i really never seen one

SCC-1 cards tend to be rare and are generally expensive. You'll have to keep an eye out for when one becomes available.

On Ebay they typically sell for upwards of $700 to $800 USD.

AlessandroB wrote on 2022-12-30, 14:25:

Ok, i will take an SCC-1. Can you help me to set this card? i really never seen one

Honestly for the price of one scc1 or lapc-i you could probably buy a bunch of different sound cards and midi modules , why not get an sc-55 an mt32 and a real mpu 401 and maybe one of the more desirable awe32s instead of just one collectors holy grail.

AlessandroB wrote on 2022-12-30, 14:25:

Ok, i will take an SCC-1. Can you help me to set this card? i really never seen one

Seriously, just simply get a DreamBlaster X2GS daughterboard which is way more affordable than an SCC-1 and being way less complicated for a MIDI setup.

AppleSauce wrote on 2022-12-31, 01:48:

why not get an sc-55 an mt32 and a real mpu 401 and maybe one of the more desirable awe32s instead of just one collectors holy grail.

Genuine external MPU-401 units aren't cheap either and somewhat hard to come by currently.

At least an SCC-1 can double up as a MPU-401 interface with intelligent mode support for things like an MT-32.

Pretty much anything involving real Roland hardware isn't going to be that cheap.

AlessandroB wrote on 2022-12-30, 14:25:

Ok, i will take an SCC-1. Can you help me to set this card? i really never seen one

They command a huge price premium, due to being very rare.

And they don't actually sound any better (or even much different at all) than a standard $200-buynow Sound Canvas external unit, or a 85 Euro X2GS which connects internally to your existing sound card.

Example comparison, Sound Canvas + X2GS

SCC-1 will cost 10x as much, for the same sound. It is only a good option for collectors or very particular people.

Shponglefan wrote on 2022-12-31, 03:39:

Genuine external MPU-401 units aren't cheap either and somewhat hard to come by currently. […]
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AppleSauce wrote on 2022-12-31, 01:48:

why not get an sc-55 an mt32 and a real mpu 401 and maybe one of the more desirable awe32s instead of just one collectors holy grail.

Genuine external MPU-401 units aren't cheap either and somewhat hard to come by currently.

At least an SCC-1 can double up as a MPU-401 interface with intelligent mode support for things like an MT-32.

Pretty much anything involving real Roland hardware isn't going to be that cheap.

Im not saying genuine mpu 401s are cheap either but they can be had for alot cheaper if you look around , I got mine on Facebook marketplace (had to go to the American one though) for about 270 aud with shipping.

So if you look around im sure one would pop up around the 250 AUD / 130 USD mark.

I think there was a mpu 401 AT that sold for about 120 AUD CIB on ebay.

So like you might get away with paying 400 aud for a mt32 , 250ish aud for an mpu 401 , 200 aud for a sc-55 , 300ish aud for the better awe32s with a discrete opl3 and a better dac or a gravis ultrasound clone for a grand total of 1150 aud and have 50 aud left to spare since SCC1s go for like 1200aud.

That would give you a pretty baller teir setup vs one card for the same price.

Thanks for all your advice, as I said I really care about having as much as possible inside the case (the only thing I've allowed is having a zip drive to be able to exchange files between the notebook and the retropc without turning off the retropc 20 times a day). I found a card that I consider to be at an ok price + other hardware that I no longer need. I read a lot about the midi problems of the sb and honestly between slowdowns and hingin notes I didn't want to do another battle. I was thinking of having a sound blaster (probably 16) play only the digital effects and the internal Roland play all the music. What sound blaster do you recommend next to the Roland? what exactly marrow? CTxxxx? I think (but correct me) that you should only play digital effects and possibly opl3 in cases where roland is not supported. Thank you

Given the other thread of yours about sound cards: a SB16 or AWE32 that has the CT1747 bus chip. One of them is the SB16 CT2230 which aren't hard to find.

AppleSauce wrote on 2022-12-31, 06:49:

I think there was a mpu 401 AT that sold for about 120 AUD CIB on ebay.

There was one recently that sold in November, but it was for 10x that amount (~$1200 AUD).

Getting one for only $120 AUD would be a amazing find these days.