CM32-L that has the extra SFX like a LAPC-I , if I remember correctly that is 😀

Ultima Underworld also makes use of extra sfx. Personally I have a CM-64 (and a MT-32), same features and runs great. The great thing about the MT-32 is the display which the runner ups didn't have 😀

I prefer the MT-32 as the CM-series don't get the sounds quite right. At least my CM-500 doesn't sound exactly the same as my MT-32. And I know tat others' don't as well. The vibratos are annoyingly too fast and a few other small details get in the way. If you want true unadulterated full MT-32 game compatibility I'd say go with an MT-32. Unless you want the sound effects for the games that support it, of course. Or if you just don't care about such meaningless small details like I do 😀.

The frontal LCD display is also a treat to see all the messages that the musicians hide in there sometimes.

Don't the older MT-32 modules have a buffer overflow problem on Pentium speed machines? Is there a way to fix this? The new MT-32's are apperently impossible to find.

Tempest

Oh right. Yeah, the only way to fix that is to control the speed somehow in which it's transferred. If you're using it on an older computer there's no problem. If you're using a newer computer there's DOSBox which makes everything right with the world speed-wise. If you're playing in real DOS mode on a Pentium and it's too fast, however, you'd have to have a slowdown utility.

I guess that's the one thing the CM-series LA synths has going for it.

Define 'older' and 'newer'. I'd be using a P-180 which isn't exactly new. Or are you talking about 386/486 'older'.

Tempest

Old means 286/386, thats the speed some of these games were programmed for. Some games will not transfer correctly to the MT-32 at any speed because they were programmed for the CM-32L, which is not very sensitive to speed issues.

What Great Hierophant said.

MusicallyInspired wrote:

I prefer the MT-32 as the CM-series don't get the sounds quite right. At least my CM-500 doesn't sound exactly the same as my MT-32. And I know tat others' don't as well. The vibratos are annoyingly too fast and a few other small details get in the way. If you want true unadulterated full MT-32 game compatibility I'd say go with an MT-32. Unless you want the sound effects for the games that support it, of course. Or if you just don't care about such meaningless small details like I do 😀.

The frontal LCD display is also a treat to see all the messages that the musicians hide in there sometimes.

While I hate to disagree with someone who just seconded what I say, this statement is overbroad. It is true that the CM-500, a third generation LA part, has some changes to its LA implementation that produces some changes in the way the music is played back. However, a CM-32L is musically identical to a late model MT-32, so the statement is objectively overbroad. The early model MT-32 and late model MT-32s have some minor differences. There are only three documented sound effects where the differences result in audible differences in the produced sound.

My mistake. I was sure I heard samples from the MT-32, CM-500, and CM-32L that all had major differences in the output. At the very least I was sure that all the CM-series LA synths had the vibrato-on-steroids problem. Sorry about that.

So if I got a CM-32L or a second gen MT-32 I wouldn't get any of these problems? How about a CM-500?

Tempest

Tempest wrote:

So if I got a CM-32L or a second gen MT-32 I wouldn't get any of these problems? How about a CM-500?

Tempest

The buffer overflow problem does not exist on any of these units, but the CM-500 has the vibrato issue.