While I love my S2, it has one weak point. It doesn't like MIDI files that send instrument data too fast. Descent is one such game. Technically this is an issue with Descent's MIDI driver, but most modules can tolerate it and play anyway. The fancier modules like X2GS should work fine.

Dang... I've seen so many videos of it seeming to work with the games I'm having an issue with. Descent is an example. Dark Forces is another.

That X2 does look rather interesting...

I'll test some more games.

Thanks for the info.

Could be some system speed sensitivity as well. Try slowing down your system (lower clock, cache off, the usual) and see if that improves things

Try the corrected MIDI files attached here. (Instrument change timings were delayed).

Re: Dreamblaster S2 General MIDI Daughterboard Review

dionb wrote on 2025-03-13, 08:07:

Could be some system speed sensitivity as well. Try slowing down your system (lower clock, cache off, the usual) and see if that improves things

I did have this thought in the back of my head... It is a Pentium 120 so it's a bit newer than the games I want to play. I'll try slowing things down and even downgrading (have a box full of cpu's).

Thanks for the tip!

Quick update... changing speeds didn't help much at all. Downclocked, turn off cache... really scratching my head. I picked up a 486 PC that I plan to refurb so I may try it on that for giggles... or upgrade to the better module.

At least Doom sounds sweet. 😁

Quick and probably final update... ya, it was definitely the Aztech card with the issues. I did some more digging and found out it has a bandwidth issue for "General Midi". I swapped with an SB16 (CT1770) and it's perfect. Working across all games I was able to throw at it.

Glad to hear that it's working for you! A word of warning, though; TIE Fighter is going to have to use FM synth sound with your SB16 if you play it, since the way iMUSE works with simultaneous digital sound just does NOT play well with the SB16 or AWE implementation of a General MIDI controller. I've tried with my X2GS, and it always ends in tears and me going back to FM synthesis for that game; I haven't tried other LucasArts games just yet, but TIE Fighter's dynamic soundtrack makes the stuttering pretty noticeable.

SuperDeadite wrote on 2025-03-13, 03:49:

While I love my S2, it has one weak point. It doesn't like MIDI files that send instrument data too fast. Descent is one such game. Technically this is an issue with Descent's MIDI driver, but most modules can tolerate it and play anyway. The fancier modules like X2GS should work fine.

It must depend on the soundcard the S2 is attached to, because I have an Aztech AT-6800W-U with an S2 and I haven't had any MIDI issues with Descent or any other game I've tried.

Can you give exact specification of which Aztech card it is? They use the same marketing names for different cards. The FCC ID is diagnostic: I38-MMSNxxx. That uniquely identifies the card. I have quite a few and have never seen these issues so would like to dig deeper - in fact I have an MMSN824 AZT2316-based card as my main MPU-401 interface in my late DOS build, connecting to a Roland A-880 patchbay and a whole pile of MIDI sound modules (including some waveblaster modules in ChillXL cases).