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Dreamblaster VS SCC-1 & other midi solutions for new machine

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First post, by Scythifuge

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Greetings,

I am looking for opinions and advice...

Due to my 486 dying, along with my non-PnP AWE32 (replaced with a 3990,) and the fact that something is wrong with my Roland SCC-1, and that my Waveblaster sounds like garbage when used with WC Privateer, I think I am giving up on building retro systems that are true to the era, due to parts becoming rare and expensive and prone to failure as they age.

With that said, I think I am going to build a 90's machine with a Pentium III, since it is newer and cheaper, and use Moslo deluxe on it so that I can play games from the 1980's to 2000 (up to Deus Ex, basically.) I'll multiboot DOS, Win 3.x, Win95 (just because,) and Win98SE. I can get a 3x ISA P3 mobo, and a Matrox G400 with 2 Voodoo 2 cards in SLI mode, which would cover that entire era.

I want to be able to connect my MT-32 to this machine, and while my SCC-1 works to play music natively, the midi ports are apparently faulty and won't transmit data to my MT-32, so I need to replace it with something else. One option is to try to get my hands on a CM-500, as I read that it basically covers the MT-32, the SCC-1, and then some. I have an MPU-IPC-T that I could use, and then sell the SCC-1 to someone who doesn't need to use external synths with it.

Or, I could keep the MT-32/MPU-IPC-T and AWE32, and replace (and sell) the Waveblaster daughterboard with a Dreamblaster X2.

What is the quality of the DB X2 like, especially compared to the SCC-1? I read that it has 64mb of RAM, so really nice sounds could be uploaded to it. I am just getting tired of wrestling with old and broken parts and am doing that more than playing awesome old games, and I just need a system that can do it all and without hassle. My body is brokjen and so I don't have the fun that I used to have with tinkering anymore. I have two daughterboards and the SCC-1 I can sell, and they could possibly pay for the parts that I need, but I want to make sure I buy the right things so that I can set it and forget it. Basically I need to cover all of the best sounds and music across the entire 80's and 90's era (will eventually get an AWE64 Gold and replace the AWE32 and sell that too.)

I apologize for rambling... Would the DB X2 be what I am looking for?

Scythifuge

Reply 1 of 5, by SuperDeadite

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Really depends on your tastes. I quite like my X2, but for me it will always be an alternative, something I use when I want to change stuff up.
It will never be my favorite module, but if the money doesn't concern you, there is no reason not to have one. The only real negative I have with it,
is that the original DreamBank (the most traditional and boring one) is the only one with decent GS support. The more interesting sound banks are GM.
If you don't know the difference then it shouldn't affect you though.

In regards to LA based games, X2 has the same issues as other modules that only have a basic compatibility map mode. If you want to avoid original modules,
MUNT is the better option for such games.

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, SuperOctet!

Reply 2 of 5, by Scythifuge

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SuperDeadite wrote on 2020-04-05, 07:05:
Really depends on your tastes. I quite like my X2, but for me it will always be an alternative, something I use when I want to […]
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Really depends on your tastes. I quite like my X2, but for me it will always be an alternative, something I use when I want to change stuff up.
It will never be my favorite module, but if the money doesn't concern you, there is no reason not to have one. The only real negative I have with it,
is that the original DreamBank (the most traditional and boring one) is the only one with decent GS support. The more interesting sound banks are GM.
If you don't know the difference then it shouldn't affect you though.

In regards to LA based games, X2 has the same issues as other modules that only have a basic compatibility map mode. If you want to avoid original modules,
MUNT is the better option for such games.

Thank you for your reply. I will probably continue to use my MT-32 (or compatible alternative, such as one of the Roland CM devices) for old DOS games. If I get a CM-500, I'm not sure that I would need a daughterboard, though the 64mb sounds nice and it is cheaper than a CM-500. I did see a newer ISA card for connecting external synths which also has a DB header. I'm not too much of a stickler for having absolute authentic sounds; I just want them to sound good (unlike my Waveblaster, which sounds poor compared to the SCC-1.)

I think I will buy the X2 and sell the SCC-1 and Waveblaster and the extra, generic DB I have and consider the CM-500 option after that. At this point, I just want to stop wrestling with everything, and I want to turn on a PC and be able to play the games without hassle.

I do use MUNT in DOSBox and 86box when I tinker with those programs. I think MUNT is amazing. I have a few issues with current PC emulation (I expect those to be ironed out, down the road,) so I still try to use actual hardware at this time. For example, I couldn't get my Gravis Phoenix working in 86box, despite having a Rockfire and a PS/2 keyboard set up and working, where as my faulty CH Products FSP/Throttle/Rudder is detected.

Reply 3 of 5, by keropi

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About the X2 deal, do a search in youtube for "dreamblaster x2" and you'll find several reviews with music samples - this way you can judge by yourself
Listen especially to the "buran" ones since this is the newest samples bank and can be used on the X2 as well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x-4hmJdg7Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWvsKmQFlg4

🎵 🎧 ⏳ ⚡ MK1869, PCMIDI MPU , OrpheusII , Action Rewind , Megacard and 🎶GoldLib soundcard website

Reply 4 of 5, by Scythifuge

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keropi wrote on 2020-04-05, 16:09:
About the X2 deal, do a search in youtube for "dreamblaster x2" and you'll find several reviews with music samples - this way yo […]
Show full quote

About the X2 deal, do a search in youtube for "dreamblaster x2" and you'll find several reviews with music samples - this way you can judge by yourself
Listen especially to the "buran" ones since this is the newest samples bank and can be used on the X2 as well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x-4hmJdg7Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWvsKmQFlg4

Thank you for the links, I will check them out. I saw a newer midi card with a 3.5mm to midi adapter with a wavetable header, and I am leaning towards getting that with an X2 and selling everything else. Staying true to the era is becoming a losing battle, so I am hoping that the X2 will sound equal to or better than the older, preferred parts. Perhaps someone who is good at electronics can buy the SCC-1 and repair it so that the midi jacks work. If they worked, I would probably avoid selling everything and replacing it all. But I will definitely give the X2 a listen before making such radical changes that I may later regret (I have done that before!)

I do appreciate the opinions of those who are experienced with the SCC-1 and the X2.

Reply 5 of 5, by Scythifuge

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I also found this video from Phil's Computer Lab, and he tests it with Privateer and System Shock, and I definitely want to buy the X2 after hearing those tunes. I think buying that along with that newer MPU card and an AWE64 Gold and slapping it all in a Pentium III with Moslo Deluxe to emulate 386, 486, etc. for older games is going to be the way to go. If I sell the parts, I think that they will pay for all of the parts I need, and I can finally just enjoy some retro gaming without any hassle.

I just have to determine the value of an SCC-1 with a faulty midi out jack...

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