Spikey wrote on 2020-12-01, 11:06:

This question kind of misses the point. A game that 'supports' both MT-32 and Sound Canvas *really* is composed for one, and 'su […]
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If you choose mt32/cm32 you will have the MT32/cm32 sounds and if you choose general midi you will have the Canvas sound?

This question kind of misses the point. A game that 'supports' both MT-32 and Sound Canvas *really* is composed for one, and 'supports' the other.

The question you want to be asking is- "Which device was this game composed for?"
99 times out of 100, it will sound best that way.

I would say the CM units are worse, in terms of added noise, and a lack of an LCD screen which is useful in many situations. And they're ridiculously expensive now, as are the MT-32's.

It's mostly a Japanese thing, but there are games that have different music sets designed specifically for certain hardware. X68000 Castlevania is probably the most iconic, but there are others. X68000 version of Group X has 3 completely different soundtracks, for OPM, MT-32, and oddly enough SY22. Sion 2 was a cool free game for the holidays that had completely different music by different musicians. Cool stuff to play around with.

It's nice when you have various midi devices because you can have different music. For instance:

Sam and Max Hit the Road: the music is a little different on Roland MT32/Cm64, different on Roland Sound Canvas and different on Yamaha MU50. All three are great but it is clearly objective which one someone prefers.

The Settlers II: on Yamaha MU50 XG mode is superb, lot better than CM64 and SC55.

Doom: great and a little different on both Roland Sound Canvas SC55 and Yamaha MU50.

The same for other games (different on all usual devices) like Gabriel Knight, Freddy Pharkas, The Lost Vikings etc.

The combination of LA synthesis and general midi of the Roland CM500 seems very nice, at least if you don't own other midi devices.

CM-500 is combined device CM-32L (Enhanced MT-32) + SC-300 (CM model SC-55).
But big one problem exist.
NOISY!
Because, it is simply combined. No noise reduction.
It has 1-2Hz, -57dB stable noise.
I won't recommend CM-500. I recommend CM-32L and SC-55 (not MkII) separate.