VOGONS

Yamaha mdp-5

Topic actions

First post, by sydres

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Recently on the RA-30 secret sound canvas thread I had a lot of questions about my RA-30, Spikey was very kind and helpful and I learned a great deal about midi. With that in mind I had the opportunity to pick up two new to me Yamaha modules a dou-10 GM only device and a slightly more obscure model the MDP-5 a model that was sold in Japan but appears that a number of them are here in the US. It's the MDP-5 that I'm going to post about keep in mind that it is In slightly poor shape aesthetically speaking but it went cheap and functions perfectly
Basic specs include
494 voices, 10 drum sets, 2 sfx sets , 32 voice polyphony
The device supports the standards, GM, GM2, XG, GS
It supports 3.3v smart media cards

The attachment 1000004157.jpg is no longer available
The attachment 1000004151.jpg is no longer available
The attachment 1000004153.jpg is no longer available
The attachment 1000004162.jpg is no longer available

The synthesizer chip is a yamaha xu794co with a burr brown pcm3003e stereo codec.
I'm hoping to get some recordings of various game midis and midi songs in the near future using the devices different modes

Reply 1 of 4, by sydres

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Doom e1m1 xg
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UqtlephLYlAn … ew?usp=drivesdk
Doom e1m1 GS
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UvEFqCEJpZ4q … ew?usp=drivesdk
I didn't notice the hum but it's my realtek audio on my everyday system. Unfortunately my audigy 2 and sound blaster lives no longer work.
I will upload a few more in the near future!

Reply 2 of 4, by nach

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Good find!
The Yamaha mdp-5 although obscure is pretty easy to find in Japan. It is a fun and small device to play with it and sometimes i use it to play games when i'm too lazy to pick up the modules in the other room as it works with batteries so it is just plug and play. It reminds me the Roland PMA-5.

I got mine new old stock and there are always many listed on mercari and yahoo auctions and can be found around 4,000 to 6,000 yens often, and sometimes even cheaper and i think it is worth the money as it sounds better than it would seem judging by the price only.

I use midi modules just to have fun so i cannot help with technical aspects but i just wanted to share my thoughts.

Roland MT-32, Roland SCP-55, Roland SC-88, Roland MT-90U, Roland PMA-5, Casio GZ-70SP, Casio GZ-50M, Yamaha MU90B, Yamaha MDP-5, Panasonic CF-VEW212, TDK Digital Music Card 9000, Kawai Gmega

Reply 3 of 4, by sydres

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

I'm pretty happy with it for 45 US dollars I just wish I could get it cleaned up better. if I could get the LCD out without damage ; it's glued under the bezel, I would try retro Brite. Oh well not a big deal. The other unit I got the Yamaha DOU-10 it's shell is cracking up because it's brittle I guess you can't have everything when you don't want to spend a lot of money!
Back to the mdp-5 it certainly sounds good even in GS mode on games, different from my Roland but not unpleasantly so. If I only had the Yamaha I would probably be ok with it unless I found a deal.
I'm having a lot of trouble with the sound card on my daily driver so when I listen to recordings it has a lot of noise. So I'm trying to work through that but I intend to get some more recordings uploaded for people to compare.

Go to top of page Go to top of page
Back to Sound
Close window
Close window