Hmm, I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "PSX MIDI synth"? All aural duties of the console are peformed by the SPU, you can read about its specifications here.

As far as the samples go, I'd be leaning towards the SC-55. The Goblin sound effect is 100% the same, I agree. Harpsichords sounds similar too. What puts me off is that the overall result sounds "less sharp" than what you would hear as MIDI playback from the SC-55. This could be due to compressed samples or SPU effects. Also, I've never heard choirs that sound like this on any Roland hardware. It could be very well that they used the SC-55 for everything, but they sure must have tweaked the hell out of it.

IIRC, doesn't the PS1/2 MIDI synth have Roland samples in it?

Either way, I think it's definitely based off Roland architecture. If it's SC-88 or later, it could have Roland effects, or even if it's SC-55 it could have Sony proprietary sound modelling techniques being used on top of the Roland GM.

Some of the samples in those links you gave are 100% Roland SC-55 patches.

I've written a TSR to allow games that require 'intelligent mode' for Roland sound/music to work with a normal sound card's MPU-401 interface.

Download it here: http://bjt42.github.io/softmpu

All feedback welcome

I'd like to add Aztech Sound Galaxy card(s) to my collection (any cards from the NX series).  If you might have any of these available, please let me know what price you would want, and I will try to make a deal.  Cheers. 
--Mark

Lol.  I'm gonna bump it yet again.  No I never got the patch script going.  I'll be selling my SC-8850 soon again.  I put it up for sale earlier here and somewhere else, but since no one was interested, I just held on to it.  Gonna try another round of sales before I put it up on the Bay.  I've been using the SC-88pro patchscript.  If I need an 8850-only sound, I simply dial it in.  For the most part, I usually end up using the 88pro sounds.

You brought up a bit of a different subject and I corrected you in the best of my knowledge. No need to take offense as my answer wasn't even remotely meant in an unfriendly or dogmatic way. Sorry if it could be understood in that fashion.

I'm not entirely convinced. It's just my best guess so far as I don't know what else it could have been.

I was under the impression you were asking for help, which I tried to participate with a friendly reply by relating a similar example. If you are so convinced this game used an SC based solution then more power to you.

I think you are mixing different things up. FFVII PC indeed came with a S-YXG50 and unique XG MIDIs for use with it. For the PSX version it is generally rumored that it uses Sound Canvas samples.

Concerning King's Field again: Maybe it's the lack of characteristic cheesy guitars that puts me off from thinking it's a mere SC-55. One thing is for sure, it doesn't sound at all like your regular MIDI played on this unit.

The only company I know that used their own midi implementation was SQUARE, which is heard in many of their games, most notably Final Fantasy VII. I read they licensed the technology from Yamaha's SY-XG50. Would be interesting to find out if they licensed it to other companies or if something entirely different was used.

Nah, pretty sure this didn't use redbook. Most games didn't.