What kind of MIDI device do you have?

[Ari]

So, What kind of midi equipment do you guys have?

I think I've covered most of the options, but if I missed something, write down what you have instead.

[Laust]

I see no mention of General MIDI at all? There were a fair few GM-only modules/sound cards which would still be of interest to an old PC gamer. Roland's SC-7 is a GM-only waveblaster card (using SC samples) and the Roland RAP-10 is a GM-only sound card (same samples). Korg made a GM-only waveblaster-style card too.

[Ari]

I think owners of RAP-10, SC-7, SCD-10 and the likes can vote for SC-55 and compatibles. Not All SC-55s have the same instruments either.
The SCD-15 has 354 different sounds while the SCC-1 only 317 or so (IIRC). Also, there's the SC-33 which doesn't contain the MT-32 Bank.
It would be futile to list all the possible SC cards according to the number of instruments, don't you agree?

The RAP-10 and other Roland GM cards use the same samples as the SC-55, and that's what interests me more.

As for Korg, well, that's why I gave the option for 'other'.

[Alistair]

I voted for 'MT-32 or compatible and SC-88 or SC-88xx or similar'.

Though, as well as a Roland MT-32 and a Roland ED Sound Canvas 8850 I run:
- Roland Virtual Sound Canvas
- Yamaha SYXG50
- Sound Blaster AWE32
- Sound Blaster Live!
- Sound Blaster Audigy 2

Might even be something else, but maybe not. I don't use my SC-55 any more.

- Alistair

[Zemus]

A CM-500 here, and yes it is fully MT-32 compatible even though this site never mentions it

[Cloudschatze]

Speaking of CM-500 units... I currently have three in possession, but only intend to hold onto one of them. I know this sounds lame, but what should I do with the other two? The obvious answer would be to sell, however, it would be more worthwhile to me if they were either traded, or possibly used for contest prizes.

[Ari]

contest prizes? you'd give them away for free? :shock:

[apeman]

THREE CM-500s?! Jesus. Wow, that must be half of the units existing in the world at the moment (excluding Japan). Are you a hamster or something?

[Tom]

I'd love a CM-500!  Let's have a contest!!

Q.  Name the city where I was born.
A.  Detroit, Michigan.

Yes!  I win!!

We're gearing up for a contest to give away my last SQ4 CD...so if you want to donate a prize.    (and sell me the other one....)

[Alistair]

Two questions:

Firstly, can someone tell me the benefits of having a CM-500?

Secondly, when's the SQ4CD contest gonna happen, Tom? And when's plans for it's uploading? I'd much prefer that (downloaded OGG's) over a CD for myself, personally.
(I enter the contest for fun, as anyone does.)

- Alistair

[Ari]

There's no specific date for a contest yet, but you can be sure that The SQ4 soundtrack will be uploaded several months after that.

The neat thing about the CM-500 is that it's a CM-32L and SC-55 in one small unit the size of a CM-32 (I think). I'm not sure you can use both modes simultaneously though, so if you can't, that's one major drawback if you want to mix MT-32 tracks with SC-55.

[moturimi1]

Currently I own  the following instruments:

Roland SC-8850
Roland SC-D70
Roland SC-55
Roland SC-155
Roland MT-32
Yamaha Software Synth

[Cloudschatze]

Two questions:

Firstly, can someone tell me the benefits of having a CM-500?

- Alistair

I like to think that the main benefit is having perfect music compatibility in a single unit. That said, for my own gaming systems I use an SC-55mkII and an LAPC-I card; not the CM-500. The reason for this has to do with the L/A synthesis. Though 100% compatible with the MT-32, the CM-500 does not sound 100% like the MT-32, due to the improved S/N. To my ears, the L/A playback has a clarity (sterility perhaps?) that, at times, could fool me as being produced by wavetable synthesis. While some would think this great, I actually prefer the warmth, or "noise" that the MT-32, and original LAPC-I cards produce. (I say 'original' LAPC-I cards because the revised one I own has a clarity matching that of the CM-500.) I'm not picking on the CM-500 by any means; it's just a matter of preference, and I can only assume that the CM-32L and CM-64 would strike me the same.

So, now that I've dissuaded everyone, I'd love to donate a unit for a contest!

(What is the contest, exactly?)

[Zemus]

The neat thing about the CM-500 is that it's a CM-32L and SC-55 in one small unit the size of a CM-32 (I think). I'm not sure you can use both modes simultaneously though, so if you can't, that's one major drawback if you want to mix MT-32 tracks with SC-55.

It has 4 different modes. Mode 1 you got both the MT-32 and SC-55 turned on so you have to use sysex messages to turn them on and off on the different channels. It's great for making MT-32/SC-55 MIDIs. Mode 2 is CM-64 simulation, which is basically the MT-32 on channels 2-10 and the CM-32P sounds on channels 11-16 (I believe). The CM-32P sounds are emulated by using the SC-55 sounds.
Mode 3 is CM-300, which is just the SC-55. Mode 4 is CM-500 mode which puts the SC-55 on channels 1-10 and the MT-32 on 11-16.

[Laust]

I like to think that the main benefit is having perfect music compatibility in a single unit. That said, for my own gaming systems I use an SC-55mkII and an LAPC-I card; not the CM-500. The reason for this has to do with the L/A synthesis. Though 100% compatible with the MT-32, the CM-500 does not sound 100% like the MT-32, due to the improved S/N. To my ears, the L/A playback has a clarity (sterility perhaps?) that, at times, could fool me as being produced by wavetable synthesis. While some would think this great, I actually prefer the warmth, or "noise" that the MT-32, and original LAPC-I cards produce. (I say 'original' LAPC-I cards because the revised one I own has a clarity matching that of the CM-500.) I'm not picking on the CM-500 by any means; it's just a matter of preference, and I can only assume that the CM-32L and CM-64 would strike me the same.

That's interesting. The CM-32L uses the same DAC, reverb chip, and "LA32" synth engine as the MT-32 and I imagine they would just sound the same (but I never really did a listening test). It's possible they changed something in the output filter or something to do with the DAC. Popular rumour has it the CM-32L is less noisy than the MT-32.

Maybe comparing the early and late LAPC-I models would indicate where the difference lies.

[robertmo]

I have got:

Roland LAPC-I and Roland MT-32
Roland SCC-1
Sound Blaster AWE64 and Sound Blaster AWE32
Gravis Ultra Sound

[Ari]

I stand corrected regarding the CM-500. It sounds even better than I thought!

I realized I did not write what kind of gear I have, so here's my list:
Computer no. 1:a Yamaha WF192XG card (inferior to the SW60XG, but has digital audio capabilities), a Roland SCD-15 (SCB-55) and a Roland LAPC-I.
Computer no. 2: a Yamaha SW60XG midi card, a SB16 (for digital audio) and an AdLib Gold (not much better than the SB16 in terms of the FM chip)

On my laptop I've got a Roland VSC-88 and a Yamaha S-YXG50 SoftSynth, but they don't really count imo...

[Zemus]

I forgot to mention the rest of my cards.
1. SB Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro (the one with the external box)
2. SB Live 1024 Platinum.
3. SBAWE32 w/ 8mb of RAM.
4. Roland SCC-1.

[shad0wfax]

I haven't found any option that fits 100% with my setup, but I choosed "MT-32 or compatible + SC (any) + XG". Here comes my list (only what I have by now; I've owned a few other synths/cards):

Hardware:
- Roland CM-64
- Roland RD-170
- Roland XV-2020
- Terratec DMX Fire 6/24 LT (only audio, no MIDI)
- Built-in motherboard MPU-401 for MIDI

Software:
- Yamaha SY50XG
- Roland VSC MP1
- Native Instruments FM7

I used to have a CM-32L for MT-32 compatibility, but last week I exchanged it for a CM-64 of a friend of mine who bought it some weeks ago and who was only interested on the LA part. I've also owned, among others, a Roland CM-32P, a Roland U-220, a Roland XP-10, a Yamaha DB50XG, a Yamaha PSR-48, a Casio CZ-230s and a Sound Blaster Audigy 1 (which I never liked).

[Juho Sippola]

I've been able to haul a lot of gaming related Roland equipment over the time.

-Roland SCC-1
-Roland SCD-15 (on Waveblaster->MIDI converter)
-Roland SC-155
-Roland MPU-IPC-T
-Roland MT-32

Even I once had the CMS Technologies CMS-401 MIDI interface which was 100% MPU-401 Intelligent mode compatible but with MPU-IPC-T I didn't need it anymore and I sold it.

My current sound card on primary PC is SB Audigy 2. Within my retro rig lies the SB AWE64 Gold/12MB. I have even GUS Extreme and SB AWE32 PnP/8MB archived, both ready to roll if needed.