MT-32 emulator claims

[Ari]

One of the things that bugs me about having an LAPC-I rather than an MT-32 or CM-xx is the fact that sooner or later, I'll have to get a computer without an ISA slot, so I don't know what I'll do with it.

[HondaSiR]

One of the things that bugs me about having an LAPC-I rather than an MT-32 or CM-xx is the fact that sooner or later, I'll have to get a computer without an ISA slot, so I don't know what I'll do with it.

Sell your LAPC-1 and purchase an external module like an MT-32 or a CM-64?  :lol:

-Johnny

[Alistair]

Soundtrack is a classic 'MT-32' patch which uses its' square wave synth (I think it's square, not saw) to really capture the 'synth' feel. It can't be emulated by a Sound Canvas without 'cleaning it up', which of course takes away that great sound. I find it hard to imagine a MT-32 emulator emulating this, and additionally reverb mode and type.

- Alistair

[Zemus]

The MT-32 outputs an analogue signal from a 32kHz digital signal. So this would mean that all the mixing of the different waves and samples are done digitally. That should be possible to do with an emulator...

[dnewhous]

How close to the waveforce daughterboard does the s-yxg50 sound?  I think Yamaha obviously worked harder on their softsynths.  The vst plugin model is a separate add-on, therefore theirs costs quite a bit more than Roland's.  They obviously put a lot more work into optimizing the CPU burden and achieved similar quality (most people think it sound slightly superior to the virtual sound canvas).  

I't just that overbearing reverb...

[Tom]

Ari wrote:
One of the things that bugs me about having an LAPC-I rather than an MT-32 or CM-xx is the fact that sooner or later, I'll have to get a computer without an ISA slot, so I don't know what I'll do with it.


Sell your LAPC-1 and purchase an external module like an MT-32 or a CM-64?  

I already have that problem to a certain extent, with my MT-32.  My new PC doesn't have an ISA slot, so I can't use my MPU-IPC with it.  Instead, it's attached to a Santa Cruz card.  Fine for playing music through the MT-32, but crap for editing.  Won't receive dumps FROM the MT-32 through the interface, and many of my editors and sequencers won't recognize it.

We still use an old Celeron 500 PC (with three ISA slots) for our primary music computer, where my other MT-32 can reside happily with a real MPU card.  My SC works fine with my AWE32's (ISA) MIDI interface, too.  So I don't even bother trying to work with music on my desk PC.

[dnewhous]

Have you tried a USB MIDI interface?  They are, at least, much more discreet than using a gameport adapter.

[Tom]

Yes, you're right.  The XG Softsynth does a nice job emulating earlier XG cards.  (In fact, it sounds as good as my hardware WF192XG PCI card!)  It's not as clean as the SW60XG, but it's a much better comparison between hardware and software than Roland's SC and VSC.

[Ari]

Well, if anyone wants to trade a CM-64 for an LAPC-I, I'll be happy to do so (I also have the MCB-1 breakout box for the LAPC)

Aside from a very 'dirty' French Horn, the S-YXG50 Softsynth, is the best softsynth around. It sounds a little too synthy, true, but all in all, it sounds very good, and the drumsets are superior to anything in that catagory.

[Tom]

Agreed, Ari.  

I've used my SC-8820 in USB and Serieal mode.  But I like doing MIDI editing in DOS, so USB doesn't cut it.  But it DOES work good connected to my AWE32, which DOS likes, too.

[dnewhous]

I have a USB mouse that works fine with the DOS version on Win98SE.  Even when I boot directly into DOS.

[Danny]

A USB Mouse is different, as that is handled by the BIOS if it works in DOS.

[robertmo]

Don't forget that there was also a Serial Roland MPU-401 connected to COM port.

There is also Yamaha Softsynth S-YXG100plus which is way better than S-YXG50. The only drawback is that I am not sure whether it has all sound canvas instruments (Dune 2 has no sound effects in intro with this emulator). I also wasn't able to run it in WINXP (only in my Win98se). Although i have downloaded Microsoft's Application Compatibility Tool 3.0 and it says that there is a patch by yamaha for Softsynth S-YXG100plus to run it in WINXP.

[Laust]

The MT-32 outputs an analogue signal from a 32kHz digital signal. So this would mean that all the mixing of the different waves and samples are done digitally. That should be possible to do with an emulator...

How did you arrive at 32kHz? The DAC in the MT-32 is fast enough to do 44.1kHz. Not that I'm saying it is, but I haven't seen any reputable sources for 32kHz either. Guess there's nothing left to do but measure it

Apart from that, yes the MT-32 is not an analog synth.

[Ari]

Don't forget that there was also a Serial Roland MPU-401 connected to COM port.

There is also Yamaha Softsynth S-YXG100plus which is way better than S-YXG50. The only drawback is that I am not sure whether it has all sound canvas instruments (Dune 2 has no sound effects in intro with this emulator). I also wasn't able to run it in WINXP (only in my Win98se). Although i have downloaded Microsoft's Application Compatibility Tool 3.0 and it says that there is a patch by yamaha for Softsynth S-YXG100plus to run it in WINXP.

Neither have I. The S-YXG100 is supposed to have 256 additional VL instruments, though I haven't noticed much difference between them and the regular instruments. But maybe it's just me.

[Zemus]

"How did you arrive at 32kHz? The DAC in the MT-32 is fast enough to do 44.1kHz. Not that I'm saying it is, but I haven't seen any reputable sources for 32kHz either. Guess there's nothing left to do but measure it  

Apart from that, yes the MT-32 is not an analog synth." - I read it somewhere, can't remember where right now.

[Laust]

Nothing like being able to answer your own questions. I hooked up a Frequency Counter (not sure that's the correct English term for this piece of equipment) to my MT-32 tonight, and indeed, 32000 (32010 actually, but the crystal in the MT-32 or the Freq. Counter was probably a bit off ) it was.

[Zemus]

You measured the crystal hooked up to the DAC? The Super NES has the same samplerate, 32010Hz

[mindjoker]

Hi folks this is my first post here, first would like to congratulate all the people who're responsible for this site&forum.
I would like to leave my opinion about this emulator vs real stuff, so to me there is nothing that beats the real hardware, specially to those who have some sentimental attachment to the hardware itself like me because when i turn on my old machines, zx spectrum, amiga, etc, that makes me remember some very special moments and brings up a lot of feelings, but emulators are also very important, although they don't make for the real thing they help to preserve the memory of something that will eventually disappear whe can allways state that a piece of hardware if well cared will last a long time even outlast a persons life time, but they will eventually give out just like ouserlfs will some day, so the sooner an emulator starts being made while functional hardware is still available the bether because making an emulator to perfection is a very though task specialy if whe'r talking about sound emulation, take for example the old zx spectrum machine it's a very simple machine,  but still there ins't one single emulator that can emulate it 100% specially in the sound part, that's why i perfer to have the real hardware but i still support the emulator development bucause sooner or later the harware will die.
Also we have take in account the costs involved in having vintage hardware, take my old games machine for example, MotherBoard: Chaintech 5TTM1 (great because i can change the multiplier/frequency from the bios, taking the 166mhz pentium down up to 83Mhz when needed plus a slow down function that puts the system at the speed of an 386 16mhz) AWE 32 With 32Mb Ram + Yamaha db 50xg / Roland SCC1 / Gravis ultrasound ACE 1Mb / Roland MT-32 connected to the SCC1 /Genoa Phantom 64 (S3 968 Chipset) great graphics compatibilitie, 64 Mb Ram, now we all have to agree that mouting a system like this ins't cheap and not everyone has resources and sometimes knowladge to this kind of stuff.
So all overall emulators are a good thing and we all should support their development.
One last thing why not trying to recreate the MT-32 in real hardware, it would take some skilled people to pull something like this, but i have seen that kind of stuff happen with other hardware, so its a possibilitie

[Tom]

Welcome, Mindjoker!

Good points -- and something I've thought about as I've accumulated softsynths over the years.