The Ultimate MS-DOS Gaming General MIDI Face-Off

By John Novak
Cruising the tail of the Gaussian curve since 1979
Published: March 5, 2023

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Introduction

In the realm of retro MS-DOS gaming, the Roland SC-55 sound module is widely regarded as the undisputed sovereign of mid-to-late 90s General MIDI (GM) audio.

However, I intend to challenge that hegemony. I'm not just offering theories; as the proud owner of both a genuine SC-55 and its formidable rival, the Yamaha MU80, I am putting these vintage powerhouses—and their modern software counterparts—through a rigorous trial.

Filtering the Noise

The internet is a treasure trove of reliable facts conflicting opinions regarding MIDI hardware. You've likely encountered claims such as:

• The Roland Sound Canvas VA (SCVA) is a faithful emulation of the SC-55.
• Conversely, the SC-55 mode in the SCVA is totally inaccurate.
• The SC-88, SC-88Pro, and SC-8820 are objectively superior to the SC-55.
• Music written for the SC-55 sounds "off" on any other hardware.
• Yamaha modules blow everything Roland ever made out of the water.
• The Yamaha S-YXG50 is a bit-perfect clone of the Yamaha DB50XG.

"Instead of relying on second-hand anecdotes and vague impressions, I've decided to let the audio speak for itself."

To move beyond hearsay, I have produced high-fidelity, lossless recordings of 46 legendary DOS soundtracks, each rendered across 7 different MIDI modules.

The Project Roadmap

• Acquire original hardware (SC-55 and MU80).
• Set up lossless recording chain in REAPER.
• Process 46 classic game soundtracks.
• Compare 7 different MIDI implementations.
• Formulate final conclusions.

I will provide the MIDI files and the REAPER project files for those who wish to conduct their own experiments. Of course, I will still provide my own subjective opinions—because that's simply how this works—but you'll have the raw data to ignore me if you choose.

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Meet the Contestants

1. Roland Sound Canvas SC-55

Launched in 1991, the SC-55 succeeded the MT-32 family and became the first synthesizer to support General MIDI. It quickly became the gold standard for DOS gaming audio.

![Image: A photo showing the Roland SC-55 on top and the Yamaha MU80 on the bottom, neatly cable-tied together]

Beyond basic GM support, the SC-55 utilizes Roland's General Standard (GS). This extends the basic GM instrument list and allows for precise control over reverb and chorus.

The GS vs. GM Dilemma

Most DOS games with GM options actually leverage GS features. While composers usually avoided "variation" instruments to maintain compatibility, they frequently used per-instrument effect settings.

$\text{Audio Quality} \propto \text{GS Compatibility}$

If you use a GM-only module:

1. Too Dry: The music lacks ambience and space.
2. Too Wet: The effects are global and uncontrolled, making the music sound like it was $\text{recorded in a cave}$.

My Unit: I sourced a near-mint SC-55 from eBay Japan. It likely spent its life in a high-end karaoke bar entertaining wealthy executives. It is an early 1991 revision (lacking the GM logo on the faceplate) and runs v1.21 ROM, which is the "holy grail" version for DOS gaming.

2. Roland Sound Canvas VA

Released in 2015, this VSTi plugin emulates the SC-8820 (a streamlined version of the SC-8850 from 1999). While it doesn't emulate the SC-55 natively, it features compatibility modes for:

• SC-55
• SC-88
• SC-88 Pro

As of 2023, this is the most accurate software approximation of the original SC-55 available.

The Evolution of the Sound Canvas

There is a theory that games from 1995 onwards were optimized for the SC-88, as it was the most common upgrade at the time. To test this, I've tracked the release timeline:

Note: My initial listening tests haven't yet provided strong empirical evidence to support the "optimization for later models" theory, but the investigation continues.

3. Yamaha MU80

The MU-series was Yamaha's direct strike against the Sound Canvas line. The MU80 arrived in 1994 to compete with the SC-88.

Key Features:

• GM Support: Standard compatibility.
• GS Mode: An impressively accurate emulation of the Roland sound.
• XG Standard: The Extended General MIDI standard. This was technically superior to GS, though it was tragically underutilized by game developers.

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Technical Overview: MIDI Logic

To understand how these modules process data, consider a simplified MIDI event flow:

For example, a typical MIDI command for a note-on event looks like this in raw data:

Note On: Channel 1, Note 60 (Middle C), Velocity 100
Program Change: 0 (Acoustic Grand Piano)
Control Change: 91 (Reverb Send) -> Value 64

The difference in how the SC-55 handles that Control Change 91 versus how a basic GM module handles it is exactly why the "cave" effect occurs.