MD/Genny audio comparsion thread

I'm wondering how different MDs, Gennies, and compatibles sound. I've done recordings from my MD2, MD1 and Zebbe's Nomad.

Zebbe's Nomad (repaired) :
http://www.hot.ee/tmeeco3/NOMAD.OGG

MD1, early model, no TMSS, board VA4, Signetics 68K :
http://www.hot.ee/tmeeco3/MD1EARLY.OGG
I have one with Motorola 68K of the same kind and it sounds identical.

MD2, early model, board VA1, modded audio circuit :
http://www.hot.ee/tmeeco3/MD2CCAM.OGG
Before audio mod, my MD2 sounded just like Nomad, but PSG was more quiet.

ACDC's MD2, same as above, unmodded audio
http://www.epicgaming.us/tiido/MD2ORIG.OGG
Guess I was wrong, that sounds lot more worse than what I remembered !!!

Here's a ROM you'll use for recording :
http://www.hot.ee/tmeeco3/TESTROM.RAR

Only things I've done with the recordings are :
* Removing line noise (I have 6 meter long cables which are not too high quality)
* Putting a fade out in the end.

All files are recorded at as high volume as possible but so that the peaks will never be clipped.

I hope to hear the sound of all systems. I'm sure that early non TMSS MDs/Gennies will sound best.

My hosting company is expiring next month, this is the last time i can do this..

http://blackevilweredragon.spymac.com/gensound/1.ogg

http://blackevilweredragon.spymac.com/gensound/2.ogg

http://blackevilweredragon.spymac.com/gensound/3.ogg

http://blackevilweredragon.spymac.com/gensound/star.ogg

http://blackevilweredragon.spymac.com/rings.ogg

Model 1 Genesis, VA3

You need a flashcart, and you need to use the ROM with music I made.
EDIT: I know you don't have a flashcart.

Just re-compile for Sega Loader use. MoD has stated how to do this.

you can't use my sound engine with MCD

Why not? All the Sega loader does is put the program in RAM (Genesis RAM), and runs from there..

All you need to do is compile for the different memory location. Just contact MoD for how to's. I don't think you understand the Sega Loader too well.

To be frank, your request is a lot. Not a lot of people here have a flash cart to do this, and some (though small), don't have the means to record it.

TmEE: Sounds like you have done a terrific job with the Nomad, I can't wait to play it. I think the MD2 sounded worst of these. It lacked the depth of MD1 and wasn't as clean as either of the other ones. But I am no audiophile and my equipment is possibly the last one would use to compare these kind of things.

Z80 needs constant access to ROM area and MCD cannot provide it... read some MCD docs then you'll know why Z80 isn't very useful when MCD is used.

EDIT : How can my MD2 sound worse (un modded ones do sound bad) ? It has all the bass, like MD1 and slighlty more high freqs than from MD1... Nomad has very little high freqs (if you remove some filter caps, you can get really nice sound, but you'll get lots of noise from the high voltage thing)

Once again, talk with MoD, you don't understand Sega Loader very well.

Can't the M68K put data in Z80 RAM? If so, then Sega Loader can very well work, because all the CD is doing is LOADING the program.. You use it to put the program in the 64KB RAM used by the 68K's memory space, and the CD is no longer used.

But you need around 400KB of ROM for the samples and little more for the song itself...

Ok, then nevermind.

Anyway, I can't do this test. Can't we just use a common game, like either Sonic for a test, something we all more likely have?

I made a thing that NOBODY has ever heard before until now, so its neutral, you cannot say : "I grew up with my MD1 playing that game and its sound better on it than on yours"

Hm. On second thought, Nomad and MD2 are pretty much identical to me (remember I have some piss-poor speakers here), but the MD1 is "deeper" and has more reverb to the drums I think.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TmEE

I made a thing that NOBODY has ever heard before until now, so its neutral, you cannot say : "I grew up with my MD1 playing that game and its sound better on it than on yours"

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But if we're recording it for you to hear, then your the end person to do the comparison, aren't you?

That reverb is called quantisation/aliasing noise, and I just don't get why the hell it is not as loud on Nomad or MD2...
And then again, shitty speakers can have something to do with it how you hear the sound samples... I have some really nice Russian HiFi here.

everyone can compare.... I try to be as neutral as possible, and judge on the technical side, i.e the frequency range you get from various systems, the separation of stereo etc.

Maybe TmEE wants to know how well his sound engine works on different MDs... Compare to what Joe said about the sound issues one lad had about Golden Axe II.

Ok, fair enough.

Well I can't do it till I get a flash cart. I "did" have one to try MegaMix sonic on, but my friend decided he wanted it back.

I haven't actually thought on that, but hey, why not... my sound engine has never gone through any compatibility testing. But there really shouldn't be any problems unless you have overclocked the Z80...

We all have, TmEE ;).

Z80 overclocking is stupid, unless you love MS games.

I like to OC Z80, it is so fun to hear how all kinds of Z80 based sound engines go wild ;) Mine just loads instruments incorrectly then, and samples get nice pitch shift... and each reset gives different instruments... the fun with Z80 :)

Apart from the quantisation thing, the MD2 soundscape was less balanced and some sounds seemed "sharper" and annoying to listen to, like the cymbals crashing and that swooping instrument that comes in at the same time as the bass.

..... I like the sharpness..... the sharper the better....

Doesn't KEGA Fusion in HQ Sound Mode, sound exactly like a modified Model 2?

If so, then I think the HQ sound is far better.

it does sound almost exactly like so, only few HW features like leakage are unemulated. Even clipping is emulated !!!

So then it's better than real..

If you can all agree to standardize on a few specific songs, I'll host the recordings permanently on Epic Gaming. I've been meaning to do an audio comparison feature for some consoles anyway, MD will be a good start :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TmEE

..... I like the sharpness..... the sharper the better....

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Well I'd like to keep hearing well for as long as possible, so I'll stick with my MD1.

I was in a band... that probably has affected my hearing so yeah, I have all higher freqs cranked up on my EQ, many people get headache in my room when I listen metal.

I was in a band recently and we all have some degree of tinnitus now :)
But having listened a lot to MD music lately I find that some sounds it can make are quite similar to 80s Industrial bands which means pure torture for the ears. Not these samples though :)

Kega Fusion's sound engine owns our souls. If only it were implemented into all the VGM players/plug-ins out there........the Gens sound engine that's used in most of them just seems AWFUL in comparison.

Gens has an HQ mode like Fusion, but no player uses that version...

Fusion sounds good, but not as good as real HW.... you need at least 52KHz sampling rate, and few other things, like faster YM2612 timers. Real HW plays PCM slighlty better too. But yeah, Fusion has the best YM2612 emulation.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Aarzak

Kega Fusion's sound engine owns our souls. If only it were implemented into all the VGM players/plug-ins out there........the Gens sound engine that's used in most of them just seems AWFUL in comparison.

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I know, you are so right, King Kega is the best when it comes to sound.

However, I think recently I came across the real first ever sound error in Kega, I was completely devastated! No joke as I took great pride in having the emulator with perfect Genesis emulated sound..

And of all games, the error is with some of the Thunder Force IV music!!!

Okay, get a recording of 'Ranking Ace' from TFIV from a real MegaDrive, preferably a MegaDrive 1.

There is a kind of 'swoosh' sound present on the real recordings, apart of the percussion. On the real recordings you will here it fairly clearly, while on Kega this 'swoosh' sound is far far too quiet, hardly noticeable.

Again, I'm very disapointed to find this. All of my the sound settings are fine aswell, set to HQ and 44100khz. This 'swoosh' sound can be heard on the real recordings at around the 10second mark on track 'Ranking Ace', it is really quite subtle, but it can be heard in the real recordings, while in Kega it really isn't noticeable (far too quiet).

And get this.... GENS seems to have the swoosh sound!!! And i know that Gens as whole sound emulation is awful compared to Kega, though I couldn't believe it when I found out about this little discovery not too long ago.

PS: It's not the settings screwed up, I have both emulators settings at what they should be, Kega has its first ever sound error, it's very depressing..

Here SHOULD be recordings form different MDs/Gennies instead of emulator sound issues discussion.....

No worries, we aren't trying to off-topic here, its just that if Fusion's sound core was implemented into these various players, then Genesis fans would finally have a relatively accurate music player to be proud of, just like SNES fans have SNESamp.

A sub topic formed from the thread's subject, it has taken just a couple of posts. Nothing is stopping people from continuing discussions on the original threads subject. This is also the 100th genesis audio comparison thread, but that's okay because they are usually interesting.

Both files have been normalized...

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/7/...d_orig_ace.mp3
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/7/...d_kega_ace.mp3

I'm pissed... I just want to hear the recording from different MDs/Gennies and compatibles of the damn ROM I made !!! This thread is NOT meant for any other recording nor discussions about things NOT directly related to real MDs/Gennies and compatibles and recordings from them.

I have a flash cart, but no recording equipment I'm afraid. Sorry.