( Learn how and when to remove this template message) Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources. So, at the moment, it's not in use.īut, I might in the near future start it up again and play around a bit more with it.This article relies largely or entirely on a single source.
I bought the SC-88 Pro purely as a "backup" unit in case my SC-55 decided to stop working one day. However, there are differences in some instruments that I could pick up.įor example, when I played back the Doom E1M1 soundtrack, I felt that the electric guitar sounded much better on the SC-88 Pro than on the SC-55, but this is based on my own personal preference. I compared the sound playback of the SC-88 Pro to that of the SC-55 and, for the most part, they sound very much the same (in terms of quality of instruments). However, this unit has seen some "abuse", but the unit itself is still functioning fine. I little while later, by a stroke of luck, I came across an SC-88 Pro and managed to buy it (locally) for about $35.
I'm very satisfied with the MIDI sounds of this unit (from a gaming perspective), except for maybe one or two instruments. My SC-55 is still in very good condition and has been well look after by its previous owner. Since most games of the early 90's were written on an SC-55, I decided to "bite the bullet" and bought my SC-55 a couple of years ago (I think I paid back then about £65 for it). I've owned an AWE64 since December 1996, but was never impressed by some of its MIDI samples (particularly the trumpets). I own both the SC-55 MK1 (with the version 2.00 ROM, if I recall correctly) which is the one with also the GM logo. If you are a musician or a keyboard player, the 88Pro has tons of useful beautiful sounds.ĮDIT: If you are not locked on a hardware unit, the Sound Canvas VA (VST Plugin) will cover all ground.īug Y2K killed MIDI (figuratively speaking), but it will always live forever here on Vogons.
Some latter Japanese games (well into the 2K years) and various midi compositions use the 88Pro features. In the end it's a matter of taste even if you play with the "incorrect" unit.īut I would suggest keeping the 55 and buying a 88Pro (skip the 88) if you can afford it. King's Quest 6 is from 1992 and most probably was composed on the SC-55 or equivalent, therefor a SC-88 would be not what the composer intended for you to hear.īut games like Warcraft 2, Age of Empires, Duke Nukem 3D (second half of 90s) definitely would benefit from a SC-88 and up. The latter sound canvases like 88Pro, 8820 can sound EXACTLY like the 88, but not exactly like the 55. The second (and related to the first) reason is some games use more sound polyphony than the SC-55 family can provide, therefor may cut some sounds if an earlier unit is used.Īnother reason to own one unit from the 55 family and one from the latter, is because the latter (88 and up) does not sound exactly like the 55 on the 55 Map, it is 90% there if I would have to estimate. The first reason for that is the composers (most probably than not) used the latest hardware for that year. I found that the SC-55 family is more suited for the first half of the 90s while a latter models like SC-88 and up, suited more the second half of the 90s. Recently I've been playing a lot with midi music and games across all the 90th decade of the last century.