Hi gerwin!

Interesting question. I didn't experience clipping with my DB50XG, but with my SW1000XG and even the S-YXG50 soft synth in some situations.

I guess, when using MIDI gear, you are never safe from experiencing clipping. I even get clipping with my professional Motif ES6 music production synthesizer from Yamaha, main volume to max, enough voices and the right MIDI files.

Most MIDI synths have their (software-controlled) master volume set to max by default. This is probably, because SNR is better at a higher volume. The downside is, that if you add more and more voices, you are likely to get clipped output.

A sysex file that adjusts main volume may help in this scenario, however if a game sends a GM reset message to your DB50XG, master volume will unfortunately be reset to the max level. :(

If you send me an example MIDI file that produces clipping in your setup I can try it with my SW60XG, which is almost exactly the same as a DB50XG, since I haven't installed my DB50XG at the moment.

Do you have some pictures ready of your DB50XG?

Regards,
locutus

Thanks for your reply locutus,
I had already scanned in my soundcards, you should see small versions of the images attached to this post. I also attached the midi files, just stuff from World of game Mids. They may just be bad conversions.

I tried some things on the reversed stereo issue, like these resets:
GM Reset - F0 7E 7F 09 01 F7
XG Reset - F0 43 10 4C 00 00 7E,00 F7
XG Reset All- F0 43 10 4C 00 00 7F 00 F7
GS Reset - F0 41 10 42 12 40 00 7F 00 41 F7
to no avail.
I am thinking of contacting the previous owner... Eventually, As a final measure to fix the reversed stereo I might try to rewire the outputs of the WB connector on the DB50XG, but I hope I can find another way.

Only the second day in my life that I even know what sysex is 😉

Hello,

In your setup, the reversed stereo issue doesn't necessarily have to do something with the DB50XG. The host card can also have an influence on that one. Before you risk to modify your DB50XG, why not rather get a cheap SB16 from eBay and see if the problem persits when that one is used as a host card. Be warned though: Not all SB16s have waveblaster connectors and the earlier models are very noisy.

Your DB50XG looks exactly like the one I have. I have also tested your two MIDIs with my SW60XG and didn't recognize any clipping.

If you want to compare recordings of your DB50XG with mine, you can do that. Just have a look at the soundcard comparison. Maybe you could make some of your own? I'd really be interested in how your DB50XG sounds different.

Regards,
locutus

Hello Locutus,
I am aware that the host card can be a culprit in a reverse stereo issue. but roland scb-7 has correct stereo when plugged on the same host card... So that makes it unlikely that the host card is the cause. But indeed it is also unlikely that I suddenly have a DB50XG with a reversed stereo, whilst I can not find anyone with the same issue on the internet.

My DB50XG looks very similar to the one on your soundcard page, just two chips on the lower right that show other markings. I had already found your soundcard page some weeks ago and listened to about half of the recordings already. very nice page indeed!

I made some recordings (not up to your high standards though), 4MB alltogether, Have you got an email address I can send them to?

I just made a deal for a Santa Cruz soundcard with waveblaster connector, I will await its arrival and then see if the problem persists when using that card as a host.

OKAY, a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz is now installed next to my Maestro 32/96 ISA and I have done some testing on the above issues:

1) Clipping - is gone when using the DB50XG on the TB-SC, and since I had already managed to fix this with sysex on the other soundcard: this problem is solved for me.

2) Reversed Stereo - Try to make sense of this if you like:
Doom's pandemonium.mid starts on the....
M32/96+native Dream Synth: LEFT
Creative Live! Synth (software): LEFT
Windows Direct-X GS (software): LEFT
Yamaha S-YXG50 (software): LEFT
TB-SC Synth (software): LEFT
(Lets say LEFT is what it ought to be... now:)
M32/96+added DB50XG: RIGHT
M32/96+added SCB-7: LEFT
TB-SC +added DB50XG: LEFT
TB-SC +added SCB-7: RIGHT

The new suspicion is that both the SCB-7 and M32/96 have used different pinouts for the waveblaster connector than the DB50XG and TB-SC.
I searched the internet for a proper waveblaster pinout, but it seems there is much disagreement on how this should be. I attached some images to illustrate this. (I think the terratec image is correct/most-common as it is, though I don't know if they made their M32/96 soundcard accordingly)

I will try to make myself a small adapter then from 2.54mm Circuit board Connectors, so I can put that between the soundcard and the daughterboard whenever I want to swap stereo.
...

PS.
I fear I will eventually have to remove the Turtle Beach Santa Cruz (CS4630) from my current P-600 partly-dos-aimed system:
1) In the Windows 98 dos box it occupies the MPU-401 port?, dos programs cannot access the mpu-401 of the other ISA card. Edit: nevermind it was caused by another tool.
2) I cannot setup the TB-SC mixer in pure dos, as to output the sound from my other ISA card that is connected to the TB-SC AUX-in.
3) The TB-SC actually has dos drivers, but these support only digital sound and crappy FM music. No attempt at Midi at all.
(These three problems where not present when using the SB Live! Value (ct4670), I will also try a Turtle Beach Montego II (vortex 2) soon).
Here I found a nice comparison on audio quality of exactly these three cards:
SB-Live - TB-SC - TB-Montego2.
.

holey cow 😳 that sure is some scientific.

cdoublejj: holey cow Shocked that sure is some scientific.

I try to keep it as simple as possible, but if it doesn't work right I am forced to do it the technical way... 😉.

Anyways, all is solved now. Below is a scan of the simple stereo reverser I made. To be put between the Daughterboard and the host card whenever stereo channels seem reversed. I have yet to glue on some small plastic strips on the sides of the adapter, for strength and isolation. Several of the small wire-end-sockets on the right of the image were cut up to make small bushings for the adapter.

Also I have received the Turtle Beach montego II home studio package, with the cancun-fx daughterboard. I also attached a scan of this tiny board. (which by the way also requires the stereo reverser when put on the m32/96 card)

Hello gerwin,

sorry for my late response. If you still are insterested in sending me the samples you made, please look at your private messages.

Otherwise nice work. When I get my EWS64XL, I will do some testing myself.

Locutus