Crazy how good dosbox sound emulation really is in comparison

That first Jill of the Jungle comparison almost sounds like it’s missing an instrument in emulation.

I think you accidentally just did an episode on how good DOSBox OPL emulation has gotten.

The idea of have a tower of stacked sound cards is really cool.

The retrowave is slightly crisper and cleaner, but that emulation is bloody fantastic in its own right, bravo to the coders that made it.

Wow, I haven't actually used DosBox OPL emulation for a while, but sounds like it's come a hell of a long way since I last used it! It used to really butcher percussion especially, but in those side-by-sides I'm amazed at how close they sound. The RetroWave definitely does sound better, but I was really surprised at how close the two were!

I absolutely love devices like this. As the relentless march of technology continues and old tech gets harder and harder to find, adapting retro tech like this to modern systems is something I'm very excited about.

It mostly sounds like the retrowave has more high frequencies and the lower end FM basses are a little smoother compared to the emulation

So grateful as usual that you used Tyrian as an example. Wish I could've written that soundtrack for AdLib Gold!

Finally no more emulation! The community around this little chip is awesome.

The fact this works over USB is really cool! For the purity enthusiast, this would be a cool pickup!

I was multitasking while listening. Like a spaniel on point at the sight of a pheasant, I heard the Jill of the Jungle theme and stopped dead.

the RethoWave seems to have a slightly fuller sound, but there's one thing and only one thing that I can say for sure: Torm - The Gathering is one hell of a track

Having you say that emulation has *improved so much, that YOU have to try and explain the differences, just makes me excited to know the distance gone!! I even heard a difference in the "crap" recording lol but you saying it's not really night and day for most, seriously is awesome to know!!

My takeaway from listening to the comparisons is that the OPL3 chip has just a fraction more attack in the sawtooth waveform, which results in a brighter, punchier note. Like adding a splash of lemon juice to a sauce. It doesn't literally change the tone, but it adds a bit more resonance to the sound.

Perfect timing! I just made some breakfast and tea. Thank you for making a excellent start to my day.

Tbh DOSbox's OPL2 sounds pretty spot on for the most part. The emulation sounds like it's missing a percussion channel (Jill) and has a distorted instrument (Duke 2), that's the only difference I can notice on KZfaq

The RetroWave OPL3 seems to be less muted, especially in the higher frequencies. It really sounds better than emulation, even through all of KZfaq's lossy compression.

There's some noticeable difference in cymbals in favour of the real thing. Almost feels like CQM vs OPL. Could be the result of internal DosBox OPL resampling. Also it's not just any OPL3 chip, but the one without 1Hz difference "problem".

That little extra this adds tickles my nostalgia in all the right places. Thanks for the heads-up! I've added my name to the now no-doubt extensive waitlist.