Since MIDISID now supports ARMSID as well as SwinSID, the natural question is 'what's the difference'. Here's a detailed comparison with my conclusions at the end. peacockmedia.software/midisid
Good demonstration. In basically all the sound examples where the sound was subtly different, I preferred the SwinSID sound. The filter artefact on the last sound example was not that pleasant, though.
It works in Monophonic mode, where the voices are all working together. In the menu, monophonic mode > Parameters, under each voice is "Ring & Sync" where you can turn on ring modulation and/or sync for each voice. Voice 1 modulates with voice 3, voice 2 with voice 1 and voice 3 with voice 2. You can then use the "Tuning" for each voice to adjust the relative frequency (by default all voices have a tuning of zero cents, so all voices will play the same frequency, which is pointless for ring modulation). Try turning ring on for voice 1, and then adjust the tuning for voice 3 to hear the modulation come into effect. You can get 'bell like' and other weird effects.
@@midi_in Oh EXCELLENT. Thank you! And since we're here...is there a link for the latest Firmware version anywhere? (not sure if there's been any releases, but just curious if there's a Github or something like that.)
It's not generally available anywhere, but I will notify owners about significant updates by email. I've just sent you an email with a link to the most up-to-date version.
Someone disassembled SwinSID firmware and is trying to restart development. Also have you heard UltiSID? I wonder if i should build a handful, maybe if i do you get one.
I'm watching UltiSID with interest. The one thing that spoils SwinSID for me is that crunchiness when using the high-pass filter, which you can see as steps in the waveform in my video at 4:09. I wish I had the skills to find the problem there and sort it out. Tolaemon who is responsible for the SwinSID Nano b (the version I make) has talked about disassembling the code, I hope he's able to do that.
That was interesting. I think I like the ARMSID a little better overall but it’s really too close to call. As you point out… you can save a bit of money (and probably never notice unless you’re hearing them side by side) by going with the SwinSID. Such a cool little box!
I wasn't sure whether to make this video public or unlisted, as it's a bit dry and I made it to help people who weren't sure about which option to take on the new MIDISID. But there's been a surprising amount of interest. Thanks!
The armsid is the best solution. Nanoswinsid is good for a cheapest solution. The power of the armsid than swin... 1ghz vs 0,30 mhz and the armsid can have an upgrade for bugs correction. Sorry for my english :)
Interesting stuff. It looks like there is some weird aliasing going on with the trace for the ring modulation? Or is it really like that? Also interesating how the phasing of the three sawtooth waveforms appears different... Both sound the same though. The filters have a curious effect too - different waveforms slightly (although audibly the same) for low-pass, and it looks like the high-pass filter is inverted? And what happened to the Timpani!? Is that really the waveform for such different sounding patches? How odd :)
I don't fully understand ring modulation, but the two chips sound identical to me and the waveforms look identical so I assume they're both doing what they should. It's interesting that the the three sawtooth patch produces different-looking waves (there's nothing syncing the waveforms in that case, so it may just be to do with the phasing. Or it may be a difference in the way that the chips combine the three voices. But interesting that they still sound the same). I don't think the filtering does sound the same, and I think the difference in the waveform is just a difference in the cutoff frequency. The two chips do definitely behave slightly differently as far as the cutoff frequency goes. Yeah, the timpani. That's the patch where that 'artefacting' is the most obvious. The waveforms are identical, but the SwinSID has steps, and I think that's what you can hear. With a regular triangle waveform, the ramp is smooth, but with the highpass filter, you see (and hear) those little steps, as if we're working at a lower resolution. That's why I think it's a software issue.
Good demonstration. In basically all the sound examples where the sound was subtly different, I preferred the SwinSID sound. The filter artefact on the last sound example was not that pleasant, though.
Yes, the artefacting is shame although it's only apparent with certain filter settings. Otherwise I feel that it's a respectable SID replacement.
This is nice. The ARMSID has noticeably less aliasing. But I will say...I actually kinda like the aliasing.
How do you do ringmod on MIDISID?
It works in Monophonic mode, where the voices are all working together. In the menu, monophonic mode > Parameters, under each voice is "Ring & Sync" where you can turn on ring modulation and/or sync for each voice. Voice 1 modulates with voice 3, voice 2 with voice 1 and voice 3 with voice 2. You can then use the "Tuning" for each voice to adjust the relative frequency (by default all voices have a tuning of zero cents, so all voices will play the same frequency, which is pointless for ring modulation). Try turning ring on for voice 1, and then adjust the tuning for voice 3 to hear the modulation come into effect. You can get 'bell like' and other weird effects.
@@midi_in Oh EXCELLENT. Thank you! And since we're here...is there a link for the latest Firmware version anywhere? (not sure if there's been any releases, but just curious if there's a Github or something like that.)
It's not generally available anywhere, but I will notify owners about significant updates by email. I've just sent you an email with a link to the most up-to-date version.
Someone disassembled SwinSID firmware and is trying to restart development.
Also have you heard UltiSID? I wonder if i should build a handful, maybe if i do you get one.
I'm watching UltiSID with interest. The one thing that spoils SwinSID for me is that crunchiness when using the high-pass filter, which you can see as steps in the waveform in my video at 4:09. I wish I had the skills to find the problem there and sort it out. Tolaemon who is responsible for the SwinSID Nano b (the version I make) has talked about disassembling the code, I hope he's able to do that.
That was interesting. I think I like the ARMSID a little better overall but it’s really too close to call. As you point out… you can save a bit of money (and probably never notice unless you’re hearing them side by side) by going with the SwinSID. Such a cool little box!
I wasn't sure whether to make this video public or unlisted, as it's a bit dry and I made it to help people who weren't sure about which option to take on the new MIDISID. But there's been a surprising amount of interest. Thanks!
The armsid is the best solution. Nanoswinsid is good for a cheapest solution. The power of the armsid than swin... 1ghz vs 0,30 mhz and the armsid can have an upgrade for bugs correction. Sorry for my english :)
Interesting stuff. It looks like there is some weird aliasing going on with the trace for the ring modulation? Or is it really like that? Also interesating how the phasing of the three sawtooth waveforms appears different... Both sound the same though.
The filters have a curious effect too - different waveforms slightly (although audibly the same) for low-pass, and it looks like the high-pass filter is inverted?
And what happened to the Timpani!? Is that really the waveform for such different sounding patches? How odd :)
I don't fully understand ring modulation, but the two chips sound identical to me and the waveforms look identical so I assume they're both doing what they should. It's interesting that the the three sawtooth patch produces different-looking waves (there's nothing syncing the waveforms in that case, so it may just be to do with the phasing. Or it may be a difference in the way that the chips combine the three voices. But interesting that they still sound the same).
I don't think the filtering does sound the same, and I think the difference in the waveform is just a difference in the cutoff frequency. The two chips do definitely behave slightly differently as far as the cutoff frequency goes.
Yeah, the timpani. That's the patch where that 'artefacting' is the most obvious. The waveforms are identical, but the SwinSID has steps, and I think that's what you can hear. With a regular triangle waveform, the ramp is smooth, but with the highpass filter, you see (and hear) those little steps, as if we're working at a lower resolution. That's why I think it's a software issue.