OST vs Emulated Sound Format
 

Well guys, I'm sure you aware already if there are emulated sound format sets for many games available in the internet (such as zophar.net). Some are tagged so accurately in the basis of the original OST, so it could save lot of time for those who have slower connection (and saving space, obviously).

But I'm wondering lately, does the sound quality of these emulated sound format have a real difference with the original OST (the SPC, GYM, PSF, PSF2)? Honestly I'm not audiophile so I couldnt really tell any difference (especially if the sets have been converted to mp3), but perhaps people here have better ear than mine.

What is your opinion about the emulated sound format? Do you feel any difference when listening them, compared to the real OST?

I think this thread'd be interesting if the concept was expanded.

To explain what I mean, consider the "Tales of Phantasia" OST CD. The SNES soundtrack is a world away from the OST CD, although technically the original soundtrack was the SNES one (I think the OST CD is the PSX one?).

We're also not just talking the original tunes upgraded, but there are quite a few differences- take Alvanista, Venezia (for those of you who like ludicrous titles, Vigorous Town and Hydropolis). I to be honest don't really like the new OST. In fact, my favourite is the GBA versions of the tunes.


Anyway. To come back to the point of this thread- aren't the emulated formats only as good as the quality of your sound card? And your speakers or headphones for that matter, but that's subjective mainly.

Also, the emulated formats aren't the same as playing the tracks on the original device (he says not being quite sure of what he's talking about).

Someone stop me if I'm wrong. I'm still new to SPC et al, and would like to know more.


As for Eriol's question, I'd need a SPC and a MP3 equivalent.

- Spike

It's usually the other way around for me, actually. Original Soundracks are often enhanced in such a way that it doesn't quite sound like the originals. It's not always the case, but it's pretty common.

I go with emulated audio for basically anything that got a correct sound quality and is user friendly, which for me comes down to having separate tracks with easily editable tags. This means I don't use NSF or GBS, for example.

Oh, and forget about GYM, go VGM.

Strictly speaking, it's not always an appropriate way to compare emulated formats with soundtracks, since composers and engineers sometimes mix and master thier score for the release of a soundtrack. In that sense, it would be more fair to refer to recordings in lieu of soundtracks.


Tales of Phantasia (SNES), Tales of Eternia and Star Ocean1 soundtracks were sequenced on the different synthesizers when they were recorded. You can find and download spc and/or psf sets of these games.

I presume you were replying to Eriol and not me. :)

Yeah, I agree. I don't mind enhancing, in fact, that's what I do- what I don't like is the tunes being altered or a part of a track being altered in such a way that they're quite different from the original, usually in terms of feel. If an instrument's pitch (for example) doesn't get as high as the original's, or doesn't feel as full, etc- which is the piece we love and want to hear on the OST- then it's kind of a let down. I felt that way about a lot of TOP OST tracks (for example).




On quality, does using WinAmp with the relevant plugins provide good emulated sound quality?


EDIT: As for Taisai's comment, I think that's what Niki and I are getting at. I agree with Taisai though- using both to comment on is probably more useful than saying one is better than the other or that you prefer one format/type over another. A mixed CD could be better than the originals, and vice versa.

- Spike

Absolutely, although I'm sure there are cases it's better to go with a standalone player.

Um actually I dont think soundcard really matters on these emulated sound. Sound card does have effect on the output quality toward our speaker. I'm talking about how "realistic" the emulated sound could be, compared to the OST released (like how realistic the sampling could be emulated). =O

Actually I'm thinking the same thing. But remastered tracks and remixed tracks are two different things arent they?

CMIW, if composer remasters the track, he usually uses different synthesizer than the one he used in the console chiptunes (for example Rockman ZX, we have two different music, the game rip with NDS chiptunes and a remastered tracks with better synthesizer). Also does the term "remastered tracks" apply to SNES soundtrack as well? I've been trying to point out difference between mario world SPC set and the OST, and to be honest, I couldnt find much difference.

There is no general truth. It varies from an OST to another.

In the ideal case (OST being recorded directly from the game without changes, sound format emulated perfectly) there should no difference at all (and perfectly emulated native emulate formats are superior to lossy formats like MP3).

I honestly don't understand why one would want to compare both though, by far the most game music is not available as OSTs, one calling proven emulated sound formats imperfect would lead to missing out a lot of music.

Emulated sound formats of newer systems have the advantage that you can tweak the sound, e.g. you can disable reverb used in SNES/PS1/PS2 scores to hear the actual score more clearly.

It will vary depending on the plugin you choose and whether the coder put options in that help to get it closer to the sound that comes out of your TV.

Most SPCs, for example, will lack the kind of bass you might expect from an OST cd. But with a little equalizer tweaking or option changing for the plugin, you can get it sounding just how you like it.

Given that you can also customize song length, fadeout, and silence on many synth formats, and given that they're much smaller than MP3s, it makes sense to me to default to the emulated sound.

Take Metroid: Sound in Action, for instance. Some songs have fadeout, others don't. Some songs have game sounds recorded in with the music, and some don't even play through the whole song before going to the next track. (I'm looking at you, Brinstar Red Swamp Area).

It's an especially poor OST on the whole, so when I want to listen to Super Metroid, I go straight to the SPCs.

The quality of your sound card has nothing to do with the quality of emulated sound formats; that's MIDI you're thinking of. And your speakers and headphones would also apply the exact same "quality" onto OST's anyways, so I fail to see the point of whatever it is you thought was supposed to be.

Not at all, MIDI is what I work with all the time.

I was more confusing it with old Adlib Fm Synthesis, old tracker formats that play back based on a certain sound hardware. Since the sound chips on say my Pentium 4's Santa Cruz/Audiophile cards aren't the same as the SNES's/etc, I thought maybe that'd result in a difference.

But I get the logic, I was just asking- I'm trying to understand better since VGM is important to me.

Dude, rude post alert.

Ignoring that, I was merely saying the quite valid point that the quality of Mp3's you hear (i.e. in OST's) will be affected by the quality of your headphones, you might for example infer the invalid assumption that a soundtrack sounds 'tinny' or not bassy or whatever, when in reality you have a poor sound card or poor headphones or both, a common VGM listening problem (because most folks have poor gear, like crappy Ipod's with earbud phones).

- Spike

As far as I know, the SPC-700 chip is emulated so the kind of sound card you have makes no difference.