# Sega Genesis sound through Sega CD: Better than Genesis alone?



## Rokku (Oct 21, 2017)

I've got a complete Genesis Model 2/Sega CD Model 2/32X setup. As is well-known, the Model 2 Genesis doesn't have the best sound amplification in the world. However, I noticed that the CD has its own sound jacks built in...does the CD Model 2 use the same poorly amplified sound hardware as the Genesis Model 2 or would it actually be better running audio from the CD unit instead of the console?


----------



## Alex4U (Oct 21, 2017)

Rokku said:


> I've got a complete Genesis Model 2/Sega CD Model 2/32X setup. As is well-known, the Model 2 Genesis doesn't have the best sound amplification in the world. However, I noticed that the CD has its own sound jacks built in...does the CD Model 2 use the same poorly amplified sound hardware as the Genesis Model 2 or would it actually be better running audio from the CD unit instead of the console?


I think is better running audio from the CD unit instead of the console, because Sega CD has a better (or at the least, a bit) sound.


----------



## Rokku (Oct 22, 2017)

I decided to make two short YouTube videos comparing sound both through the Genesis and through the Sega CD's line out jacks.





Maybe it's just me but the music in the second video actually sounds a bit quieter...


----------



## Sonic Angel Knight (Oct 22, 2017)

The Genesis games on 3DS have a audio option to change sound emulation of genesis 1 or genesis 2, honestly I can't tell the difference, but maybe someone else could explain it to me, or am i just not good enough of a musician to notice the difference? Is this thread even anything like that Or am I not thinking properly?


----------



## DarthDub (Oct 22, 2017)

I prefer unfiltered on an emulator.


----------



## TangentingTangerines (Oct 22, 2017)

Sonic Angel Knight said:


> The Genesis games on 3DS have a audio option to chAOvVaw0VTJzWxrN8ZFOD4xbU2nov. sis 1 or genesis 2, honestly I can't tell the difference, but maybe someone else could explain it to me, or am i just not good enough of a musician to notice the difference? Is this thread even anything like that Or am I not thinking properly?


There are plenty of comparison videos out there.  I think this is one of the most obvious ones

Basically the launch model 1s are generally seen as the best because they have great bass.
The model 2s xeye and nomad have worse bass though better treble (but since genesis games are known for bass most don't care for these but they are certainly passable).
The Model 3s CDX units and some later model 1s all cheap out and have weird audio that sounds very poor and doesn't excel at anything .  
Finally these new aftermarket models and portables are complete and total shit in terms of audio quality and they emulate the sound totally wrong


----------



## Sonic Angel Knight (Oct 22, 2017)

TangentingTangerines said:


> There are plenty of comparison videos out there.  I think this one is one of the most obvious ones
> 
> Basically the launch model 1s are generally seen as the best because they have great bass.
> The model 2s xeye and nomad have worse bass though better treble (but since genesis games are known for bass most don't care for these but they are certainly passable).
> The Model 3s CDX units and some later model 1s all cheap out and have weird audio that sounds very poor and doesn't excel at anything .  Finally these new aftermarket models and portables are complete and total shit in terms of audio quality and they emulate the sound totally wrong



But they all have the same sound system and chip right? Wouldn't model revisions just all be the same, not really a upgrade/downgrade (since some prefer one over the other by opinion) Is not the same as when master system had obvious sound upgrade with the PSG vs FM thing, cause you can actually notice the difference in sound or the Konami VRC6 sound chip in famicom games but not in NES.


----------



## FateForWindows (Oct 22, 2017)

Sonic Angel Knight said:


> But they all have the same sound system and chip right? Wouldn't model revisions just all be the same, not really a upgrade/downgrade (since some prefer one over the other by opinion) Is not the same as when master system had obvious sound upgrade with the PSG vs FM thing, cause you can actually notice the difference in sound or the Konami VRC6 sound chip in famicom games but not in NES.


I believe that the sound chips were actually very slightly different.


----------



## Deleted User (Oct 22, 2017)

Sonic Angel Knight said:


> The Genesis games on 3DS have a audio option to change sound emulation of genesis 1 or genesis 2, honestly I can't tell the difference, but maybe someone else could explain it to me, or am i just not good enough of a musician to notice the difference? Is this thread even anything like that Or am I not thinking properly?


The Model 1's sound chip had some really weird properties in its FM Synthesis.  One example would be the "ladder effect."  Some composers, like Yuzo Koshiro, actually used this effect in games, such as _Streets of Rage 2_.  The Model 2 Genesis got rid of these oddities, as it utilized an updated version of the sound chip.


----------



## TangentingTangerines (Oct 22, 2017)

Sonic Angel Knight said:


> But they all have the same sound system and chip right? Wouldn't model revisions just all be the same, not really a upgrade/downgrade (since some prefer one over the other by opinion) Is not the same as when master system had obvious sound upgrade with the PSG vs FM thing, cause you can actually notice the difference in sound or the Konami VRC6 sound chip in famicom games but not in NES.


Sega would hire different companies and producers to make their chips with varying quality.  For instance they had multiple companies make Genny composite video chips, and the best ones by far were made by Sony.  This resulted in the infamous quality of Genesis composite in most units.  Same goes for sound chips, and IMO the best ones happened to get put in the launch models.  Alot of it comes down to personal preference/whichever one you used first, unless of course you're using the ATgames model, in which case I'm sorry.


Here's a guide that goes into a ton of detail about the differences in chips and models
http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showth...-good-Genesis-1s-and-Genesis-2s-from-bad-ones


----------



## Rokku (Oct 22, 2017)

I am aware of the Mega Amp, but as that is merely a schematic that has to be built and not a purchasable product, I can't make use of it for my Genesis...but it would provide better sound than is evident in either of my videos.


----------



## TangentingTangerines (Oct 22, 2017)

Rokku said:


> I am aware of the Mega Amp, but as that is merely a schematic that has to be built and not a purchasable product, I can't make use of it for my Genesis...but it would provide better sound than is evident in either of my videos.


http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread.php?27348-F-S-Mega-AMP-for-Sega-Genesis
This guy makes his own mega amp boards and can even install them himself for 50$ plus shipping.  He's been doing it since 2014 and looks totally legit.  But personally I'd just get a "high definition graphics" model 1 unless the ascetics of a model 2 genny and cd are really that important for you


----------



## Rokku (Oct 23, 2017)

Well I don't have a Model 1 Sega CD so I have to use the model 2 with the Sega CD. Glad to see he's actually still selling the boards, his eBay store disappeared so I thought he stopped selling them.


----------



## TangentingTangerines (Oct 23, 2017)

Rokku said:


> Well I don't have a Model 1 Sega CD so I have to use the model 2 with the Sega CD. Glad to see he's actually still selling the boards, his eBay store disappeared so I thought he stopped selling them.


You can use a model 1 Genesis with a model 2 Sega Cd, hell that's been my setup for years since the model 1 cds are so expensive and prone to tray issues.  The only problem is that its very wide and looks like crap especially if you don't have an extension piece for the Sega Cd.  Here''s what it looks like http://www.gametrog.com/GAMETROG/HO...sis_Model_1_a_files/SEGA Genesis 1 CD 2 d.jpg


----------



## Rokku (Oct 23, 2017)

Oh wow, I didn't know it actually worked. Now if only my model 1 was stereo modded.


----------



## TangentingTangerines (Oct 23, 2017)

Rokku said:


> Oh wow, I didn't know it actually worked. Now if only my model 1 was stereo modded.


Doesn't need to be stereo modded either.  All Model 1 Genesis output full stereo from the head phone jack in the front.  If you have a male to male aux cord, you can plug it into the jack on the Genesis and back of the Sega cd to get stereo from the red/white av Jacks on the back of the Sega cd, or just buy aux to Av cables such as these.  
If you had trouble understanding my crappy explanation then check out retro rgb's guide for stereo audio from a model 1 Genesis here.
Also for the record make sure your model 1 Genesis is one of the earlier good model 1s.  You can check this retro rgb guide for full details but to summarize, if your model 1 has "high definition graphics" written on it and has the useless ext. port on the back then it's good.  If not, then your better off just using the model 2.


----------



## Rokku (Oct 24, 2017)

It's a high definition graphics model without the "licensed by Sega" screen, I know that much. Must be pretty early.


----------



## TangentingTangerines (Oct 24, 2017)

Rokku said:


> It's a high definition graphics model without the "licensed by Sega" screen, I know that much. Must be pretty early.


Yep you got a good one.  Best of luck getting everything set up!


----------



## Rokku (Oct 25, 2017)

I hope it still works, I haven't used it in a few years! It's actually my original Genesis I got when I was six years old back in 1998...


----------

