chipsynth MD

Name: chipsynth MD
Price: 49.95 USD
Author: Plogue

by Plogue · Synth · Mega Drive/Genesis FM emulation

Not rated yet

chipsynth MD is Plogue's bit-accurate emulation of the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis sound hardware: the YM2612 FM chip and the SN76489 square-wave chip.

It can stack six layers per note and includes a VGM player, for $49.95.

Best for: Keys & Synths, Bass, Sound Design. Genres: Electronic & EDM, Lo-Fi.

Keywords: hardware emulation, FM, film & game audio, vintage, arpeggiator, basses, sequencer, lo-fi, 80s, inspired by, leads, sample-based, sound design.

What it does

chipsynth MD recreates the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis sound chips without samples, as a four-operator FM synth that also goes past what the console could do. Plogue says it can turn "any OPN2 patch into a monstrous ear-splitting 6-layer wall of sound".

Chips: a bit-accurate YM2612 (OPN2) FM core, an SN76489-compatible square-wave core and an emulation of the console's sample playback.
Layering: six layers per voice; Computer Music describes each voice as six FM channels, three square waves and one noise channel.
FM editing: access to every hardware parameter, with five-stage envelopes per operator and eight looping envelope shapes.
Hardware detail: DAC and impulse-response emulation to capture the character of the console's output stage.
Patterns: a step sequencer and an arpeggiator.
Effects: a chorus inspired by the Roland Dimension D, a reverb with pre-delay and diffusion, and a four-tap delay.
VGM player: plays vintage game soundtracks with per-channel mute and solo and tuning adjustment, and lets you pull their patches out for reuse.

It supports NKS. A trial is available.

Source: Plogue product page

When to use it

chipsynth MD is the pick for authentic 16-bit Genesis FM, from game music to that gritty, crunchy FM bass. Compared with general FM synths such as FM8 or Tone2's Nemesis 3, it is less flexible but reproduces the YM2612's grit and the console's output stage exactly, which they can only approximate. Unlike Serum 2 or Vital, it is built around one chip's behaviour rather than wavetables. Its six-layer stacking and modern effects also make it more than a museum piece, and it covers different ground from Plogue's chipsynth C64, which models the Commodore SID instead.

Best for: Genesis-style FM basses, leads, bells and drums, game music, and auditioning or reusing patches from VGM files.
Genres: chiptune, game music, electronic, synthwave and lo-fi.
Look elsewhere if: you want clean, modern FM with more operators and routing; FM8 or Nemesis 3 are more flexible.
Tip: run drum samples through it for unusual lo-fi results (Audio Plugin Guy).

What producers say

Reviewers agree it nails the Mega Drive sound; the few complaints are about small workflow details.

Computer Music (via MusicRadar) said it "nails the Mega Drive emulation" and brings it up to date, praising the range beyond chiptune, the step sequencer, arpeggiator and effects.
Audio Plugin Guy scored it 5 out of 5 in every category, praising the bit-accurate emulation, the easy interface and the VGM player.
Criticisms: Computer Music found the sample playback limited, the vibrato LFO rate awkwardly tucked into Settings, and the effects without modulation.

Where to buy

Plogue: $49.95

Tutorials and reviews

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