Comparing The Difference Between A Mega Drive Model 1 Audio To A Modified Model 2 Audio

Believe me guys once you listen to this you're bound to agree with me that a SEGA Mega Drive (Genesis) model 2 is much richer better sounding then a Hi Definition Mega Drive (Genesis) model 1. Here I compared the difference in audio using my modified model 2 console against a HDG model 1 Mega Drive. Model 1 sounds a bit bassier and a bit louder but also sounds muffled and suffers from poor low-frequency 8-bit treble. Model 2 sounds a bit softer in volume but alot richer in high frequency sound and plus I have full control over the two audio lines in the console which I had to separate from each other in order to get them clean and clear together again. The 16-bit audio line which is the stereo line is connected to my amplifier's output hole on the back and the 8-bit PSG audio line which is the mono line that the SEGA Master System had is connected to my amplifier's input hole also on the back. By doing this the two audio channels one being 16-bit FM stereo line and the other being 8-bit PSG line mixed together again even though they are now in seperete RCA plugs and can be heard seperatly if chosen now produce a crisper,cleaner,clearer sound and to raise the volume level I used an equalizer on my amplifier aswell, because connecting more than one audio line together decreases the volume a bit in order to share the two audio channels together.

I won't lie to you unless you really want this sound from a model 2 don't do it! As it is very hard to set up it took me weeks just to figure out where the speaker wires can touch, especially when you're not experienced in modding and don't really know anything about electronics like me. But I wanted it to prove to the world that these second models are truly better. The music is from a game called Lemmings.

It's come to my attention from reading alot of the comments that most Mega Drive fans hate hi-hat cymbals? Most of you still think the model 1 has better sound even though in this video you can clearly hear how awful the model 1 treble is in comparison to the advanced model 2. But whatever.........I'll pick treble anyday over bass.

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• SEGA Mega Drive
• SEGA Genesis
• Audio Comparison
• Adam060756
• MN12BIRD
• InecomCompany
• Lemmings
• Model 1
• Model 2
• FM YM2612
• PSG SN76489

[MegaSonicdude10]

If you want good treble as well as lots of bass, do this mod to the MD2 and hook the output to an equalizer. You can then adjust the frequencies until you get the low end bass thump you need as well as adjusting the treble and other frequencies to your liking.

[Adam060756]

@MegaSonicdude10 Thanks for pointing that out, I actually had them both hooked up to an equalizer at the time but decided to record the two consoles ''naked'' without adding any custom pre-mixing from the equalizer to show how the two really sound without any extra outside higher quality.

[NUFC4LIFE001]

how is this a fair test if the md2 has been modified? i still profer the md1 sound though

[Adam060756]

@NUFC4LIFE001 Because if the md2 wasn't modified there would be no comparison, the md1 would win so to give the md2 a fair chance I modified the audio circuit.

Doesn't surprise me that you'd prefer the md1 sound.

[JUSXTREME96]

There are actually different hardware revisions of the Mega Drive other than the case. The earlier model 1 with HDG text (shown in video) and without HDG text but with ext port hole had better sound. Later model 1 without HDG and no ext port hole had muffled sound which was carried over to the earlier model 2. The mid life span model 2 had good sound but some sounds may be inaudible (mostly SMS games). IDK how "short motherboard" model 2's sound.

[MegaSonicdude10]

@Adam060756 I also found this out recently and will use it on my project I dubbed "Sega Fusion+++". It will be like YouTuber thomas3120's Fusion project with some improvements. Anyway, hook the audio out to the CD audio out and that will fix all the audio issues. It will also play audio from the Genesis in 16 and 32 bit modes as well fixing the treble and distortion issues. That is what I plan on doing once I get to building my Fusion project. Will still use an equalizer on the output.

[LittleMichaelz]

I'll have to agree that the MD2 sounds better than the MD1. Even though the MD2 lacks bass, the MD1 sounds muffled and unclear, while the MD2 sounds clean and rich. I haven't really gotten into audio mods before on the Mega Drive, but I am getting more and more interested in the audio department. I'd personally like some more bass out of my MD2, so when I have some free time I will experiment with a low-pass filter, and then amplify the acquired signal. :)

[paulspydar]

just play all your audio devices through a decent spectrum analyzer & EQ (preferably one that has a pink noise generator with a condenser MIC for setting up the ideal speaker positions) then you can adjust the sound to your liking without having to mod, :-)

[SonicWariat1994PL]

With Model 2 better sound right, but my opinion is Model 1 pretty good ;)