Is MAME in mono?

[javeryh]

If I install one speaker (and the subwoofer) in my cab will I be missing out on anything?  This cab is MAME only and really just games from around 1980-1984 (vertical 4-way classics).

[Ummon]

Depends on the game. Look in the history.dat to see for the games you're running.

[CheffoJeffo]

Very little stereo in that date range that I can think of (MCR-2 games come to mind, but the speakers there were only inches apart) ... be sure you go back further than 1980 ... Space Invaders and Asteroids are awesome with a subwoofer.

[TOK]

I don't think you'll be missing much, particularly since you're including the sub. That does way more for games than a second standard speaker. I know it's not arcade accurate anymore, but once you hear Robotron through a boomy sub, it sounds like somethings missing without it. It adds so much.

[javeryh]

Thanks guys.  I'll be mainly playing DK, Pac-man, etc.  I'm going to hook it up with one and if I can't tell the difference it will be good enough for me.

[Ginsu Victim]

The coin-drop in Ms Pac without a subwoofer just isn't the same. I love how it sounds (and the Robotron example was a good one).

[ahofle]

These aren't really 4 way vertical games, but most of the Atari system 1 & 2 games are stereo. 
http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=768
http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=769
So is Neo Geo.
There are actually a surprising number of old games with stereo sound.  I'd definitely go with 2 speakers.

[Beretta]

kinda up to you, personal choice if thats the date range you're worried about i would'nt bother with stereo..

if anything late 80's or say 1990+ then ya.. but then again teh speakers are so close together im not totally convinced you can actually get much separation in such short distances though i'd probably do it anyway.

[protokatie]

Maybe something you are already considering, but make sure to use a stereo to mono converter (3 dollar radioshack phono device). That way, both stereo channels are combined so both left and right speakers get the same sound. Unless the game really showcases stereo (think many SNES games) the sound is fine in mono as long as you combine the two channels to get all the sound. (If you use only one speaker, but have a stereo game, you want the sound of both channels to be for both speakers, so the one speaker you are using has all of the sounds)

My basic observation boils down to: Mono is fine as long as you make sure to mix the channels (either in MAME with the games that support a mono option, or with the hardware option). I would recommend a hardware option because it is cleaner and simpler (also I have a nagging suspicion that only using one channel off of the AC's preamp can harm the DAC over time due to heat...(Just ask the technical guy with the avatar of him holding up his degree if this is accurate or not).

Regardless, stereo is better if you can fit it.

[javeryh]

I think I need one of those converters.  The games sounded horrible last night.  I have MAME running in a DK cabinet but there is only the one speaker cutout for sound to escape.  I couldn't hear any of the squeaking of Mario as he runs and the sound of jumping over barrels was also not there.  I need to think of a good solution - the speaker cutout is also much bigger than the crappy little speakers I was planning to use so I'm thinking I need something bigger.

Any ideas?  What would you do?

[garnerb350]

I think I need one of those converters.  The games sounded horrible last night.  I have MAME running in a DK cabinet but there is only the one speaker cutout for sound to escape.   I need to think of a good solution - the speaker cutout is also much bigger than the crappy little speakers I was planning to use so I'm thinking I need something bigger.

Any ideas?  What would you do?

Depending on the version of mame can determine how your sound is...I know myself i preferred the  v.117 mame compared to my v.129 one. (older versions used wav samples)...

This might be off the wall...but ponder this....could you take a regular 2.1 speaker setup and maybe place the satellite speakers up top behind the marquee and place the sub down in the bottom (maybe the coin box) or maybe mount the sub there behind the speaker cutout on the DK cab?...

I bought a cheap 2.1 pc speaker w sub for my cab ...and it was about 19 bucks... ( i think i paid 15 at a K-mart last year)
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=322399&CatId=98

Speakers themselves are 1.5 x3 inches....the sub is i think a 3-4 inch...( that little joker makes pretty decent bass for its size) The sub box is roughly the size if not smaller than a 6x9 speaker.

Now i could be wrong...but werent the speaker on DKs a 6x9?

This is all brainstorming...but i hope it helps...
I hope i can be able to find me a DK cab like you did...Keep up the good work

 

[javeryh]

Those are some good suggestions.  I'm not sure putting the speakers behind the marquee would work.  Last night I had the sub on the base of the cabinet and one speaker resting on the coin box on the inside and it was just awful.  Even someone who doesn't know anything about arcade cabinets would be wondering why the sound was so bad.  I have a 2.1 setup very similar to yours - they were $20 and the little sub is surprisingly competent.

I'm not sure about the original speaker on a DK but 6x9 doesn't seem out of the question.  The cutout under the CP is quite large.  I also have an old pair of Bose speakers that came with a Gateway about 10 years ago.  The speakers are so small that maybe there is room for both behind the speaker cutout. 

I really need to figure this out - Tomorrow night is the deadline to finish.  Friday I am having a house full of guys over for the fantasy football draft and I want this thing playable!   

[Beretta]

ah ya im gonna have the same problem as you.

have you thought of taking a piece of plexi the size of the cutout then cutting a hole in the plexi and mounting the speakers to it? sort of like an adapter plate.

or you could use the thin wood sheeting they use for flooring, it's like quarter inch or something. i have some of that laying around thats probably what i'll use.

[MaximRecoil]

Punch-Out is a 4-way game that is not technically vertical, but when you don't have two horizontal monitors, a single vertical monitor is the next best thing, since the way MAME combines the two horizontal screens into one ends up being pretty close to a standard vertical aspect ratio (rotate Punch-Out 90 degrees and set its aspect ratio to 3:2 rather than 4:3 and it will fit a vertical monitor perfectly).

In any event, Punch-Out is dual mono. The music and sound effects come out of the left speaker and the announcer's voice comes out of the right speaker. However, I don't know if MAME correctly emulates that or not.

[orion]

If the cab is made for a 6x9 speaker, I would say just buy a pair of car 6x9 speakers off of ebay or someplace cheap. 6x9 speakers produce pretty decent bass and would negate the need for a sub from one of those cheap 3 piece PC setups. One 6x9 speaker should even sound better than one of those mini PC stereo subs.  You could then gut the PC speakers you already have and use its amp, bridging it's stereo channels together (which would give you more watts to the bigger 6x9... if the amp can support the speakers Ohm's) or buy something like this  to power it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lepai-TA2020-Class-T-Amp-Mini-Stereo-Amplifier-20WX2_W0QQitemZ120455187052QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1c0bb04a6c&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

[Lost Monkey]

I think I need one of those converters.  The games sounded horrible last night.  I have MAME running in a DK cabinet but there is only the one speaker cutout for sound to escape.  I couldn't hear any of the squeaking of Mario as he runs and the sound of jumping over barrels was also not there.  I need to think of a good solution - the speaker cutout is also much bigger than the crappy little speakers I was planning to use so I'm thinking I need something bigger.

Any ideas?  What would you do?

That may be a result of the mame version you are using and the mame rom. Some of the sounds were sampled in an older version of mame and are now emulated. 

[Derrick Renaud]

Even old 70s games use 2 speakers.  Canyon Bomber, Sprint 2 and other games of the era used a separate speaker for each player.

[jcroach]

Looking at MAWS, these games are vertical from that era that are stereo.

1984
Complex X

1983
Fighting Roller
Gyruss
Journey
Spy Hunter

1982
The Electric Yo-Yo
Tron

1981
Gorf
Kick
Qix
Satan's Hollow
Solar Fox
Space Dungeon

1980
Space Invaders II (Midway, cocktail)

[Ummon]

Space Dungeon is dual 8-way, and Gorf, Gyruss and Tron are 8-way. Spy Hunter don't count.

Mono games that used more than one speaker were wired in....you guessed it....mono.

I'd go with two speakers, man, just cos.