I received and mk2 a month or so ago and it is quite noisy in the most beautiful way.
It’s by far one of my favorite synths but I was raised on the Sega Genesis so it’s wonderfully nostalgic too.
I was looking to buy an mk1 just to have both too but yeah, prices have gone nutty.
I’d be quite interested if someone with a Mk.II could try to replicate the growly bass note of the Mk.I by loading the last patch in the free Limbic Bits pack, I think it’s number 15, and just lowering the operator’s total levels and maybe boost the main volume or gain in your interface. I’m wondering if it sounds like that partly because the overall output level is much lower on the Mk.I there’s some interaction in the waveform with the noise floor. In general I wonder if you just reduced the levels in the Mk.II and raised it after the output if that would reduce the signal to noise ratio and make it sound closer to the Mk.I. That way you might be able to have the best of both worlds in the Mk.II.
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I haven’t seen any evidence of higher prices for the Mk.I tbh, mostly they just aren’t available atm. Maybe they were going for high prices a while back before I started looking. I got mine b-stock for a fair bit less than a Mk.II from Bax.
Keep in mind you can put the YM2612 chips in the Mk.II, you’d just have to find a legit pair from somewhere or try and harvest them from an old Megadrive/Genesis.
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I’m only seeing them on Reverb these days and people are asking a lot for them.
Has anyone tried swapping out chips? I’m planning on order the new version with the intention of changing the chips but I want to make sure it’s easy and won’t have any negative effects on the sound
I was under the impression the chips click right in, but looks like they manual says soldering is involved. Can some confirm if this is correct?
Mk2 is socketed so you can swap without solder. I haven’t tried myself but if you have a line on a legit pair of ym2612s, please let me know
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The manual states-
In September 2022 MEGAfm becomes MEGAfm MKII.
This updated version is identical in appearance and functionality but it
will include a pair of YM3438 chips instead of the YM2612.
The YM3438 is a variant of the YM2612 that is identical in functionality
and was featured in the Sega Megadrive II.
The circuit layout has also been updated to grant access to the FM chips
with minimal disassembly.
Indeed the chips are now socketed (removable) and accessible by
removing the bottom panel.
Sheeyit, me too.
Yeah there’s a few jumper pads next to the sockets that you will need to apply a blob of solder to to bridge and change the circuit to support the YM2612 chips properly. Easy to do and reverse but it’s definitely not something you would want to do regularly.
Interesting, I did not know that.
Indeed. I wish they posted a tutorial video on this because i think a lot of ppl thought no soldering was involved.
Thanks, I missed that one 
For those interested it looks like it’s back in stock
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Couple of fragments of random MEGAfm noodling I did using the OT + copious amounts of delay and reverb from VoS NastyDLA and epicPLATE as send effects. The OT’s filter goes very nicely with the MEGAfm -
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New 3.0 firmware was released a couple of days ago!
R3.0 Updated May 9th 2023
New Features:
-Added SSGEG (Looping Envelopes)
-Added 2 extra voice modes (wide 3 and wide 4)
-Autochord
-MIDI tool added
-Broader LFO ratesBug Fixes:
-Fixed bug causing with numerical display in pickup mode
-Preset number not always displayed correctlyNote about FW3.0
The first time MEGAfm boots into 3.0 from a previous version it will take approx. 20 seconds
To clean up the file system. The letters CL will appear on screen.
Please do not power down MEGAfm during this process.
Looking forward to trying the new stuff out, not sure what some of it means just yet. I’m glad about the broader LFO rates as I often felt like I couldn’t get them to go slow enough.
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2nd one here is particularly lovely!
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oh, the two bugs here mentioned are exactly what i’ve had issues with since day one on the device…looking forward to trying the firmware out to see if it fixes them.
additions look interesting at a glance too…going to have to read more. Autochord?? broader LFO rates is good for sure…
Some info on the new stuff in the latest version of the manual -
Wide4 (all LEDs lit)
Same as wide6 but limited to 4 voices, always staggered
Wide3 (3 lEDs lit)
Same as wide6 but limited to 3 voices, always staggered
Auto Chord
To use the auto chord feature, please follow these instructions:
1- Hold down a chord on your MIDI keyboard.
2 - While still holding the chord, press and hold the REC and press the
voicing button to engage the auto chord feature. To free up your hands
for pressing buttons, we recommend using the sustain pedal.
If you wish to disengage auto chord, simply repeat the same button
presses as before. Note that if you activate auto chord without holding
down any keys, MEGAfm will select a chord from its built-in selection.
Not sure how you use the looping envelopes atm, can’t see it in the manual.
And it looks like the MEGAfm can be used with the same MIDI Tool that the Blast Beats and TherapSID use -
Would be nice if there was some preset management available through that tbh, because the preset saving is really sketchy. I’ve lost a sound and accidentally overwritten another because of that awkward combo.
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Good thing I kept an eye on this tread. I got a bad first experience with the mk I, but thanks to your reporting and soundbites (those sound so good btw) I’m taking a new plunge.
Fingers crossed.
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