That difficult video game-inspired synth from the second half of the 1990s
Twisted Electrons’ MEGAfm, released in 2020, was designed to put the FM sounds of the Sega Mega Drive (or Genesis, if you lived in the US) in an accessible hardware synth.
That’s not the end of the story, though, because we’ve learned that a new version is on the way, and it’ll be based – appropriately – on the Mega Drive II.
This was a more compact, feature-tweaked version of the Mega Drive that used a slightly different iteration of the YM2612 sound chip – the YM3438. And, surprise, Twisted Electrons is following suit, putting a pair of YM3438s in the MEGAfm MKII as well.
A new circuit layout also allows users to access the sound chips by simply removing the bottom panel. In fact, you can install alternative FM chips, such as the original YM2612 or custom variants, if desired. These can be combined in various ways.
The MEGAfm MKII is otherwise very similar to its predecessor, with the same controls, audio circuitry, and analogue distortion. The firmware is also interchangeable.
The MEGAfm MKII will be available next month for €564. More information can be found on the Twisted Electrons website (opens in new tab).
