[RaidouJFlo]

I was just reading up on a thailand FF6a patch, and noticed in the notes that they were saying "the sound is awful, please be sure to use the restoration sound patch."

I would never do that. In-fact, if there was a patch to change FF6's SNES OST to the GBA version, I'd apply that patch and finally play the SNES version instead. For now I will be sticking to the GBA version.

[KingMike]

It could be nostalgia, but I'm doubting it. The moment I heard the GBA rendition of Serpent's Trench, that was an "ouch!" moment for my ears. (I would have been playing it on an OG DS probably.)

[RaidouJFlo]

It could be nostalgia, but I'm doubting it. The moment I heard the GBA rendition of Serpent's Trench, that was an "ouch!" moment for my ears. (I would have been playing it on an OG DS probably.)

To its credit, it's not just a port to GBA's sound engine. It sounds like it was re-arranged.

Maybe if its music was ported to the SNES version, so that those re-arranged tracks could have SNES quality...

[Midna]

The GBA soundtrack took out the voice saying "chocobo" in Techno de Chocobo. An unforgivable sin.

[edale]

I was just reading up on a thailand FF6a patch, and noticed in the notes that they were saying "the sound is awful, please be sure to use the restoration sound patch."

I would never do that. In-fact, if there was a patch to change FF6's SNES OST to the GBA version, I'd apply that patch and finally play the SNES version instead. For now I will be sticking to the GBA version.

If you want to track down a COMPLETE copy of the GBA soundtrack, preferably in whatever the GBA's native sound format is (baring that, WAV or FLAC), I can convert the music to PCM to use with the Dancing Mad MSU-1 mod.

https://github.com/Insidious611/DancingMadFF6/releases

Although, frankly, you can get a MUCH better soundtrack than either just by using the MSU-1 mod as-is. Quite a number of remastered soundtrack sources to choose from in it.


I had actually already done this with the PS version's soundtrack a while back (figured it might be cool to use if anyone ever imports the PS videos into the game, as is being done with Chrono Trigger's MSU mod), but haven't been able to finish that, because I can't find a copy of the ENTIRE Dancing Mad track, just the first movement.

[Vanya]

The answer to the OP is no, but there are probably very few of you.
That soundtrack sounds like garbage to my ears. Arranged or not, the samples are terrible quality.
And I dislike many of the choices they made when removing channels.

[edale]

And I dislike many of the choices they made when removing channels.

With the MSU mod, no sound channels are removed to play SFX, because the music isn't using any of the 8 sound channels.

[RaidouJFlo]

If you want to track down a COMPLETE copy of the GBA soundtrack, preferably in whatever the GBA's native sound format is (baring that, WAV or FLAC), I can convert the music to PCM to use with the Dancing Mad MSU-1 mod.

https://github.com/Insidious611/DancingMadFF6/releases

Although, frankly, you can get a MUCH better soundtrack than either just by using the MSU-1 mod as-is. Quite a number of remastered soundtrack sources to choose from in it.

I had actually already done this with the PS version's soundtrack a while back (figured it might be cool to use if anyone ever imports the PS videos into the game, as is being done with Chrono Trigger's MSU mod), but haven't been able to finish that, because I can't find a copy of the ENTIRE Dancing Mad track, just the first movement.

That's alright. I'm happy with just the GBA version, playing it on GBA. I don't know what it is, it just sounds better to me.

Though admittedly Dancing Mad sounds much better in the SNES version. I guess that's the silver lining when playing the inferior SNES version.

[NERV Agent]

inferior SNES version.

Inferior?

INFERIOR?!?

WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!?

HOW DARE YOU HAVE AN OPINION DIFFERENT FROM EVERYONE ELSE!!!

Just kidding. But srsly, to each his own I suppose.

For me, the soundtrack to FFVI was one of the many highlights of the game that made it stand out from others, so I would prefer the SNES version. Missing out on that great soundtrack depreciates the FFVI experience, IMHO.

[Bregalad]

The GBA soundtrack took out the voice saying "chocobo" in Techno de Chocobo. An unforgivable sin.

Huh, what are you talking about ?!

As for the OP's question, to each their own. If you like the GBA arrangement, then fine. Technically with MSU-1 you could play the SNES version with GBA music rather easily, that should be very simple to do. However you'll still get SNES sound effects.

Porting anything GBA to the actual SNES sound driver without MSU-1 is practically out of question because the philosophy between both systems is very different. SNES has a lot of hardware to do effects on sounds but low memory, as such SNES games relies on few sound samples and do lots of advanced effects on them. GBA on the other hands has very large memory, but limited CPU time to render sound so the rendering is very simple. Porting from SNES to GBA necessitated a serious modification of the sound driver and even then it's still inferior as the sound engine is updated at 60Hz only and not 220Hz like on SNES. Porting in the other direction would be out of question because GBA version uses a gigantic set of large samples (and, in my opinion, of awful quality).

As for the SNES vs GBA debate, without taking sound in consideration, the versions are mostly the same expect the GBA screen resolution is lower, and the game was originally designed for the higher screen resolution. So... I'd play the SNES by default unless there's a good reason to play on the GBA.
December 10, 2017, 12:33:20 pm - (Auto Merged - Double Posts are not allowed before 7 days.)So, I couldn't resist doing a little experiement and import GBA instrument in the SPC700

edgar_sabin_gba.spc

Works great, however the instruments use too much memory so all memory which is normally used for sound effects is scraped - this wouldn't be usable in-game.

[edale]

So, I couldn't resist doing a little experiement and import GBA instrument in the SPC700

edgar_sabin_gba.spc

Works great, however the instruments use too much memory so all memory which is normally used for sound effects is scraped - this wouldn't be usable in-game.

Can't the ROM be expanded to make more room?

[Bregalad]

This has nothing to do with ROM, the SPC700's RAM is only 64kB and only a part of that RAM can be used for instruments, in this case approximately 50kB. (But the full engine with effects and all leaves only ~32 kB for instruments originally in FF6).

[Teeporage777]

I liked the snes version better.

[FCandChill]

This has nothing to do with ROM, the SPC700's RAM is only 64kB and only a part of that RAM can be used for instruments, in this case approximately 50kB. (But the full engine with effects and all leaves only ~32 kB for instruments originally in FF6).

Indeed. The SNES can support more instruments if you swap samples out and in. In addition, Tales of Phantasia has a special chip for its voice acting, but the SPC file format does not support the aforementioned exceptions...

[Bregalad]

In addition, Tales of Phantasia has a special chip for its voice acting, but the SPC file format does not support the aforementioned exceptions...

It's not a special chip, just special software with normal hardware.

[Recca]

I've always found the original games on the SNES to be better than the GBA ports, and not just in terms of music. SNES games usually have better graphics, controls and sound than most GBA ports. Not to mention, a wider screen and no saving/loading times. The only advantage that the GBA ports might have is a little added bonus content in the games, but that's not enough to save them in my opinion. The best example of this is with Tales of Phantasia. The GBA version is absolutely horrible when compared to the SNES version or PS1. As for Final Fantasy III/VI, here's a gamefaqs link which lists the differences in both versions (just scroll down a bit to the fourth post):
https://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/554041-final-fantasy-iii/62280335

[FCandChill]

The GBA port used the PlayStation version's sprites and the SNES version's backgrounds in certain places. This is most noticeable in the battle arena; the NPC audience graphics are part of the brackground...

It's not a special chip, just special software with normal hardware.

You are correct.

[Chronosplit]

I've always found the original games on the SNES to be better than the GBA ports, and not just in terms of music. SNES games usually have better graphics, controls and sound than most GBA ports. Not to mention, a wider screen and no saving/loading times. The only advantage that the GBA ports might have is a little added bonus content in the games, but that's not enough to save them in my opinion. The best example of this is with Tales of Phantasia. The GBA version is absolutely horrible when compared to the SNES version or PS1. As for Final Fantasy III/VI, here's a gamefaqs link which lists the differences in both versions (just scroll down a bit to the fourth post):
https://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/554041-final-fantasy-iii/62280335

There's some stuff to add to this list (nothing major, just the times they are a changin'):

-The Celes scene mentioned in GBA has a patch now.
-Nowadays the GBA version has been getting some bugfix patches ported to it, SNES has gotten deeper than ever at this though so it's still on top (nearly 200 bugfix patches now, at least 183 to be exact).
-The graphics on GBA are not completely restored; the PS1 graphics were full butt while they go halfway on GBA.  There's a patch for this (not sure if it coincides with the color fixes though?)

It's all true other than that though.  I do put a little more weight on censorship personally however.