To make the type of C64 music in my latest ASID videos, you would need an actual C64 or an emulator running some tracker like SidWizard. But you could also use Goattracker on Win/Mac. Otherwise you can of course use a regular MIDI sequencer and use the regular mode of the TS, but then you wouldn’t be able to do the wavetable stuff for instance.
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TherapSID available for preorder now! Just made a purchase 
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I forgot about how cool real 6581 chips can sound (outside of a chiptune context). I suddenly had an intense urge to order a Therapsid MKIII and find a pair of matching chips to make intense stereo patches and process stereo signals with that grungy sound… so I did.
I found a pair of matching 6581 4RAR chips and can’t wait for the Therapsid to arrive.
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I’m really amazed by it so far. I have one 6581R4 and one 8580 and it’s really cool but I sometimes feel it would be better to run a matching pair but not sure… having one of each is also very cool 
Mine has two 6581’s, are they matching you ask, I ain’t got a clue 
I found someone selling two 6581 4RAR chips that were both made in 1987 within the same week. That’s close enough to “matching” for me.
Do you prefer one chip over the other?
They certainly are different but hard to say… the 6581 I feel is more rough… in a good way 
Check out this YT-channel that post C64 songs with a mix of both chips.
And I have pointed a couple really bad things but still maybe interesting for you with my therapsid with the two chips in stereo.
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really, I don’t think it works like that when your matching.
When your matching transistors you could grab 100 from the same batch then have to go through dozens to get two to roughly match.
with the age of SID chips as they degrade with age and their rarity id happily stick my neck out to claim its impossible to match two SID chips.
and then why would you want two matched anyway, as to my ears two that sound slightly different to each other would sound better in the stereo field.
PS and you’ll be lucky if you can ever obtain a 6581 that didn’t have a damaged filter, as the filter simply broke from people handling the chip.
Here’s two 6581’s doing the awesome Hubbard Knuckle Busters
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That’s why I put quotations around “matching.”
I only need them to be similar and I usually purposely have slightly different settings (filter, etc.) on each channel to create a more noticeable effect. Minor differences between the chips is not an issue for me. It’s my understanding that the 4RAR revision of this chip has a pretty standard sound with less variations anyhow.
Without thorough testing, finding 2 chips made within the same week is good enough for me.
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I wholeheartedly prefer the 8580 to the 6581.
I grew up on the 6581 on my original 1982/83 “breadbin” but when I got my C64C in maybe 1986/1987 the 8580 blew that sound away. I modded my C64 to make the digi sounds play at the right volumes on the 8580, so it was the best of both worlds.
Some people like the slightly rawer sound of the 6581, but not me.
I watched demos as much as played games, and the tunes from demo musicians always sounded better on the 8580 to me.
It’s also why I don’t mind the sound of things like the ARMSID, because it’s pretty close to sounding like an 8580. Even my MiSTer after the SID improvements sounds amazingly good.
The only reason I say any of this, is just as a couterpoint to the majority of opinions that the 6581 is generally better. I say if you have a synth like the TherapSID, and you can get an 8580 or two, go for it!
My cousin and I also built Stereo Chorus pedals into our C64s. 
And warm resets to get into the monitor easily.
I finally fried my C64C when modding it with a PAL switch and crystal. It worked for a short time, and then the VIC friend, and possibly other stuff. Luckily my parents got me an A500 that year for Christmas, so I didn’t care for a while. Eventually got myself a 128D though to sit next to my A500 and 386.
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I barely understand what’s happening in this thread as SID/ C64 stuff is a little before my time, but I love the passion.
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In the climate of what music was actually available in the 80’s the SID chip sounded amazing in commodore 64 games, in many scenarios people bought the games just for the music, I’m 100% sure it inspired a whole generation of 90’s music producers who grew up with that sound, it’s just sad that in electronic music history it hasn’t been documented this way, the SID and geniuses like Rob Hubbard/Martin Galway just don’t get a mention.
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Agree completely, except the part about Hubbard and Galway. They are definitely known, appreciated, documented, and there are still demos to this day that give them a nod.
I think the reason that you hear more about people like Jeroen Tel though, is that they still frequent demo parties, and are somewhat active.
Jesper Kyd of The Silents went on to make big studio game music/scores, Rob Hubbard was (maybe still is?) the head of the sound division for was it EA? I think these guys went into more demanding production and oversight roles, so not really in the public eye so much these days.
I still listen to Hubbard and Galway SIDs frequently. Galway’s Miami Vice tune is absolutely incredible. Same with say, Hubbard’s Delta tune that sounds inspired by Philip Glass. Absolute masters on any medium. I wouldn’t classify some of their music as even game music. Just music.
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Question for owners of the MKIII model; do the outputs for both SID chips get summed together if only one of the outputs is used like on the MegaFM?
Nope, they are two discrete outputs. And inputs as well.
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ok, thanks.
What is the purpose of “Super Fat” mode? Does it just force both chips to use saw waves for all 3 voices? I’m assuming the only way to hear the 6 saws is by using both outputs.
It is just the amount of detuning used between the two chips. The user is still free to use whatever waveforms on each voice. So the “saw wave” reference in the manual is probably just an example of a use case.
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