RE2-YMF262 - Project RE:birth 2nd Sound Card
What is it?
Project RE-birth 2nd is the spiritual continuation of Project RE-birth — a legendary open hardware project dedicated to bringing classic FM sound chips back to life.
In 2021, for unknown reasons, the Japanese closed the ym2203.com website, deleted all public schematics, and stopped the distribution of all peripheral hardware. Even with money in hand, it became impossible to purchase any SPFM motherboard or rebirth module. This was deeply frustrating for enthusiasts worldwide.
In the absence of original hardware, I forked almost all RE-birth music modules to truly revive this project. My mission: make FM music chips available to people all over the world — no internal meetings, no mystery stores, no hunger marketing, just long-term stock and fair play for everyone.
The RE2-YMF262 is a YMF262 (OPL3) sound card designed for the SPFM series. The circuit is fully redesigned by myself and is compatible with the RE:birth bus. It can be used with SPFM Light, SPFM Lite, RESPFM, IAP-RESPFM and other compatible motherboards.
About the YMF262 Chip
The YMF262, also known as OPL3 (FM Operator Type-L 3), is Yamaha's most advanced OPL-series FM synthesis chip. It features 18 channels of 2-operator FM synthesis (or 6 channels of 4-operator), stereo output, and 4 waveform types per operator — a massive upgrade over its OPL2 predecessor.
The YMF262 was the heart of the legendary Sound Blaster Pro 2 and Sound Blaster 16 cards, as well as countless PC sound cards of the early 1990s. Its rich, full-bodied FM sound defined PC gaming audio for an entire generation. From id Software's Doom to Sierra adventure games, OPL3 music is deeply embedded in retro gaming culture.
Key Features
- Authentic YMF262 (OPL3) FM synthesis — 18 channels (2-op) or 6 channels (4-op)
- Stereo output with per-channel panning
- 4 waveform types per operator for rich timbral variety
- Compatible with RE:birth bus standard
- Works with SPFM Light, SPFM Lite, RESPFM, IAP-RESPFM and more
- Classic NE5532 dual op-amp for excellent audio output quality
- Adjustable volume control on-board
- Excellent digital-to-analog isolation for clean, noise-free sound
- Standardized RE:birth module form factor
- Long-term stock — always available, no artificial scarcity
Supported Chips
- OPL3: YMF262, YMF289
Compatible Mainboards
- SPFM Light
- SPFM Lite (2 slots)
- RESPFM
- IAP-RESPFM (4 slots)
- STM32-RESPFM (4 slots)
Compatible Software
Open Source
Hardware design available on GitHub: github.com/denjhang/RE2-YMF262