RE2-YMF276/288/289 - Project RE:birth 2nd Sound Module
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-YMF276/288/289 is a multi-variant OPL3-family sound module for the SPFM series, supporting three chip options: YMF276, YMF288, and the rare YMF289. The circuit is fully redesigned and compatible with the RE:birth bus.
About the Chips
- YMF276 (OPN2C-L): CMOS upgraded successor to YM2612/YM3438, supports external I2S DAC for superior audio quality. Used in FM Towns and OPN2-compatible systems.
- YMF288 (OPN3L): An enhanced OPN3 variant with built-in stereo DAC, offering 6-channel FM synthesis with improved audio output. Used in NEC PC-9801 sound boards.
- YMF289 (OPL3-L): CMOS low-power OPL3 variant, rare and highly sought after by collectors. Compatible with OPL3 software and hardware.
Key Features
- Three chip variants available: YMF276, YMF288, YMF289
- 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 on YMF276 and YMF288 — fair play, no artificial scarcity
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-YMF276-288-289