recently I installed a midi player that uses "microsoft midi synth" (direct x?) instead of the "microsoft wavetable" It sounds much better. Is there a way to access this in Powertracks?

Options-Prefs-MIDI devices

That is just it - the midi driver set up in powertracks lists the microsoft GS wavetable sw synth but not the microsoft synthesizer. The other program (songtrix) shows the midi synth. The midi synth allows for reverb and better quality then the wavetable and I know it has something to do with direct x settings but I cannot figure that out.

Open up the DXi window in which you select the Instrument to use. Select Options and then Scan to find out whether DXi is still hiding somewhere. Alternatively, the driver may be VSTi which means adding the VSti to your range of VSTi Synths. Visit your list of synths from the above panel, select "Add VSTi Synth" and then navigate to the Program Folder of your player. Look for the progam name with an extension .dll, click to see whether or not PT will recognise the addition. If not, look for another .dll and try again. Sometimes, the installation of your player may hide the .dll in Windows > Program files > folder Steinberg.

I hope this helps.

No joy, cannot find a .dll file for the microsoft synthesizer. There is no steinberg folder. Why songtrix can find it I do not know. It must be hidden pretty good.

The microsoft synth gets installed with the system.

dmsynth.dll (the basic Micorsoft one based on Roland samples) is usually in the system folder.
On this W7 64 bit system it is in Windows-System 32

Start -> Run and type, "dxdiag.exe" without the quotes and hit Enter.

You can use the "Next" button to test all DX functions or just go to the "Music" tab at top to see all microsoft synths and test them.

The two sound identical, but you may be being fooled by the one being louder. They are both poor choices for music makers these days, I suggest you try the Coyote synth that ships with BiaB, or some other DXi or VSTi MIDI synth solution anyway. Neither microsoft synth option was designed with real music making in mind, cheezy sounding stuff.
Even using one of the VSTi's that allow loading of Soundfonts can easily blow that thing out of the water.


--Mac

Win7 64, I don't get a Music tab.
I have 7 Sound tabs, a System tab, Display tab and Input tab.

What OS shows the Music tab?

Hm, both my Win7 32 and XP does here.

Y'know, DX updates are associated with Windoze Media Player updates, maybe that has something to do with differences, dunno.


--Mac