The chip after the console

Cartridges that Brought Their Own Channels

Konami's VRC6, Sunsoft's 5B and Namco's 163 added voices from inside the cartridge, which is why some Famicom titles sound impossible on a stock console.

Getting it wrong is easy and audible

Band-limited synthesis, the non-linear mixer and the DMC's CPU stealing are the details that separate an accurate emulator from a plausible one.

Playing a Chip on Stage

Performers drive real hardware live rather than playing a rendered file, which puts the console's timing on stage with them.