AY Sound Interface for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum

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One of the main criticisms levelled at the original Sinclair ZX Spectrum has been its sound.  The original Spectrum has only a 1 bit sound capability (BEEP) through its internal speaker, which can be quiet, depending to some extent on the surface below the Spectrum (although you can use the MIC port on the Spectrum to enhance the output of this sound if required).  We are often asked how to get better sound out of the humble ZX Spectrum, to provide it with proper music and sounds which are closer to the quality available on the Commodore Amiga.

Well, there is a nice simple way - add an AY sound chip interface to your ZX Spectrum and make use of the music and additional sounds built into a wide range of software.

Alas, whilst the ZX Spectrum 128K and later models introduced Spectrum users to the common AY sound chip, providing the Spectrum with MIDI capabilities, this ability was never available natively on the original 16K or 48K rubber key Sinclair ZX Spectrum or ZX Spectrum+ computer.

Various games were written which make use of this facility to provide enhanced sound and music when they detect that the AY chip is available.  A list of 48K games which will make use of the AY Sound interface, appears at the bottom of this page (thanks to Yerzmyey for compiling this list).  All listed games are ones which can be found on the World of Spectrum website and therefore the list excludes games which are denied distribution.

Although similar interfaces were introduced before the 128K model, Some interfaces were produced in the late 1980s for the ZX Spectrum which provided the ability to use an AY sound chip, but there was never a common standard and they tended to be based on the ZX81 AY modules.  The ZX Spectrum 128K model changed the ports used to address the AY chip, and that became standard. Alas by then, most interface manufacturers were no longer supporting the original Spectrum.

The Zaxon AY-Magic Sound interface has been designed to use the same standard as the ZX Spectrum 128 in order to ensure the greatest compatibility and now brings back the ability to play these tunes (and some digital tunes (MOD-like) which can make your Spectrum sound like the Commodore Amiga) directly on the smaller ZX Spectrums, including the 16K and 48K rubber key Sinclair ZX Spectrum, or ZX Spectrum+, the Timex Sinclair TC2048 and other Spectrum clones, such as the Didaktik Gama 80Kb and the Brazilian TK95.

The interface can also be used with the later Spectrum models (Spectrum +128, +2, +2A, +2B and +3) to give stereo output although as it uses the same ports as the in-built AY interface, there is not much point, particularly as TurboSound will not work!

The interface simply plugs into the Spectrum's expansion port and has a through connector, so that you can use it with the DivIDE Plus to store the AY music files (for example).  You then need to connect some standard PC speakers to its sound out socket to hear the sound and adjust volume!

Although the interface does not add the PLAY command to the ZX Spectrum (available on the 128K models), you can still use the interface utilising the standard OUT commands for the AY interface, or better still, use some of the software available on the internet to create, edit and play music files.  Most of the software utilities appear on Yerzmyey's website and on the Project AY page along with some brilliant demos of the type of sounds which can be generated.  Games address the AY chip directly and do not tend to be written in BASIC, so the lack of this extra command does not affect the usefulness of the interface.

ZX Spectrum .tap files for use with the DivIDE or DivIDE Plus which show off the interfaces capabilities, through demonstrations for the ZX Spectrum appear on two websites - AY music demos and classic AY music demos.

To order the Zaxon AY-Magic Sound Interface for only £30, use the following link.

  List of 48K Games which support the Zaxon AY Interface