Overview
Emulation cores balance two main factors:- Accuracy: How closely the core matches real hardware behavior
- CPU Usage: How much processing power the core requires
YM2151 (OPM)
Default playback core. Much less CPU usage than Nuked-OPM, but less accurate.Recommended for users with mobile, last-gen or earlier hardware.
Default render core. Much more accurate than ymfm, due to the emulator being based on an image of the die map taken from a real YM2151.Very CPU heavy, only recommended for users with recent hardware.
YM2612 (OPN2)
Default core. Lighter on the CPU than Nuked-OPM, can be used to simulate any variant of YM2612.
Same as ymfm for YM2151 - lower CPU usage, less accuracy.
A new core written by the author of the Nuked cores, specifically focused on YMF276 emulation.
SN76489 (PSG)
Default core. Less accurate than Nuked, but with lower CPU usage. Comes from the MAME emulator project.
More accurate, but not by that much. This originally started as an emulator for the YM7101 PSG sound generator, but was modified to emulate the SN7 as the MAME core was deemed unsatisfactory by some.
NES (2A03)
Default core. It comes from a dedicated NES emulator.
Higher CPU usage than puNES.
FDS (Famicom Disk System)
Default playback core. Lower CPU usage and far less accurate.
Default render core. Higher CPU usage and much more accurate.
SID (Commodore 64)
Default playback core. A high quality emulation core. Somewhat CPU heavy.
Default render core. Improved version of reSID. The most accurate choice.
A lightweight open-source core used in DefleMask. Not so accurate but it’s very CPU light.
POKEY (Atari 8-bit)
Does not emulate two-tone mode.
Default core. The sound core used in the ASAP player. Most accurate option.
OPN/OPNA/OPNB
Lower CPU usage, less accurate FM.
Default cores. More accurate FM at the cost of more CPU load.
A new core written by the author of the Nuked cores. High accuracy.
OPL/OPL2/Y8950
High quality OPL emulation core. Slightly off due to tiny differences between OPL and OPL3, but otherwise it is good.
This core is supposed to use less CPU than Nuked-OPL3, but for some reason it actually doesn’t.
A new core written by the author of the Nuked cores. Features extremely accurate emulation.
OPL3
High quality OPL emulation core.
This core is supposed to use less CPU than Nuked-OPL3, but for some reason it actually doesn’t.
A new core written by the author of the Nuked cores. Features extremely accurate emulation.
OPL4
High quality OPL4 emulation core.
This core is supposed to use less CPU than Nuked-OPL3, but for some reason it actually doesn’t.
ESFM
The ESFM emulator. Best choice but CPU intensive.
A modification of ESFMu to reduce CPU usage at the cost of less accuracy.
OPLL (YM2413)
Default core. Accurate emulation.
A less accurate core that uses less CPU.
AY-3-8910/SSG
Default core.
SSG core extracted from YM2608-LLE.
WonderSwan
Default core. Highest accuracy and efficiency.
Slower and less accurate. Included for compatibility with older modules.