I don't know much about the MIDI format, but there was one song [1] that I used to love listening to on Windows 9x. I guess the file took advantage of some 9x quirk, because the orchestration is completely busted in modern Windows and macOS. I'm so happy because this site plays it just the way I remember it!
MIDI has no sound on its own, so it depends on the thing playing it. Windows' MIDI synthesis might have gotten worse, or you remember it on the particular sound card you had with 9x.
What a good demo! Yeah, I think I has to do with "updated" MIDI synthesis logic. The issue involves some of the harmonies; on modern devices, they start but never stop, then begin to layer on top of themselves, making it a total cacophony haha.
Try the settings in the player, it has loads of soundfonts to try, they all sound very different. If it's a midi file, it all depends on what sound card or installed soundfont you had at that time.
I don't know much about the MIDI format, but there was one song [1] that I used to love listening to on Windows 9x. I guess the file took advantage of some 9x quirk, because the orchestration is completely busted in modern Windows and macOS. I'm so happy because this site plays it just the way I remember it!
[1]: https://chiptune.app/?play=vgmusic.com%20MIDI%2Fconsole%2Fse...