A new video from Root42 takes a closer look at a fresh contender in the SID replacement scene: the Kung Fu SID. For anyone who’s ever had a Commodore 64 belt out the wrong notes—or worse, fall completely silent—this one’s worth a look.
The original MOS 6581 and 8580 SID chips have long been out of production, and as time passes, they’re showing their age. Replacement options exist, ranging from budget-friendly to bank-breaking, with wildly varying results in sound fidelity and hardware compatibility. Some go the FPGA route. Others emulate in software. And all of them come with trade-offs.
Kung Fu SID aims to shake things up with a fully open-source design—both hardware and firmware—targeted at offering accurate emulation without blowing a hole in your wallet. It’s based on an STM32 microcontroller, and unlike some of its rivals, it can be built or modified by anyone with the right tools and knowledge. No black boxes here.
Root42 explores how Kung Fu SID compares to the original chip and other clones, including audio demos and oscilloscope views of waveforms for the technically curious. He doesn’t just test a few tunes—he puts the unit through a range of SID-heavy scenarios, including subtle effects and edge cases that typically trip up weaker emulations.
The big question: how does it sound? Root42 is upfront. It’s not a 1:1 replica of the SID, but it’s impressively close—especially considering its low cost and open nature. And that’s the real appeal: a decent SID replacement that doesn’t lock you in, doesn’t need rare parts, and doesn’t cost as much as a small used car.
For those keeping vintage hardware alive—or just building something new around the SID’s unique sound—this video is a solid breakdown of where Kung Fu SID fits into the current scene.
