Quote:
... there might have been some actual MIDI player that used actual samples for reproduction...

After reading all of the posts here, I think that this is more likely. The only format this player could actually save new files as was WAV. And this was allowed because if you had the thing, you probably preferred the sound you got out of it.

I'll just have to keep trying different search terms until I find it, or hopefully, my memory is jogged. For any out there who might be as determined as I, please, don't give up.

Thanks everyone.