diff --git a/src/emu/sound/l7a1045_l6028_dsp_a.c b/src/emu/sound/l7a1045_l6028_dsp_a.c
index 9474973893a..56d42ce6b60 100644
--- a/src/emu/sound/l7a1045_l6028_dsp_a.c
+++ b/src/emu/sound/l7a1045_l6028_dsp_a.c
@@ -172,6 +172,8 @@ WRITE16_MEMBER( l7a1045_sound_device::l7a1045_sound_w )
 
 	if(offset == 0)
 		sound_select_w(space, offset, data, mem_mask);
+	else if(offset == 8/2)
+		sound_status_w(space, offset, data, mem_mask);
 	else
 		sound_data_w(space,offset - 1,data,mem_mask);
 }
@@ -225,32 +227,33 @@ WRITE16_MEMBER(l7a1045_sound_device::sound_data_w)
 
 	m_audiodat[m_audioregister][m_audiochannel].dat[offset] = data;
 
-	if(offset == 0)
-	{
-
 	switch (m_audioregister)
 	{
-	case 0x00:
-		// hack
-		l7a1045_voice *vptr = &m_voice[m_audiochannel];
+		case 0x00:
+			l7a1045_voice *vptr = &m_voice[m_audiochannel];
 
-		m_key |= 1 << m_audiochannel;
+			vptr->start = (m_audiodat[0][m_audiochannel].dat[2] & 0x000f) << (16 + 4);
+			vptr->start |= (m_audiodat[0][m_audiochannel].dat[1] & 0xffff) << (4);
+			vptr->start |= (m_audiodat[0][m_audiochannel].dat[0] & 0xf000) >> (12);
+
+			vptr->start &= m_rom_size - 1;
+
+			//printf("%08x: REGISTER 00 write port 0x0002 chansel %02x data %04x (%04x%04x%04x)\n", space.device().safe_pc(), m_audiochannel, data, m_audiodat[m_audioregister][m_audiochannel].dat[0], m_audiodat[m_audioregister][m_audiochannel].dat[1], m_audiodat[m_audioregister][m_audiochannel].dat[2]);
+			break;
+	}
+}
+
+WRITE16_MEMBER(l7a1045_sound_device::sound_status_w)
+{
+	if(data & 0x100) // keyin
+	{
+		l7a1045_voice *vptr = &m_voice[m_audiochannel];
 
 		vptr->frac = 0;
 		vptr->pos = 0;
-
-		vptr->start = (m_audiodat[0][m_audiochannel].dat[2] & 0x000f) << (16 + 4);
-		vptr->start |= (m_audiodat[0][m_audiochannel].dat[1] & 0xffff) << (4);
-		vptr->start |= (m_audiodat[0][m_audiochannel].dat[0] & 0xf000) >> (12);
-
-		vptr->start &= m_rom_size - 1;
-
-		//printf("%08x: REGISTER 00 write port 0x0002 chansel %02x data %04x (%04x%04x%04x)\n", space.device().safe_pc(), m_audiochannel, data, m_audiodat[m_audioregister][m_audiochannel].dat[0], m_audiodat[m_audioregister][m_audiochannel].dat[1], m_audiodat[m_audioregister][m_audiochannel].dat[2]);
-		break;
+		m_key |= 1 << m_audiochannel;
 	}
 }
-}
-
 
 READ16_MEMBER(l7a1045_sound_device::l7a1045_sound_port_0004_r)
 {
diff --git a/src/emu/sound/l7a1045_l6028_dsp_a.h b/src/emu/sound/l7a1045_l6028_dsp_a.h
index cd31cfe0892..22f88928ced 100644
--- a/src/emu/sound/l7a1045_l6028_dsp_a.h
+++ b/src/emu/sound/l7a1045_l6028_dsp_a.h
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ private:
 
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(sound_select_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(sound_data_w);
+	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(sound_status_w);
 
 	DECLARE_READ16_MEMBER(l7a1045_sound_port_0004_r);
 	DECLARE_READ16_MEMBER(l7a1045_sound_port_0006_r);
diff --git a/src/mame/audio/hng64.c b/src/mame/audio/hng64.c
index 982bc9b0e02..5e8b6827ce3 100644
--- a/src/mame/audio/hng64.c
+++ b/src/mame/audio/hng64.c
@@ -194,7 +194,9 @@ WRITE16_MEMBER(hng64_state::hng64_sound_port_0008_w)
 //  logerror("hng64_sound_port_0008_w %04x %04x\n", data, mem_mask);
 	// seems to one or more of the DMARQ on the V53, writes here when it expects DMA channel 3 to transfer ~0x20 bytes just after startup
 
+	/* TODO: huh? */
 	m_audiocpu->dreq3_w(data&1);
+	m_dsp->l7a1045_sound_w(space,8/2,data,mem_mask);
 //  m_audiocpu->hack_w(1);
 
 }
@@ -276,7 +278,7 @@ WRITE16_MEMBER(hng64_state::sound_comms_w)
 				printf("IRQ ACK %02x?\n",data);
 			return;
 	}
-	
+
 	printf("SOUND W %02x %04x\n",offset*2,data);
 }
 
@@ -290,7 +292,7 @@ READ16_MEMBER(hng64_state::sound_comms_r)
 			return main_latch[1];
 	}
 	printf("SOUND R %02x\n",offset*2);
-	
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -356,14 +358,14 @@ WRITE_LINE_MEMBER(hng64_state::tcu_tm2_cb)
 
 	if(machine().input().code_pressed_once(KEYCODE_X))
 		i--;
-		
+
 	if(i < 0)
 		i = 0;
 	if(i > 7)
 		i = 7;
 
 	printf("trigger %02x %d\n",i,state);
-		
+
 	//if(machine().input().code_pressed_once(KEYCODE_C))
 	{
 		m_audiocpu->set_input_line(i, state? ASSERT_LINE :CLEAR_LINE);
diff --git a/src/mame/includes/hng64.h b/src/mame/includes/hng64.h
index 9ae7d6d034b..498e6dca0ba 100644
--- a/src/mame/includes/hng64.h
+++ b/src/mame/includes/hng64.h
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ public:
 		: driver_device(mconfig, type, tag),
 		m_maincpu(*this, "maincpu"),
 		m_audiocpu(*this, "audiocpu"),
+		m_dsp(*this, "l7a1045"),
 		m_comm(*this, "network"),
 		m_rtc(*this, "rtc"),
 		m_mainram(*this, "mainram"),
@@ -129,8 +130,10 @@ public:
 
 	required_device<mips3_device> m_maincpu;
 	required_device<v53a_device> m_audiocpu;
+	required_device<l7a1045_sound_device> m_dsp;
 	required_device<cpu_device> m_comm;
 	required_device<msm6242_device> m_rtc;
+
 	required_shared_ptr<UINT32> m_mainram;
 	required_shared_ptr<UINT32> m_cart;
 	required_shared_ptr<UINT32> m_sysregs;