yeah default nvram is default for kale not us :) zeroed for playback reasons, doesn't start with out nvram and with nvram doesn't get passed first stage with sound, 2nd stage with out sound.
you dont have to remind us about RTC. You've set the ground work for getting mame to playback right! wish they could do a global mame_rand replace some time... ; though playback probs are playback probs. deleted.