The Hidden Soundtrack of Computing: The Legacy and Architecture of the Windows Default SoundFont
The Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth outputs stereo, but the instrument samples themselves are predominantly mono and panned hard left/right in a crude manner. There is no true stereo imaging or ambience miking.
Once you have VirtualMIDISynth running, upgrade your palette with these community favorites:
To save space, sustained notes (like pads or strings) have incredibly short loop points, leading to a static, robotic texture over time.