Hart Dynamics

The Hart Dynamics snare trigger is an e-drum that can be used with many percussion sound modules. I have a TD-3, and I haven't had any problems with it. Check the Hart Dynamics website for compatibility if you are seriously considering a purchase. The best part about the product is that has solid construction. I get the impression that it is going to last a very long time, unless something weird with the triggering mechanism malfunctions. The drum itself seems extremely solid, even more than the expensive roland triggers, and definitely more than any cheap rubber pad. I like the look of the real metal drum shell much better than anything from roland, yamaha, etc. I have the stock mesh head still installed, and it has been pretty durable. I play the drum a couple of times a week in a smoke-free studio. I can't see replacing the mesh head for a while. One thing I found a little different about this drum is that the trigger contacts the mesh head from underneath. The trigger is a little bit larger than the size of a quarter. When I hit the mesh head directly above the trigger, it seems to register a 'harder hit' than when I hit the mesh head at the same velocity next to the trigger. If you look on the Hart Dynamics webpage, they have recommendations for programming your percussion sound module to get the best results with this drum trigger. I followed their recommended settings, but actually had mixed results. I found that I was getting occasional retriggering after snare hits and even cross-talk when hitting other drums on my kit. I had to bump up the threshold a little bit from their recommended settings, which solved all the problems. All in all, a great product especially if you want your e-drums to look like the real thing. The 13" size is also great compared to smaller pads. I have a lot of drums come into my studio that are only used to playing real drums. For a while, I only had Roland pads, which they didn't like. Now with the Hart Dynamics drums, I get much fewer complaints about how different the transition to e-drums for acoustic drums is. Plus, as soon as these guys hear the sounds (BFD2, SSD4, SD2, Addictive Drums, NI Studio Drummer) of the drums they are triggering, they immediately get over the problem.