SeriesYamaha DTX

(Originally written by turm/translated from Audiofanzine FR) - How long have you been using it? One week. - Which feature do you like the most / the least? Pros: Modular system (my configuration is different from Yamaha's pictures). The sound is pretty good and you can edit many parameters for each pad (tuning, reverb, etc., see documentation). You get crazy sounds for electro but its acoustic kits also sound authentic. Cons: the rubber pads are too hard. I think it's a good idea to buy Zildjian Antivib drumsticks. The drum kit makes enough noise to disturb your environment especially the bass drum, which sounds as if someone were renovating the apartment, so you'll have to inform your neighbors. - Did you try any other models before buying it? TD3: good product but the sound module is not as comprehensive as the DTX 4 and it's been discontinued so I didn't want to wait for the TD4, which won't have as many practice options as the DTX. Nevertheless, it's a Roland product so it's very good. DTXplorer: Lower product range. lTD20: too expensive!!! Summary: when you can't play an acoustic drum kit because you live in an apartment, you'll have to buy a Midi drum kit. It's expensive but it allows you to practice and play music in your kitchen. Connect it to a PC and the possibilities multiply!!! I bought the Yamaha because I think it's more comprehensive than a Roland in this price range (two cymbals, snare and 3-zone hi-hat). The hi-hat is a pad so I might upgrade that. The sound module seemed to be more comprehensive. It certainly can't replace real drums, and as soon as I move into a house I will make a music room to play my old acoustic drum kit again. I hope this review is helpful because it was difficult for me to choose the instrument I needed. I'd like to ask DTXpress 4 Standard Kit users to write a review about it.

I took my first seat behind the Yamaha DTXtreme Standard 6 months ago, and I find it to be the perfect practice kit. Once you get the feel for the pads and get everything positioned to your liking, this is the most important part of enjoying an electronic set like the DTxtreme, you need to be comfortable with where the sticks are going to land. Yamaha is a trusted brand, you know you are getting quality, so the price fits the value well. It's in the same range as other brands, and so for me it was a matter of what I needed to practice. It fits the bill perfectly and I get plenty of good jam sessions in, whether just listening through a pair of headphones or plugging in for a light jam session with the band.

I acquired this kit from my local Yamaha dealer drum shop. I paid 1100$ (Can). I have had the kit for about 2 months. Obviously the first big appeal is the fact that it can be played in silence, which is great for the people I live with. I've been playing drums for about 3 year but have never had the opprotunity to practice as much as I have had with this kit. I also like the fact that creating, editing and saving drumkits is very easy, this is a very user friendly kit. The control unit comes with many different audio ins and outs which makes it easy to hook up head phones, speakers or use the kit for home recording purposes. I also enjoy the fact that any pad can be assigned with any sound. For instance, I can have a ride cymbol in my top right tom and snare in my high-hat, its wide open. The control module also has a audio in right on the front which can be used to play along with songs for a computer or CD player. The biggest downside is that there is no way to import new drum sounds. There is a very limited number of different high-hat, cymbol and bass drum sounds. The good news however is that because the sounds can be altered, many different sounds can be made from the existing sounds. The high-hat control is also a downfall in that it sounds and feels nothing like a real high-hat. The unit came with 3 boxes and was very easy to set up. No tools are required and the best part is that all the cables came pre-labelled. Once together I found the kit to be very stable and easily adjustable to fit my playing style. I like the fact that the controls are close at hand and tearing down the kit is as easy as setting it up. For the first 15 minutes playing the kit I thought I had made a major mistake and was very unhappy about my purchase. I thought it felt strange and that the drum kits it reproduced sounded fake. Upon playing the kit more I realized how great it is for silent practice. I also realized that the terrible sound I was hearing could be easily adjusted. I also came around to the feel of the kit, the pads don't have as much give as a regular drum kit but it is very easy to compensate and get used to the kit. By altering existing kits and sounds I now have a number of custom kits which sound great and are fun to play. Each has their own style and different characteristics. I really love the kit now and couldn't imagine being without it. I hoghly recommend it to beginners and professionals alike. Warning: As I also own an acoustic kit I was already in possesion of a drum stool, drumsticks and a kick pedal. However NONE of these items are included with the kit. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I bought this from Bedrock Music, Crawley, because it offered so much more than an acoustic kit could ever do. The unit is excellent, with over 90 preset kits to play on and many preset songs to play along with. When you get to grips with the many features you can create your own kits and import or create new songs/recordings yourself. All in all this is excellent, not only in its compact yet stylish design but also in its playability and the features it offers. The only fault I have found so far with this kit is the price it costs in the first place, but even then it is still relatively good value for money when you consider the features it offers. The quality is fantastic, as you would expect from a Yamaha. The 7-ply 3" mahogany drum pads are excellent and the triggers generally work straight off. The DTXtreme unit is well designed and feels sturdy when it is being used. This kit is excellent, well worth the high price it costs. The variety of kit types make playing more enjoyable while the quality is easily good enough to meet recording studio needs. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I got this from Andertons in Guildford(UK). Paid £700 It looks wierd and feels different to a regular kit, but you have to expect that from an electric kit. I like how many things on this you can customise. For every voice there is about 30 different things to change and they make it sound so different. Also it is silent so it stops me from annoying the neighbours. Oh and it folds up in 5 minutes so you can move it so quickly. Nothing. Zilch. Zip. Very sturdy. Not had any problems with it. People call me a hard hitter and nothing has broken so that must be a good sign. This a great kit for silent practice, performance and learning to drum. If you need a good electric kit at a good price then this is what you need!! This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I bought this kit used 2 years ago for $800; I understand, given developments in e-drum technology over that time, these units are probably the same price new these days. In fact Yamaha updated the unit a few months ago - now the cymbals are chokable and there are many more samples available, so it's only become a better deal. As far as e-drums go this is CHEAP. The DTXpress made me a believer in e-drums. The greatest asset of this unit is its durability: between concerts, daily (HEAVY) beating in practice time, and being constantly moved all over the country, the triggers -all- still work great. I've had to replace a few of the screws here and there but it cost me only half an hour and a few bucks. Second it's REALLY easy to keep practicing if you're in an apt. - e-drums are THE way to train without pissing off your neighbors. Another great thing about e-drums, which this unit is as good on as the best out there, is the great sound quality you can get recording and playing concerts -without a budget-. By going straight into a PA or a mixer and miking some real cymbals + a hi-hat you can get that "big studio" sound effortlessly and without any money. A huge plus if, like me, you're an amateur with no money and no connections trying to sound pro. Not much not to like, but there are a few things. First, the cymbal samples are terrible. Fine for practicing on your own but utterly unconvincing if you're playing for others. Second, the same is true for the hi-hat, unless you're going for an 80's pop or techno "electronica" sound, in which case you're fine. Still, those are relatively easy to work around - when you play concerts or record just use a real hi-hat and cymbals, mike 'em, take a minute to adjust the levels during the sound check, and Mike Portnoy has nothin' on you but his chops. Third, double-bass players need to buy a seperate trigger. Bummer. On this matter get the biggest, most expensive one out there - the Pintech 270 or whatever. It's got a circular head with "Silentech" for a trigger receiver. The k-7 and k-40 are both flimsy. As said above, excellent. Durable, well-made, the works. THE way to go for electronic drummers who don't have a lot of money. ALL the big advantages of electronic drums are here in this cheap kit - sure, if I had $4,000 just sitting around which I could blow on anything, I'd get a big fancy Roland too, but that's just not the case for most of us! The fact of the matter is that the expensive electronic kit only has MORE OF THE SAME of what this kit's got for less than a quarter of the price. Go DTXpress! This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I bought a brand new DTXpress module on eBay for $335. I haven't seen too many of these without the drums sold with them, so maybe I got lucky. If you're getting into electronic drums, I highly recommend this unit. Other writers in this forum have talked about the full DTXpress kit, but I only recommend the module. I hate rubber pads--but that's just me. I have a Pintech ConcertCast kit, with this module, and it works great. The other writers have said that this unit can accept dual trigger pads, but that isn't totally true. Pads which have a choke switch (like the Yamaha cymbal pads that come with this normally) will work, but there is only one input, the 9/10 jack, which will accept a dual trigger input. There are 8 other inputs, so if you're looking to have a big kit, this isn't for you. But I play a 4 pc, and this thing works great. I can't say enough about the sounds. The drums are deep and rich, and with the onboard reverb, you can make it sound like you're in an arena. Plus, each trigger has two voices, so you can add another level to your sound--this means that you can hit a single pad, and have it trigger two totally different sounds. The built in sequencer is nice for practice, composition, or, I use it live to lay down a loop and then play over it. And you can hook this up to a computer with no external MIDI interface. Its also got a backlit LCD for dark rooms, and an orange face for easy reading. It could use more dual-zone inputs, but definitely usable. I really only need dual zone on the snare anyway, and the 9/10 can accomodate. If you need more, this unit isn't for you. That's my only complaint. Well-made, and solid. Much heftier than my old Alesis DM-5. Would not fit in a rack mount situation, if that's your setup. I am just a drummer, so its mounted to my rack. A great unit with a ton of nice features. I am a big fan. The only limitation is the lack of more than one dual zone pad trigger inputs. I'd recommend this unit to everyone. But like I said, for my personal taste, the pads Yamaha sells this with are crap. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com