Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Hi! I'll get straight to it:

1) Any problems - I have been hearing reports of the
kick drum playing up?
 - Out of the 40 or so members of this mailing list,
only a couple have reported problems. That's pretty
normal I'd say. My kick is perfect.

2) What is the head response like compared to an
acoustic kit?
 - Like any set of e-drums, you can change the
triggers/pads according to your desires. A few of us
have opted for the DIY rototom triggers and others
have gone to S&S or PinTech. The Yamaha pads
themselves are fine, if a bit on the firm side.
There's obviously a long way to go in terms of getting
an e-drum to "feel" like a real drum. On a real snare,
you get that taut resonance at the edges and that big
deep crack in the middle. On the DTXpress, you get a
big deep crack in the middle and the same sound
(albeit at a lower volume) near the edge. Sensitivity
is good but not as good as a real drum. Possibly the
rototom triggers would help here. The key is to try
the Yammy pads and then start looking at higher
quality stuff. Remember, the DTXpress is a budget kit
- so some of its properties are not quite up to the
"pro" level.

3) What are the cymbals like on response?
 - For basic rock/funk/country/techno whatever -
they're fine. If you're playing quiet jazzy passages,
you might notice the limitations. Again it depende on
the quality of the trigger/pad and the Yammy ones that
comes with the brain are aimed at budget level.

4) What sticks do you use?
- ProMark 5A

5) Can you recommend a kick pedal. I used to have a
very fast foot - played with my toes, so I
like a loose feel rather than a pumping action.
 - I use a DW pedal, very clean and accurate. Again,
the kick is a personal choice so one man's poison may
be another man's meat.

6) How good are the sounds in there?
 - This is where the DTXpress scores points. The
sounds are damn good. AWM2 synthesis, dual voice per
pad, reverb...check out my website for more on this
http://welcome.to/DTXpressions.
In a live situation (I heard Andy play them live last
week in Tin Omen), they are indistinguishable from
real drums.

7) Do you have to be careful of climate control - I am
thinking of having it set up in the loft and the temp
can dip low there?
 - Most electronic equipment can stand low(ish)
temperatures - watch out for condensation if you use a
heater. I anticipate no problem other than a sluggish
LCD display.

So there you have it. I could carry on, but I'm sure
others would like a go...
My recommendation : Go with the DTXpress "brain" and
make/buy your own pads

TTFN
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