Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Gianluca,

Don't hesitate to ask this group any questions that you have--even 
if you have questions for a particular person. The cymbal situation 
in Europe is unfortunate. In the USA, we have a few cottage 
industries dedicated to electronic percussion that make wonderful 
products--Pintech, Visu-lite, and Hart, for example--and they are 
sometimes responsive to our direct needs. Occasionally, their 
products show up at used prices here; maybe as imports, one of them 
might be affordable for you. We can keep talking about it.

As far as the international companies are concerned, you already 
know about Yamaha's products. Roland's can be very good, but so 
overpriced that buying them can seem like paying a luxury or a duty 
tax. The least expensive Roland cymbal is the stereo CY-6, which is 
a gum-rubber round cymbal, 12 inches long. I've used it. Though I 
wasn't thrilled with it through Yamaha electronics, it was 
servicable. The feel wasn't bad, and roundness is important to me. I 
think that the Pintech cymbals are available in Europe, even if only 
by special request. The Pintech Zenbal is a 14 inch round, rubber 
cymbal that many members of this group have come to love. It comes 
in a mono version or a stereo version, like the Yamahas, and, inch 
for inch, is less expensive than Roland--at least here. If you can 
get your hands on one of these models in a store, you could 
experiment with it. We are fairly confident that Yamaha will be 
releasing new components by the end of the summer. If you can hold 
out that long, you might be able to get what you need--but that's a 
gamble. Not all cymbals seem to support the effect that you're 
missing; you have to try them to find out. Simply stated, ddrum 
makes remarkable equipment, but very expensive. Nor would I think 
that cymbals are their strongest suit. Maybe you should find out 
what your store can get, and then ask us about the product. One of 
us should be able to help.

If you're going to integrate the DM5, don't do it with MIDI 
connections. Ideally, what you should have is a separate electronic 
device called a mixer. A mixer has inputs that accept instruments, 
microphones, etc., usually through 1/4 inch phono jacks, so that 
they can run together through one amplification system (or headphone 
output from the mixer). It allows all of the instruments connected 
to it to be balanced (mixed) and sometimes further processed. For 
your purposes (collecting the outputs of two drum modules), the 
mixer need not be expensive or complicated. We have good ones here 
for $100 or less. Roland and Yamaha make their own models; maybe 
your store will have a deal. Ask us about any brands that aren't 
familiar to you. Be simple.

The DTX module has a crude mixer built into it; you may be able to 
use it if you're in a pinch. The 1/8" auxiliary input on the front 
panel of the module is intended mainly for connecting a CD or MP3 
player so that you can mix its output, using the volume knob beside 
the input, with the sounds of the module to play along. You could 
connect the Alesis through it and mix its sounds with that of the 
DTX and listen through headphones or amp. The results may not be 
perfect, but they may be all right until you find the right external 
mixer. If you mix that way, you'll need a stereo 1/4" adaptor to 
connect.

Ed

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "ppadana" <ppadana@y...> wrote:
> Hi all again!
> First of all..thanks a lot..it's awesome to find such a group..I 
feel 
> free to ask and you know what I'm talking about: you all have a 
> DTXpress...
> Do you all come from USA? Well,in such a critical historical 
period, 
> with tensions between USA and Europe,I'm glad to have this 
connection 
> with you...ok, stop politics,let's talk about music :-)
> First of all..surely in Italy we don't have that wideness in 
choice 
> you can have in the States.. I mean: we play japanese or american 
> instruments,but they all come here by importation, so they are 
more 
> expensive and only the best things reach our market- but our local 
> dealer can order from USA, if we have special requests.. I'm not 
so 
> expert, I knew Ddrums,Roland and those brands,but I never heard 
about 
> visu-lite cymbals, except in these days, when I read *EVERYTHING* 
in 
> the net regarding electronic drums..
> The problem is that if I find something interesting in an USA 
> Internet store..well,I must pay importation taxes,so the purchase 
is 
> not worthwhile anymore :-( Anyway..can you tell me some 
(relatively 
> cheap) cymbal model I could look for?
> I would have some other questions to ask..but I dont' want to be 
> heavy for this group..so if someone is available to answer me by e-
> mail..well, I'm ready to ask! :-)
> The first thing I'd like to talk about is the join between 
DTXpress 
> and Alesis DM5..wow, after some pitch regulations I heard a DM5 
snare 
> sound which is soooo similar to my steel Rogers snare *I LOVE IT-I 
> WANT IT!!*..I have a midi cable to connect both drum modules..for 
> example I'd love to use DM5 snare,Dm5 snares seem better than DTX 
> ones, but I prefer Yamaha's toms, bass drum and cymbals..please, 
> someone can tell me *step by step* how could I do?!? (I know, I 
have 
> a manual..but my next concert date is veeeery close, and in this 
> period I've a little time to dedicate to my hobby..)
> Thanks,
> Gianluca