Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Ed,

Thanks for your reply.  My kit is actually driven by the older 
retired DTX Version 2 brain.  I appologize for posting in the wrong 
group but since I don't find a home and DTXpress is the closest thing 
that matches my unit, I thought my situation should be similar.  

Your feedback about the AX14S is very helpful.  Setup wise, I hope 
it's the same and I never thought that I need to change the pad type 
in the trigger menu.  Thanks for your pointer.  Now since my original 
snare is a TP80S (dual-zone) and it takes up only one input in my DTX 
V2 module, I think I might not need to do anything special about 
that.  What about sensitivity of the AX14S?  I saw on the prior 
postings back in January that you guys had to adjust the hot spot 
area.  That part of tuning will come in handy when I get mine.  Have 
you make further adjustment to it lately?  How about double or buzz 
rolls?? Are they pretty authentic to real drums in your opinion?  

Now for the cymbal, I haven't investigated the Zenbal 14" before. I 
like the fact that it can be a dual zone chokable thing. I wonder if 
the feel is good though! In the product description, it 
says "Separate center and edge sounds".  Does it mean the edge and 
the bell trigger one sound and then the face triggers the other?  
That will be cool!!  Also, I assume the original Yamaha cymbal arm 
will fit this thing, right?  

The hi-hat pad was what I was referring to.  Sure enough, I love the 
Visu-Lite's design.  The price might be a bit out of my range.  So I 
might need to wait a bit and see what other companies have to offer.

Overall, your feedback is well appreciated and I will let you guys 
know my 2 cents of these products once I try them.

Thanks!

Jim

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "liberatusvirus" 
<liberatusvirus@y...> wrote:
> --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "jclco_md" <jclco_md@y...> wrote:
> > For the snare, I want to get the Pintech AX14S.  I saw the 
overall 
> > comment was great but am not sure if the setup will be 
difficult.  
> > Afterall, I am still a novice drummer and want to concentrate on 
> the 
> > technique first.
> 
> Hi Jim,
> 
> I assume that DTXpressII was what you meant. The AX14S is the most 
> cost-effective way to add a high-quality woven head pad to your kit 
> (and at 14 inches, it's difficult for even me to miss). Setup isn't 
> particularly difficult. You'll have to change the pad type of your 
> snare in the trigger menu. Experiment if you like; I have mine set 
as 
> DT Snare. You will also have to place it on a separate stand, as 
> opposed to attaching it on the rack. Nothwithstanding this slight 
> complication, the change will have benefits, allowing you to run 
gain 
> much higher and min. velocity much lower because of the drum's 
> relative invulnerability to crosstalk. Your most important 
rejection 
> setting now will be self-rejection, making sure that the AX14S 
> doesn't run so hot that it double-triggers. You'll also want to 
flip 
> the DIP switch corresponding to your snare input on the back of the 
> module to the up position. Otherwise the signal may be too 
> attenuated. Since the AX14S is dual-zone, meaning it needs a 
> different input for the body and for the rim, most Xpress users use 
> standard input 2 for the snare and either 9 or 10 for rim, in order 
> not to waste a stereo input. A few people run both AX14S outputs 
> through 9/10, but moving the snare that way makes it all but 
> impossible to use the default kits easily.
> > 
> > As for the cymbal, well I kinda like the original PCY80S but 
> > unfortunately it's been discontinued. So I thought perhaps 
getting 
> > the PCY65 along with the bell PCY10 might be an option. But wait, 
> > what about the setup, do you think putting a splitter in the 9/10 
> > input will work?
> 
> You could do that, but remember that you may have used up 9 or 10 
> already with the rim from the AX14S. (Welcome to the new problem of 
> how to add inputs to the Xpress--a search of the archives and a new 
> post may be in order.) You might also consider the Zenbal 14" round 
> stereo cymbal, which will work in one of your stereo inputs and 
allow 
> you to retain 9/10 for the AX14S and another mono pad (an extra tom 
> or crash?). 
>  
> > I also want to replace the hi-hat kick pad cause the feel is 
quite 
> > horrible.  BUt I ain't sure if there is any good replacement out 
> > there.  Might be you guys can make suggestion here!
> 
> Well, I'm not sure whether you're referring to the hi hat pad or 
the 
> kick pad. If the former, I'm a Visu-lite guy all the way. You get 
to 
> use an old-fashioned hi hat stand and watch those two cymbals go up 
> and down just like they used to in the good old days before 
> electricity. Check out my Visu-lite pics in the Files section and 
> consult the company's website. If the latter, options abound. You 
can 
> get a woven-head kick pad from Roland (too expensive)or Pintech 
(much 
> more reasonable) or even a bigger, better rubber one (I have the 
> textured DrumTech kick pad, which Drumbalaya carries now; to me it 
> has all the advantages of a woven head without the hassle of 
> periodically having to turn lugs; also, it's built like a tank).
>  
> Ed