Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, rdamon@m... wrote:
> When I first opened the HH65 up, my first impression of the pedal 
(having an
> engineering background) was "this could be a potential long term 
design flaw
> in the basic design and contruction" and that I should just figure 
on
> replacing the rubber wedgy piece every few years.  The concern I 
had was
> that by using a flexible material like rubber for the wedge, that 
although
> it does provide excellant shock absorbtion, it is also can lead to 
wear and
> tear and stretching. This stretching would lead to the first notch 
on the
> bottom of the wedge to lay continuously on the first contact point 
of the
> FSR and thus eliminating the "open hihat sound" permanently. By 
lifting up
> the pedal and wiggling it, it might let the wedge spring back 
enough to no
> longer make contact with the FSR. 
> 
> With an acoutics hihat the spring that keeps the top hat raised are 
pretty
> strong and reliable, so that a many hours of use everyday, year 
after year,
> there isn't a problem with the top hihat drooping down and making 
permant
> contact with the bottom hat.
> 
> Since your foot rests on the hihat pedal in the closed or semi-
closed
> position the overwhelming majority of the time, it is not a problem 
for the
> acoutic hihat, but could be a concern with the HH65. By having 
constant
> downward pressure on the hihat pedal (HH65), you are stretching the 
rubber
> wedge. It is secured at one side only (heal side) and the distants 
between
> the ridge on the bottom of the rubber wedge and the FSR is very 
small, it
> would not have to stretch too much before a problem would develop. 
> 
> Although I have not encounter the problem yet (and will probably 
never have
> one since I have three HH65 that I swap around to distribute usage 
time), I
> can easily see where it could develop into a problem. I am sure 
that Yamaha
> torture tested it my opening and closing it with a robot tester, 
but I have
> to wonder if they ever just left it in a fully closed position for 
a year or
> so to see if the rubber overstretched.

OGD,

Interesting and valuable point. It led me back to look closely at 
your photos again. I doubt if the "design flaw" would qualify 
as "planned obselescence," but the effect would be the same. I also 
doubt that Yamaha tested the configuration to project a lifespan for 
it; it wouldn't serve any practical purpose for them, even if it 
might for the consumer. Regardless of the mechanical/electronic 
shelflife that a unit like the HH65 might have, how long would the 
typical consumer be expected to keep it? From Yamaha's perspective, 
hopefully not long enough, or short enough, to hurt business.  The 
question goes right to the heart of issues about marketing and 
product turnover/improvement etc. It is a public service to warn 
users about it. 

Ed