Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, Theguy Withnoeye 
<theguywithnoeye@y...> wrote:
> I'll add a Question, has anyone finally tried the HH80
> on a DTXpressII, I once saw one on ebay and thought on
> acquiring it, but I'm on a playing level where I
> barely take advantage of the HH65 pedal capabilities,
> so I thought I'd first try to become a (better)
> drummer, and fully control the basic kit.

Pedro,

I assume that you saw the response that OGD got from Yamaha when he 
asked about whether the action of the HH80A were fully continuous or 
simply more discrete, as well as the discussion we had some time ago 
in relation to a thread on the vdrums forum. Theoretically, the HH80A 
will allow much more variable action between fully open and closed. 
However, contingencies of setup and the degree of compactness in the 
pedal's movement make the extent to which a user can actually 
experience the gradations somewhat uncertain. I've heard of Xpress 
drummers raving about the benefits of the HH80A, or at least 
acknowledging it, but that could be an understandable justification 
of a fairly expensive purchase. The Visu-lite hi hat, which works on 
a fully continous principle, was based on the HH80A; it definitely 
gets incremental sounds that the HH60 couldn't get with the Xpress 
module, which speaks well (or at least better) or the HH80A. But, 
again, the range of motion is too small for really fine distinctions. 

That said, hi hat response is a sticky point with all manufacturers. 
As I said, the discussion that OGD and I had about Yamaha's followed 
from a negative discussion about Roland's. I've told you about the 
Visu-lite. I've also used ddrum (which is not compatible with either 
Roland or Yamaha electronics), and even though the sounds are 
unbeatable, ddrum users complain that the sonic distance between open 
and closed is too compressed. Personally, I can live with it, 
although advertising to the contrary can sour the experience. For 
now, I'd hang onto the HH65, for now, assuming that you can fix it. 
But then, I'm always in favor of saving money if the expense doesn't 
seem to make a huge qualitative difference. By the way, the Pintech 
and Hart versions, which require an adaptor with Yamaha, are outside 
my experience.

Ed