Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "nteeman" <nteeman@p...> wrote:

Greetings NT,

Nice to have you with us.

> To make a long story short, I'm 51yo. 

Boy, I can still remember being 51 (I'm 52). Those were the good old 
days. I have a four-year-old. What do you have?
 
> So, after seeing a drum clinic where they featured accoustic kits 
> with triggers and add on electronic drums(Roland), in the Q&A one 
of 
> the drummers there responded about e-drums to someones question 
> that 'if you are working a full-time job and come home and just 
look 
> at your drum kit in the evening because it is too late to play you 
> should think seriously about getting a set of electronic drums.' 
This 
> struck me as being exactly me.

E-drums are a godsend. But even though they make considerably less 
noise than an acoustic set, they are not totally silent, especially 
the kick pedals. If you're playing late night in a basement with 
plenty of natural sound proofing, you'll be in good shape. If you're 
sharing the second floor with your kids and/or wife trying to sleep, 
you may have to work on scheduling a little. The kick pedal can also 
be heard through floor boards; people below you will hear the thump 
unless you take DIY steps to insulate. Some people are more tolerant 
about this kind of stray noise than others; my wife, who is subject 
to migraines at the drop of a pin, is at the far end of the scale (I 
have mesh head pads with acrylic or metal cymbals). But, as everyone 
says, e-drums are the only answer to a situation like yours.
 
> After pricing mesh head sets I knew that they were just out of my 
> price range. Even if I financed them I couldn't imagine how I could 
> explain spending that much to my wife. I could probably get away 
with 
> it but I would be hearing about it for a long time. 

This may be true, but I'll bet your mesh pricing was based on Roland 
components, which are much more expensive than they have to be--
primarily because Roland owns the popular market (and perception). 
But Roland is not alone. The Pintech mesh pads are a good $100 less 
expensive than the comparable Rolands; they are worth a look if price 
is the only obstacle. The inestimatble Brian LaRue, who runs Pintech, 
is a valued member of this group and higly accessible (if he's not 
busy with his job--LOL). Check out the Pintech site and Stephen 
Brown's review of some of Pintech's latest offerings in our 
archives.  

> I could see that it would be either the V-Club 
> from Roland or the DTXpress II. I went to my local drum shop, where 
I 
> saw the clinic, and was going to try them both. Unfortunately, they 
> only had the V-Club--won't have the DTXPress until at least 
> January '04. I played the V-Club and could tell that I would be 
happy 
> with a rubber pad set up like both offer, but I didn't care for the 
> BD pedal trigger on the V-Club. The DTXPress BD pad looks more to 
my 
> liking. 

Frankly, the DTXpress is a better buy than the Roland V-Club. It's 
not an accident that the Yamaha is on back order all over the place. 
It has a little more of everything at a little less cost. And 
Yamaha's electronic customer service, not to mention its management, 
is a lot more accessible than Roland's. We've established a 
comfortable relationship with them, and we hope to see it continue to 
grow.

>I did also try the V-Stage set (mesh heads) and they were OK 
> but I didn't feel the difference was worth the extra $$$, at least 
> not for my use.

The V-Stage isn't much to write home about, even though the TD-8 
module is arguably the most finished in the Roland line. The V-
Session is a huge step up and much better to play. Many people at the 
price point of the Stage opt for Pintech or Hart sets to get more for 
the money. Harts don't match up as well with Yamaha electronics.
 
> I was dissappointed that I was not able to try the DTXPress right 
> then and there and I probably would have bought them if I could 
have. 
> For now I'm waiting. I know that there are a few internet shops 
that 
> still have them in stock but it seems I should wait for the new 
> DTXPress III. At least on paper the Yammy kit looks like it will 
> provide everything I am looking for in this kind of kit.

Considering the wait for the II, the III seems like the way to go. It 
has features that many people have been waiting for in a Yamaha e-kit 
(see the thread in our archives). Assuming that the III will be ready 
to go after Winter NAMM in January and that Yamaha already has cut 
back supplies of the II in anticipation, you don't seem to have much 
to lose. But waiting bites, anyway. Maybe you can get some vicarious 
pleasure in the meantime joining us in various discussions and 
picking our brains (and I use the term loosely). I'm sure I've left 
loads of information out. 

Ed