My thoughts on DTPK9A pad set
2002-01-14 by okant
I have the new DTPK9A pad set. It consists of: 1 x TP80S 4 x TP60 1 x PCY80S 1 x PCY60 1 x KP60 1 x HH60 Cymbals: PCY80S really makes a difference. Compared to PCY60 it is much quiter and more responsive, with a much better bounce. It is also stereo so chokes are possible and you get three separate sounds out of it (one hitting center, one hitting rim and one hitting center while holding the rim). One annoying thing is that the rim is supposed to be velocity sensitive but it does not seem so. It also shares that strange property of PCY60; that if you play on Yamaha logo you get a louder sound than on near the edge. TP80S: Contrary to popular belief TP80S is the same size as TP60. What you get is the rimshot capability but it has the same velocity problem on the rim as on PCY80. Other than that I did not find any noticeable difference between a TP80S and a TP60. I can understand buying a TP80S over a TP60 because it has rim capability, but I cannot understand buying a TP80 (which does not have rimshots). HH60: OK, I've never played acoustic drums and and never put my foot on a real hi-hat pedal. That's probably why I didn't find a problem with HH60. I found that if you place your foot in a correct position, it is very easy to use. It's got I believe 4 half-open positions and after some experiment I started to hit the right note at the right time. KP60: For the same reason as above, I am quite comfortable with it. Unable to compare it to a real bass drum, I find the response and stiffness very good. However the noise is really an issue. I've already got complaints from neighbours (living in an apartment). I've ripped apart the unit, filled in every bit of space with foam and if I'm really - really - careful with my foot I can play noisless; but if I forget myself and start hitting it like hell - the way I like it - , I get a knock on the door within 5 minutes. Just my 2 cents, Okan