Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

hello all... i've had my dtxpress2 for about two months now. i 
think that its the greatest $1000 that i have ever spent. now that i 
have fully explored the kit, i would like to experiment with 
upgrades. i am thinking that i would like to upgrade the snare to 
something a bit more realistic feeling (compared to an acoustic 
kit). ideally, i would like to get a real sized snare... one with a 
tunable mesh head. like the ones on the upper level yamaha 
kits. has anyone had any experience with a snare upgrade? any 
recomendations? the pintech stuff looks pretty nifty... how does it 
cooperate with the dtxpress2's brain? another option would be 
using an acoustic snare with a silent mesh head and an 
acoustic drum trigger. has anyone tried that? 
thanks in advance for the input...

Hi dog,

I can wholeheartedly recommend the Pintech ConcertCast snare (10") 
or the AX14 piccolo snare (14") for use with the Yamaha. I know that 
at least one person, Walt to be precise, has the Yamaha RHP120SD 
(12"), which he thinks is the greatest thing since sliced bread, and 
he's also used the Pintechs. If you're aiming at the Yamaha, now's 
the right time, since it's been closed out for a few months. Try 
Musiciansfriend and Riks Music for low closeout prices.

Ed

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "decayingdog <decayingdog@y...>" 
<decayingdog@y...> wrote:
> hello all... i've had my dtxpress2 for about two months now. i 
> think that its the greatest $1000 that i have ever spent. now that 
i 
> have fully explored the kit, i would like to experiment with 
> upgrades. i am thinking that i would like to upgrade the snare to 
> something a bit more realistic feeling (compared to an acoustic 
> kit). ideally, i would like to get a real sized snare... one with 
a 
> tunable mesh head. like the ones on the upper level yamaha 
> kits. has anyone had any experience with a snare upgrade? any 
> recomendations? the pintech stuff looks pretty nifty... how does 
it 

> cooperate with the dtxpress2's brain? another option would be 
> using an acoustic snare with a silent mesh head and an 
> acoustic drum trigger. has anyone tried that? 
> thanks in advance for the input...

Dog:
I, too, can highly receommend the Pintech CC102 (10") snare. I've 
heard great things about the AX14, but personally, the size 
differential between it and the 8" Yam pads would really screw me up. 
But then, that's just me.
Stephen

Hi DD,

I have been through the Pintech line on my way up the the Real Head
pads, and the Pintech's are a step up from the rubber pads.

The 10" dual zone works great as a snare, and the added bonus is that
you can use it as a second snare or tom, when you upgrade the snare
the next time (right boys and girls?).  As a general comment I find
some of the Pintech pads can have a 'circle of mystery' near the dead
center of the pad, where the underlying trigger housing contacts the
head - it is usually easily tuneable by editing the trigger settings
and head tension.  The rim trigger, being on a completey seperate
input, can be adjusted for its own sensitivity and rejection (as
opposed to rubber pads).  I may know someone that is getting ready to
list one on eBay...

The Pintech 14" is a larger version, and the same comments apply to
both.  I never did try two ply mesh heads on them, I find the single
plys that Pintech (and Roland) use are a little too active for me.

Then, there's the real head pads - what can be said!  The snare is a
12", which is on the smaller end of the size spectrum for snares.  It
requires a stand as it does not have a mounting mechanism.  It has
individual sensitivity controls for the head and rim triggers.  It
feels as sweet as Ed told you - I get all weak knee-ed and dizzy just
thinkin' about it....

Walt
--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "decayingdog <decayingdog@y...>"
<decayingdog@y...> wrote:

> hello all... i've had my dtxpress2 for about two months now. i 
> think that its the greatest $1000 that i have ever spent. now that i 
> have fully explored the kit, i would like to experiment with 
> upgrades. i am thinking that i would like to upgrade the snare to 
> something a bit more realistic feeling (compared to an acoustic 
> kit). ideally, i would like to get a real sized snare... one with a 
> tunable mesh head. like the ones on the upper level yamaha 
> kits. has anyone had any experience with a snare upgrade? any 
> recomendations? the pintech stuff looks pretty nifty... how does it 
> cooperate with the dtxpress2's brain? another option would be 
> using an acoustic snare with a silent mesh head and an 
> acoustic drum trigger. has anyone tried that? 
> thanks in advance for the input...