Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

I've been having problems with the response of my PCY60's, which I've
never really been happy with. At first I was having a tremendous problem
with missed hits, and spent a lot of time jiggering the mounts and fiddling
with the rejection settings, to no avail. Finally, I looked at the circuit 
boards and discovered cracks in the solder on all four solder points for 
the input jacks on both cymbals. Resoldering those points seems to have
cured the missed hits problem.

However, it has done nothing to solve my other problem, which is erratic
volume response. If I take a TP80 and play a steady beat, I can keep the 
trigger levels fairly consistent, e.g.: 61%, 65%, 63%, etc. If I try to do 
the same thing with the PCY60, the results can vary anywhere from 99% to
20%, with no apparent rhyme or reason. Even a really good thwack can
sometimes register only at about 20%. This happens whether I'm playing
8th notes at 180 or quarter notes at 60. Let me note that I already try to
play solely on top of the Yamaha logo since anywhere else seems even more
unreliable. 

Any thoughts on the cause of this? Bad soldering job, bad mounting job, 
bad technique, dead PCYs?

Darren Lo
lo@...

Darren,

It might be bad soldering. I had a drum that misbehaved like that; I 
resoldered everything without any luck. It's unlikely to be poor 
technique or mounting, though hitting too hard for a long time can 
result in problems with the pad not unlike what you're experiencing. 
And if these are PCY60s, they've probably been around for a while. 
But I'd vote for something interfering with the signal, like a 
hairline crack in the solder, or even dirt on contacts. Have you 
tried the simple spraying of WD-40 on the jack and wiggling it 
around a bit at the outout?

Ed

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, Darren Lo <lo@m...> wrote:
> I've been having problems with the response of my PCY60's, which 
I've
> never really been happy with. At first I was having a tremendous 
problem
> with missed hits, and spent a lot of time jiggering the mounts and 
fiddling
> with the rejection settings, to no avail. Finally, I looked at the 
circuit 
> boards and discovered cracks in the solder on all four solder 
points for 
> the input jacks on both cymbals. Resoldering those points seems to 
have
> cured the missed hits problem.
> 
> However, it has done nothing to solve my other problem, which is 
erratic
> volume response. If I take a TP80 and play a steady beat, I can 
keep the 
> trigger levels fairly consistent, e.g.: 61%, 65%, 63%, etc. If I 
try to do 
> the same thing with the PCY60, the results can vary anywhere from 
99% to
> 20%, with no apparent rhyme or reason. Even a really good thwack 
can
> sometimes register only at about 20%. This happens whether I'm 
playing
> 8th notes at 180 or quarter notes at 60. Let me note that I 
already try to
> play solely on top of the Yamaha logo since anywhere else seems 
even more
> unreliable. 
> 
> Any thoughts on the cause of this? Bad soldering job, bad mounting 
job, 

> bad technique, dead PCYs?
> 
> Darren Lo
> lo@m...

I don't have anything to help here. But in relation to where's the 
best place to hit the cymbal pad, I agree that hitting on the logo 
seems to be the most reliable spot! I get silent hits often. I go 
for the crash and....Egg all over my face!

I've not had a solder joint come loose, but the cymbals from day one 
have been problematic. The 1/4" jack on both my cymbals on my 
DTXpress (#1) have had bad contact & I've had to either push them in 
a little further or back them out a bit! Funny that the pads have 
not had this happen?

As for cracks, I'd imagine you'd have to hit them very hard. Since I 
don't have the experience in the responsivness of an acoustic set, I 
see that this e-drum can only be hit so hard for an effective 
response.

Steve



--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, Darren Lo <lo@m...> wrote:
> I've been having problems with the response of my PCY60's, which 
I've
> never really been happy with. At first I was having a tremendous 
problem
> with missed hits, and spent a lot of time jiggering the mounts and 
fiddling
> with the rejection settings, to no avail. Finally, I looked at the 
circuit 
> boards and discovered cracks in the solder on all four solder 
points for 
> the input jacks on both cymbals. Resoldering those points seems to 
have
> cured the missed hits problem.
> 
> However, it has done nothing to solve my other problem, which is 
erratic
> volume response. If I take a TP80 and play a steady beat, I can 
keep the 
> trigger levels fairly consistent, e.g.: 61%, 65%, 63%, etc. If I 
try to do 
> the same thing with the PCY60, the results can vary anywhere from 
99% to
> 20%, with no apparent rhyme or reason. Even a really good thwack 
can
> sometimes register only at about 20%. This happens whether I'm 
playing
> 8th notes at 180 or quarter notes at 60. Let me note that I 
already try to
> play solely on top of the Yamaha logo since anywhere else seems 
even more
> unreliable. 
> 
> Any thoughts on the cause of this? Bad soldering job, bad mounting 
job, 

> bad technique, dead PCYs?
> 
> Darren Lo
> lo@m...

Huh,

Intersting Vince, I'll try that! I guess maybe I lay into in too 
much. 

Another weird thing is the kick drum pad misses a beat sometimes 
also. But that time I was aware of how I was kick'n it! I ordered 
new kick trigger's, but it hasn't happend in a while.

Thank's, Steve


--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "Vincent Emery" 
<vincent.emery@c...> wrote:
> Like you, I had this problem of silence when hitting the PCYS. the 
solution is simply "how" you hit it. You must remove the stick as 
quickly as you hit it and you will have no problem. 
Hit "dynamically", that's all !
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: zapaxe 
>   To: DTXpress@yahoogroups.com 
>   Sent: Saturday, May 17, 2003 5:50 AM
>   Subject: [DTXpress] Re: Those damn PCY's
> 
> 
>   I don't have anything to help here. But in relation to where's 
the 
>   best place to hit the cymbal pad, I agree that hitting on the 
logo 
>   seems to be the most reliable spot! I get silent hits often. I 
go 
>   for the crash and....Egg all over my face!
> 
>   I've not had a solder joint come loose, but the cymbals from day 
one 
>   have been problematic. The 1/4" jack on both my cymbals on my 
>   DTXpress (#1) have had bad contact & I've had to either push 
them in 
>   a little further or back them out a bit! Funny that the pads 
have 
>   not had this happen?
> 
>   As for cracks, I'd imagine you'd have to hit them very hard. 
Since I 
>   don't have the experience in the responsivness of an acoustic 
set, I 
>   see that this e-drum can only be hit so hard for an effective 
>   response.
> 
>   Steve
> 
> 
> 
>   --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, Darren Lo <lo@m...> wrote:
>   > I've been having problems with the response of my PCY60's, 
which 
>   I've
>   > never really been happy with. At first I was having a 
tremendous 
>   problem
>   > with missed hits, and spent a lot of time jiggering the mounts 
and 
>   fiddling
>   > with the rejection settings, to no avail. Finally, I looked at 
the 
>   circuit 
>   > boards and discovered cracks in the solder on all four solder 
>   points for 
>   > the input jacks on both cymbals. Resoldering those points 
seems to 
>   have
>   > cured the missed hits problem.
>   > 
>   > However, it has done nothing to solve my other problem, which 
is 
>   erratic
>   > volume response. If I take a TP80 and play a steady beat, I 
can 
>   keep the 
>   > trigger levels fairly consistent, e.g.: 61%, 65%, 63%, etc. If 
I 
>   try to do 
>   > the same thing with the PCY60, the results can vary anywhere 
from 
>   99% to
>   > 20%, with no apparent rhyme or reason. Even a really good 
thwack 
>   can
>   > sometimes register only at about 20%. This happens whether I'm 
>   playing
>   > 8th notes at 180 or quarter notes at 60. Let me note that I 
>   already try to
>   > play solely on top of the Yamaha logo since anywhere else 
seems 
>   even more
>   > unreliable. 
>   > 
>   > Any thoughts on the cause of this? Bad soldering job, bad 
mounting 
>   job, 
>   > bad technique, dead PCYs?
>   > 
>   > Darren Lo
>   > lo@m...
> 
> 
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