Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Hey guys!

Just got a DTXpressII for X-mas, and it is all that and a bag of 
chips. :) Like most people, it was a choice between the V-Club, and 
the DTXpressII. The big reasons the DTXpress won: lower price, 3-zone 
snare, and a big kick pad that can accomodate a dual pedal (which I 
already had).

I've been skimming this group, which has already helped answer alot 
of questions. On in particular from 'emf' which answered my hi-hat 
pedal sensativity question. Thanks!

But, like any noobie, I still have a few more:
1. I saw the link to drumbalaya.com (wow! great store!) for the 
DTXpressIII. How much better will the basic III be than my II? Will 
the sounds be worth the wait? I can still crate mine back up and 
bring it back to Guitar Center in about 25 more days. Unless we're 
talking more than 3 months for the release of the III.

2. I've tried hooking up using MIDI to my EMU XL-7 to use the XL-7's 
drum kits/sounds. After some fiddling, I figured out how to change 
MIDI note values on the DTX to correspond to the XL-7's kits. But, 
one thing it does not seem to transmit is the cymbal chokes. Is there 
a setting on the DTX that I'm missing?

3. For an extra pad (cymbal), should I just stick with Yamahas? I 
want to keep it under $100. Also, is there another hi-hat pedal I can 
use with it? Any brand pads I should not or could not use?


Hoping to contribute something soon,
Bill

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "buggoutbill" <wnofi@e...> wrote:
> Hey guys!
> I've been skimming this group, which has already helped answer alot 
> of questions. On in particular from 'emf' which answered my hi-hat 
> pedal sensativity question. Thanks!

You're welcome and welcome to the group.
 
> But, like any noobie, I still have a few more:
> 1. I saw the link to drumbalaya.com (wow! great store!) for the 
> DTXpressIII. How much better will the basic III be than my II? Will 
> the sounds be worth the wait? I can still crate mine back up and 
> bring it back to Guitar Center in about 25 more days. Unless we're 
> talking more than 3 months for the release of the III.

We may be talking just over three months for the new kit. The 
difference in the modules we simply have to take on faith, but I've 
heard from a very reliable, and impartial, source in the industry 
that Yamaha's new cymbal sounds represent a genuine improvement. The 
STD version of the III is probably not enough of a departure to 
warrant a trade-in. But the re-designed, round cymbals, including the 
new hi hat on a tradtional stand, of the IIISP loom large, especially 
the bell/bow/edge PCY 150. The collapsible curved rack for both kits 
is also a nice touch. The good news is that the cymbals are largely 
backward compatible for the II. OGD has made understanding the 
innovations his mission. Check his recent posts in December for a 
fantastic rundown of the various permutations and possibilities. You 
should be able to determine from his detailed analysis whether an 
immediate upgrade is right for you.
 
> 2. I've tried hooking up using MIDI to my EMU XL-7 to use the XL-
7's 
> drum kits/sounds. After some fiddling, I figured out how to change 
> MIDI note values on the DTX to correspond to the XL-7's kits. But, 
> one thing it does not seem to transmit is the cymbal chokes. Is 
there 
> a setting on the DTX that I'm missing?

You deserve a cigar (make it chocolate one) just for figuring out how 
to work with note numbers on the DTXpress on your own. To get the 
chokes, make sure that the DTXpress is set to allow "note off" 
or "key off." I can't remember the correct Yamaha terminology.
 
> 3. For an extra pad (cymbal), should I just stick with Yamahas? I 
> want to keep it under $100. Also, is there another hi-hat pedal I 
can 
> use with it? Any brand pads I should not or could not use?

Ah, the thousand dollar question and the two cents answer. If you 
stay with Yamaha rubber pads, you are at least assured of no 
incompatability. Almost any other pad will make a noise through the 
Yamaha module, but you might end up trading response, to one degree 
or another, for feel. You may also have to do more tweaking to get 
the settings just right. Many people have had great success with the 
Pintech Zenbals; Stephen Brown, a long-time user of them, has a 
review in our files section. The beautiful Hart Bronze ECII ride is 
not recommended because of sensitivity issues, though the crashes 
seem to work well. The Rolands are hit and miss. The CY-6 is a round 
rubber model that is within your budget; personally, I don't love it 
with Yamaha. The Visu-lites, which I have used with a number of 
different modules, do very well through the DTXpress module. If you 
stay with the DTXpress II, you could get yourself a cheap Yamaha 
wedge cymbal through Drumbalaya's bargain basement or ebay (if 
available) while waiting for the new cymbals to be released with the 
III.  

Hope some of this helps.

Ed

Very helpful! Thank you Ed!

I will play around with the choke stuff. God I love MIDI. :) No, 
really I do.

I'll hold onto my II for now. Then just upgrade parts as I get the 
chance. Hopefully, we'll be able to buy the 'brain' by itself.

I'll probably go for another wedge for now then. I don't mind the 
look, and they work well, and the price is right. Maybe the Zenbals, 
that review was helpful too.

Bill

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "emf" <liberatusvirus@y...> wrote:
> --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "buggoutbill" <wnofi@e...> wrote:
> > Hey guys!
> > I've been skimming this group, which has already helped answer 
alot 
> > of questions. On in particular from 'emf' which answered my hi-
hat 
> > pedal sensativity question. Thanks!
> 
> You're welcome and welcome to the group.
>  
> > But, like any noobie, I still have a few more:
> > 1. I saw the link to drumbalaya.com (wow! great store!) for the 
> > DTXpressIII. How much better will the basic III be than my II? 
Will 
> > the sounds be worth the wait? I can still crate mine back up and 
> > bring it back to Guitar Center in about 25 more days. Unless 
we're 
> > talking more than 3 months for the release of the III.
> 
> We may be talking just over three months for the new kit. The 
> difference in the modules we simply have to take on faith, but I've 
> heard from a very reliable, and impartial, source in the industry 
> that Yamaha's new cymbal sounds represent a genuine improvement. 
The 
> STD version of the III is probably not enough of a departure to 
> warrant a trade-in. But the re-designed, round cymbals, including 
the 
> new hi hat on a tradtional stand, of the IIISP loom large, 
especially 
> the bell/bow/edge PCY 150. The collapsible curved rack for both 
kits 
> is also a nice touch. The good news is that the cymbals are largely 
> backward compatible for the II. OGD has made understanding the 
> innovations his mission. Check his recent posts in December for a 
> fantastic rundown of the various permutations and possibilities. 
You 
> should be able to determine from his detailed analysis whether an 
> immediate upgrade is right for you.
>  
> > 2. I've tried hooking up using MIDI to my EMU XL-7 to use the XL-
> 7's 
> > drum kits/sounds. After some fiddling, I figured out how to 
change 
> > MIDI note values on the DTX to correspond to the XL-7's kits. 
But, 
> > one thing it does not seem to transmit is the cymbal chokes. Is 
> there 
> > a setting on the DTX that I'm missing?
> 
> You deserve a cigar (make it chocolate one) just for figuring out 
how 
> to work with note numbers on the DTXpress on your own. To get the 
> chokes, make sure that the DTXpress is set to allow "note off" 
> or "key off." I can't remember the correct Yamaha terminology.
>  
> > 3. For an extra pad (cymbal), should I just stick with Yamahas? I 
> > want to keep it under $100. Also, is there another hi-hat pedal I 
> can 
> > use with it? Any brand pads I should not or could not use?
> 
> Ah, the thousand dollar question and the two cents answer. If you 
> stay with Yamaha rubber pads, you are at least assured of no 
> incompatability. Almost any other pad will make a noise through the 
> Yamaha module, but you might end up trading response, to one degree 
> or another, for feel. You may also have to do more tweaking to get 
> the settings just right. Many people have had great success with 
the 
> Pintech Zenbals; Stephen Brown, a long-time user of them, has a 
> review in our files section. The beautiful Hart Bronze ECII ride is 
> not recommended because of sensitivity issues, though the crashes 
> seem to work well. The Rolands are hit and miss. The CY-6 is a 
round 
> rubber model that is within your budget; personally, I don't love 
it 
> with Yamaha. The Visu-lites, which I have used with a number of 
> different modules, do very well through the DTXpress module. If you 
> stay with the DTXpress II, you could get yourself a cheap Yamaha 
> wedge cymbal through Drumbalaya's bargain basement or ebay (if 
> available) while waiting for the new cymbals to be released with 
the 

> III.  
> 
> Hope some of this helps.
> 
> Ed