Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

I have a question about buying "upgraded trigger pads"  If the 
module is what determines how everything sounds, why would I spend 
the extra money for different pads?  Other than the number of 
triggers on a pad, do different pads sound different?  Thanks for 
the input.  
Ed W

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "eclipse9917042" <ewitters@c...> 
wrote:
> I have a question about buying "upgraded trigger pads"  If the 
> module is what determines how everything sounds, why would I spend 
> the extra money for different pads?  Other than the number of 
> triggers on a pad, do different pads sound different?  Thanks for 
> the input.  

Hi Ed (catchy name, that),

I'll give this question a go. People mainly upgrade their pads 
because of touch, features, and/or size. People who like playing gum-
rubber pads might want to play larger ones, or ones with more 
capabilities (one or two rim/edge voices instead of only a single 
sound from one piezo). Gum-rubber, being a little less forgiving to 
joints, often gives way to woven-head pads, which simulate the feel, 
as well as look, of acoustic drums. Good woven-heads, or mylar heads 
for that matter, often provide better head coverage and better 
sensitivity for any given snare, tom, or kick voice, and the rims 
play more like their acoustic counterparts than a raised rubber ridge 
does. When it comes to e-cymbals, many players prefer a material that 
either simulates or duplicates the look and feel of a traditional 
cymbal. Furthermore, any component that features two separate piezos 
for its two sounds will generally be more reliable (in terms of 
delivering what's expected when struck) than one housing a piezo plus 
an FSR switch, even though it will take up two inputs for the 
privilege. Plus, upgraded pads and cymbals when played through 
certain modules might permit positional sensing--that is, the voice 
triggered will change in response to exactly where the pad/cymbal is 
hit. 

The question about whether voices audibly change with different types 
of pad is a difficult one. I've had the experience of a module's 
sounds seemingly changing their character according to the component 
used. Some of the impression may be psychological, and some may be 
due to the different inherent sensitivity curves that these different 
components have. It is an established fact in audio that different 
volume levels affect how people judge the quality of the same sound. 
But it could also be due to how various materials propagate signals 
and how the designer of the pad has chosen to orient and outfit the 
electronics. A good question and fun to answer.

Ed