Vintage Simmons Drums (UK) Users Group

Just thought I'd join up after acquiring an SDS1000M off eBay - maybe it was flagged up here, if so: hi, it was me!

There were a few problems as the internal PSU fuse had shaken loose in transit and it arrived dead. The PCB for the front panel buttons had also come loose so the buttons had gone spongey and pushed part way into the case. It looked like the PCB was held in with 2 clear plastic shims glued to the top and bottom of the case - the glue had deteriorated and both shims had come loose - very odd - looked to me like a bodge repair rather than original manufacture, but I don't see how else the PCB would have been held in. I superglued the shims back, and it seems OK now, although the buttons still seem a bit spongey.

I'm not sure it gives me what I'd consider the classic Simmons sound. It seems to have been marketed on its 'realism', and that's not what I'm after. To me, the classic sound is as used by Talk Talk. Having said that, I haven't explored the sounds much yet, and I'm hoping I can tweak the electronic kit to my liking.

At the moment I'm driving it from midi, but I'm going to try making some DIY pads from practise pads and piezo pickups. I don't have a full kit - just a Roland trigger (SPD8?), a TR909, and a Korg Wavedrum - I'm predominantly PC based, but fancy getting my performance skills brushed up - the Wavedrum is very much a performance instrument - you can't drive it from midi due to the way some of it's sounds are modelled from the skin pickups, but it does output midi. I haven't tried yet, but I think I can use the Wavedrum rim to drive the SDS1000 via its trigger inputs.

Hello!

I you want the Talk Talk sound., you want a Simmons SDS-V.

It\ufffds as simple as that.

WT

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "windsurfinsusie" <gardens@...>
To: <Simmons_Drums@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, May 29, 2009 5:11 PM
Subject: [Simmons Drums] Hi there!


> Just thought I'd join up after acquiring an SDS1000M off eBay - maybe it 
> was flagged up here, if so: hi, it was me!
>
> There were a few problems as the internal PSU fuse had shaken loose in 
> transit and it arrived dead. The PCB for the front panel buttons had also 
> come loose so the buttons had gone spongey and pushed part way into the 
> case. It looked like the PCB was held in with 2 clear plastic shims glued 
> to the top and bottom of the case - the glue had deteriorated and both 
> shims had come loose - very odd - looked to me like a bodge repair rather 
> than original manufacture, but I don't see how else the PCB would have 
> been held in. I superglued the shims back, and it seems OK now, although 
> the buttons still seem a bit spongey.
>
> I'm not sure it gives me what I'd consider the classic Simmons sound. It 
> seems to have been marketed on its 'realism', and that's not what I'm 
> after. To me, the classic sound is as used by Talk Talk. Having said that, 
> I haven't explored the sounds much yet, and I'm hoping I can tweak the 
> electronic kit to my liking.
>
> At the moment I'm driving it from midi, but I'm going to try making some 
> DIY pads from practise pads and piezo pickups. I don't have a full kit - 
> just a Roland trigger (SPD8?), a TR909, and a Korg Wavedrum - I'm 
> predominantly PC based, but fancy getting my performance skills brushed 
> up - the Wavedrum is very much a performance instrument - you can't drive 
> it from midi due to the way some of it's sounds are modelled from the skin 
> pickups, but it does output midi. I haven't tried yet, but I think I can 
> use the Wavedrum rim to drive the SDS1000 via its trigger inputs.
>
> Hello!
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

I agree with WT right there. I own a Simmons SDS1000 and the sounds are only good at recreating acoustic drums. I tried making the classic Simmons sounds on the SDS1000 and it did not give me the same flexibility as the world-famous SDSV because of its "inferior" design using Curtis synth-in-a-chip IC's. I tried making noise shots with the 1000 but it sounded terrible and "Prince-ish". The high tom won't tune very high either. I read the SDS8 is good at the noise/tone and the tom pitch but the overall sound is not the same quality as the SDSV. In the early works of Talk Talk, Lee Harris did use a Simmons SDSV. I've seen the videos.

Dean

--- In Simmons_Drums@yahoogroups.com, "WT" <waveterm@...> wrote:

>
> I you want the Talk Talk sound., you want a Simmons SDS-V.
> 
> It´s as simple as that.
> 
> WT
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "windsurfinsusie" <gardens@...>
> To: <Simmons_Drums@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Friday, May 29, 2009 5:11 PM
> Subject: [Simmons Drums] Hi there!
> 
> 
> > Just thought I'd join up after acquiring an SDS1000M off eBay - maybe it 
> > was flagged up here, if so: hi, it was me!
> >
> > There were a few problems as the internal PSU fuse had shaken loose in 
> > transit and it arrived dead. The PCB for the front panel buttons had also 
> > come loose so the buttons had gone spongey and pushed part way into the 
> > case. It looked like the PCB was held in with 2 clear plastic shims glued 
> > to the top and bottom of the case - the glue had deteriorated and both 
> > shims had come loose - very odd - looked to me like a bodge repair rather 
> > than original manufacture, but I don't see how else the PCB would have 
> > been held in. I superglued the shims back, and it seems OK now, although 
> > the buttons still seem a bit spongey.
> >
> > I'm not sure it gives me what I'd consider the classic Simmons sound. It 
> > seems to have been marketed on its 'realism', and that's not what I'm 
> > after. To me, the classic sound is as used by Talk Talk. Having said that, 
> > I haven't explored the sounds much yet, and I'm hoping I can tweak the 
> > electronic kit to my liking.
> >
> > At the moment I'm driving it from midi, but I'm going to try making some 
> > DIY pads from practise pads and piezo pickups. I don't have a full kit - 
> > just a Roland trigger (SPD8?), a TR909, and a Korg Wavedrum - I'm 
> > predominantly PC based, but fancy getting my performance skills brushed 
> > up - the Wavedrum is very much a performance instrument - you can't drive 
> > it from midi due to the way some of it's sounds are modelled from the skin 
> > pickups, but it does output midi. I haven't tried yet, but I think I can 
> > use the Wavedrum rim to drive the SDS1000 via its trigger inputs.
> >
> > Hello!
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
>

Dean Stewart Rumsey skrev:
> I agree with WT right there. I own a Simmons SDS1000 and the sounds are 
> only good at recreating acoustic drums. I tried making the classic 
> Simmons sounds on the SDS1000 and it did not give me the same 
> flexibility as the world-famous SDSV because of its "inferior" design 
> using Curtis synth-in-a-chip IC's. I tried making noise shots with the 
> 1000 but it sounded terrible and "Prince-ish". The high tom won't tune 
> very high either. I read the SDS8 is good at the noise/tone and the tom 
> pitch but the overall sound is not the same quality as the SDSV. In the 
> early works of Talk Talk, Lee Harris did use a Simmons SDSV. I've seen 
> the videos.

CEM? In a SDS-V? Have my memory failed or aren't there SSM's in there? I 
know the SDS-7 is CEM-packed though...

And yes... Talk Talk used SDS-V. They also loved their Variophon. If 
you're a fan I have a bunch for sale. But that's a different story 
altogether! :D

-- 
electronically yours, jesper

- -- --- ---- ----- ---- --- -- -
www.electronic-obsession.se
www.myspace.com/machinepop

Jesper, I think Dean was referring to the SDS-1000.

WT

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "jesper" <jesper@...>
To: <Simmons_Drums@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, May 29, 2009 9:02 PM
Subject: Re: [Simmons Drums] Hi there!


> Dean Stewart Rumsey skrev:
>> I agree with WT right there. I own a Simmons SDS1000 and the sounds are 
>> only good at recreating acoustic drums. I tried making the classic 
>> Simmons sounds on the SDS1000 and it did not give me the same 
>> flexibility as the world-famous SDSV because of its "inferior" design 
>> using Curtis synth-in-a-chip IC's. I tried making noise shots with the 
>> 1000 but it sounded terrible and "Prince-ish". The high tom won't tune 
>> very high either. I read the SDS8 is good at the noise/tone and the tom 
>> pitch but the overall sound is not the same quality as the SDSV. In the 
>> early works of Talk Talk, Lee Harris did use a Simmons SDSV. I've seen 
>> the videos.
> 
> CEM? In a SDS-V? Have my memory failed or aren't there SSM's in there? I 
> know the SDS-7 is CEM-packed though...
> 
> And yes... Talk Talk used SDS-V. They also loved their Variophon. If 
> you're a fan I have a bunch for sale. But that's a different story 
> altogether! :D
> 
> -- 
> electronically yours, jesper
> 
> - -- --- ---- ----- ---- --- -- -
> www.electronic-obsession.se
> www.myspace.com/machinepop
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------
> 
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
>

WT skrev:
> Jesper, I think Dean was referring to the SDS-1000.

Woops, my bad! :S

-- 
electronically yours, jesper

- -- --- ---- ----- ---- --- -- -
www.electronic-obsession.se
www.myspace.com/machinepop

I was, in fact, referring to the SDS1000 to having the CEM's.

Only the filter of the SDSV is an SSM2044 VCA IC. The oscillator, noise, envelopes, and click are ordinary electronic parts such as op-amps, resistors, capacitors, etc., making the sound of the SDSV clean, rich, and pure.

--- In Simmons_Drums@yahoogroups.com, jesper <jesper@...> wrote:

>
> WT skrev:
> > Jesper, I think Dean was referring to the SDS-1000.
> 
> Woops, my bad! :S
> 
> -- 
> electronically yours, jesper
> 
> - -- --- ---- ----- ---- --- -- -
> www.electronic-obsession.se
> www.myspace.com/machinepop
>

There's an SDSV brain up on eBay at the moment. I think having just bought the SDS1000M I'd better stick with that for now (plus it has midi).

Are the Simmons brains compatible with modern triggers? I notice the SDSV has XLR inputs, but I'm guessing it's balanced inputs rather than stereo? I guess I'll know more when I've tried triggering my SDS1000m from my DIY pad rather than midi.

I don't have a full kit -
>just a Roland trigger (SPD8?), a TR909, and a Korg Wavedrum - I'm predominantly
>PC based, but fancy getting my performance skills brushed up - 

How bout the wavedrum, (yes I know it's a Simmons forum, but since I am one
of the chosen ones I may ask this)
I believe this is a really neat piece off electronic percussion. Is it for
"real" sounds or is possible to make "unreal" (percussion) sounds

Berk

The Wavedrum is a beauty. It has 60+ different physical models to warp to your liking. A fair number model quite realistic sounds, but I think its strength is its ability for synthetic sounds that I've not heard anything else capable of producing. It's not just its synthesis method, it's the fact that there's so much perfomance control - it really responds to every nuance of your interaction with the drum head. I'm having to learn to be a proper percussionist and not rely on my PC! :-)

--- In Simmons_Drums@yahoogroups.com, "Berk Aarts" <B.E.R.K@...> wrote:

>
> I don't have a full kit -
> >just a Roland trigger (SPD8?), a TR909, and a Korg Wavedrum - I'm predominantly
> >PC based, but fancy getting my performance skills brushed up - 
> 
> How bout the wavedrum, (yes I know it's a Simmons forum, but since I am one
> of the chosen ones I may ask this)
> I believe this is a really neat piece off electronic percussion. Is it for
> "real" sounds or is possible to make "unreal" (percussion) sounds
> 
> Berk
>

windsurfinsusie skrev:
> Are the Simmons brains compatible with modern triggers? I notice the 
> SDSV has XLR inputs, but I'm guessing it's balanced inputs rather than 
> stereo? I guess I'll know more when I've tried triggering my SDS1000m 
> from my DIY pad rather than midi.

Yes, they work with modern triggers. triggering them from sequencers can 
be messier though since modern trig signals often peak at +5 volts and 
the SDS-V wants +7 to peak and the SDS-7 +10 (if I recall correct).

I still haven't modified my midi2SDS2 to deliver +7... baaaaad. :(

-- 
electronically yours, jesper

- -- --- ---- ----- ---- --- -- -
www.electronic-obsession.se
www.myspace.com/machinepop