I originally posted this list in the long-running TD-25 thread. This information may be useful to potential buyers so I've moved it to its own thread.
The TD-25 provides sounds from the TD-30 in a module priced at less than half the cost. As such, it's tempting to consider the TD-25 a great deal, and in some ways it is. However, while designing a streamlined interface for the TD-25, Roland seems to have misunderstood the line between optimizing and dumbing down, thus eliminating a number of features many users consider standard. This list of missing features is comprised from observations after reading the TD-25 documentation (both the owner's manual and the parameter guide) and from reports TD-25 owners have made here on the forum. As more information becomes known, please add to and/or correct this list. Here's the list:
TD-25 Missing Features
1.0) While some kits are amongst the best heard from Roland and are usable out of the box, none-the-less, there are still a lot of synthetic-sounding, overly processed, and machine-gun-prone kits that aren't very useful.
2.0) Head and rim sounds cannot be assigned independently.
3.0) Instrument assignments are limited by input type. Examples: snare input only allows snare instrument assignments, tom inputs only allow tom instrument assignments, bass drum input only allows bass drum instrument assignments, etc. Only the single aux input allows assignment of any instrument. Want a second hi-hat on the rim of a tom? No can do. Want two, three, or more snare drums available simultaneously on the tom pads? No can do. Want a second bass drum on one of the tom pads? No can do. Etc.
4.0) Sequencer has been eliminated.
5.0) Digital recorder is so limited, in both features and recording time, that it's not very usable. Some examples of the limitations:
5.1) Internal memory provides only three minutes of recording time.
5.2) When using USB storage, recordings are limited to 30 minutes.
5.3) There is only one track so you cannot record the drums, backing track, and click track to separate tracks. Thus, you cannot listen back and check your time against the click, then remove the click to hear your groove with the backing track, and then remove the backing track to hear only the drums.
5.4) There is only one recording file and this is continually replaced each time you start recording again.
5.5) Internal recording memory isn't persistent as in other V-Drums modules. Thus, when the power is shut off, the recording is lost. You must remember to export the recording to a USB drive. In an even stranger move, the manual claims "recorded content is deleted when you turn off the power" and makes no mention whether the recording comes from internal or USB memory. Seemingly, even if you record to the USB memory, one must remember to export the recording as otherwise the TD-25 deletes it at power off.
(6) Export format is limited to: WAV, 16 bit, 44.1 KHz. There are no compressed formats (lossy or lossless) for saving space.
7.0) As of firmware update 1.10, the TD-25's "quality over quantity" approach took a nose dive into "quantity over quality" territory. The module now provides six variations for each kit category instead of the previous three. Apart from concerns about why six "studio" kits are needed when all one really wants is a single, phenomenal-sounding studio kit, the larger number of kits somewhat breaks the TD-25's category-based interface. The more kits added, the more the interface becomes cumbersome due to its lack of direct kit selection.
8.0) Owner's manual is incomplete, unnecessarily split into two books, and lacks important details and methodologies. The owner's manual itself is useless on its own because it continually skates over critical topics and refers readers to the parameter guide. For example, here's what it says about the Kit Edit button: "In Kit Edit you can make detailed settings for a drum kit. For details on setting parameters, refer to Parameter Guide (PDF)". Other critical features are covered with the same degree of brevity. Another example, here's what the owner's manual says about saving your recordings: "You can export the recorded content to a USB flash drive. For details, refer to Parameter Guide (PDF)." See what I mean? The owner's manual is entirely useless without the parameter guide. Oddly though and even more frustrating, the parameter guide is almost as brief as the owner's manual, typically naming parameters, but offering no advice as to how and when one might use them. This is the worst V-Drums documentation I've seen from Roland.
9.0) X-Stick on/off function (cross-stick on/off), which allows toggling the cross-stick versus rim shot sound while playing, has been removed. The instruments now include duplicates with an "X" at the end of their title, such as "MplSnare" versus " MplSnare X". The "X" version enables the cross-stick. The problem with this approach is, due to the fact instrument assignments cannot be changed in Kit (play) mode, there's no way to toggle the cross-stick versus rim shot sound while playing.
10.0) Percussion sets and MIDI In are MIA (missing in action) and consequently there's no ability to extend the module with external TTM (trigger to MIDI) devices.
The TD-25 provides sounds from the TD-30 in a module priced at less than half the cost. As such, it's tempting to consider the TD-25 a great deal, and in some ways it is. However, while designing a streamlined interface for the TD-25, Roland seems to have misunderstood the line between optimizing and dumbing down, thus eliminating a number of features many users consider standard. This list of missing features is comprised from observations after reading the TD-25 documentation (both the owner's manual and the parameter guide) and from reports TD-25 owners have made here on the forum. As more information becomes known, please add to and/or correct this list. Here's the list:
TD-25 Missing Features
1.0) While some kits are amongst the best heard from Roland and are usable out of the box, none-the-less, there are still a lot of synthetic-sounding, overly processed, and machine-gun-prone kits that aren't very useful.
2.0) Head and rim sounds cannot be assigned independently.
3.0) Instrument assignments are limited by input type. Examples: snare input only allows snare instrument assignments, tom inputs only allow tom instrument assignments, bass drum input only allows bass drum instrument assignments, etc. Only the single aux input allows assignment of any instrument. Want a second hi-hat on the rim of a tom? No can do. Want two, three, or more snare drums available simultaneously on the tom pads? No can do. Want a second bass drum on one of the tom pads? No can do. Etc.
4.0) Sequencer has been eliminated.
5.0) Digital recorder is so limited, in both features and recording time, that it's not very usable. Some examples of the limitations:
5.1) Internal memory provides only three minutes of recording time.
5.2) When using USB storage, recordings are limited to 30 minutes.
5.3) There is only one track so you cannot record the drums, backing track, and click track to separate tracks. Thus, you cannot listen back and check your time against the click, then remove the click to hear your groove with the backing track, and then remove the backing track to hear only the drums.
5.4) There is only one recording file and this is continually replaced each time you start recording again.
5.5) Internal recording memory isn't persistent as in other V-Drums modules. Thus, when the power is shut off, the recording is lost. You must remember to export the recording to a USB drive. In an even stranger move, the manual claims "recorded content is deleted when you turn off the power" and makes no mention whether the recording comes from internal or USB memory. Seemingly, even if you record to the USB memory, one must remember to export the recording as otherwise the TD-25 deletes it at power off.
(6) Export format is limited to: WAV, 16 bit, 44.1 KHz. There are no compressed formats (lossy or lossless) for saving space.
7.0) As of firmware update 1.10, the TD-25's "quality over quantity" approach took a nose dive into "quantity over quality" territory. The module now provides six variations for each kit category instead of the previous three. Apart from concerns about why six "studio" kits are needed when all one really wants is a single, phenomenal-sounding studio kit, the larger number of kits somewhat breaks the TD-25's category-based interface. The more kits added, the more the interface becomes cumbersome due to its lack of direct kit selection.
8.0) Owner's manual is incomplete, unnecessarily split into two books, and lacks important details and methodologies. The owner's manual itself is useless on its own because it continually skates over critical topics and refers readers to the parameter guide. For example, here's what it says about the Kit Edit button: "In Kit Edit you can make detailed settings for a drum kit. For details on setting parameters, refer to Parameter Guide (PDF)". Other critical features are covered with the same degree of brevity. Another example, here's what the owner's manual says about saving your recordings: "You can export the recorded content to a USB flash drive. For details, refer to Parameter Guide (PDF)." See what I mean? The owner's manual is entirely useless without the parameter guide. Oddly though and even more frustrating, the parameter guide is almost as brief as the owner's manual, typically naming parameters, but offering no advice as to how and when one might use them. This is the worst V-Drums documentation I've seen from Roland.
9.0) X-Stick on/off function (cross-stick on/off), which allows toggling the cross-stick versus rim shot sound while playing, has been removed. The instruments now include duplicates with an "X" at the end of their title, such as "MplSnare" versus " MplSnare X". The "X" version enables the cross-stick. The problem with this approach is, due to the fact instrument assignments cannot be changed in Kit (play) mode, there's no way to toggle the cross-stick versus rim shot sound while playing.
10.0) Percussion sets and MIDI In are MIA (missing in action) and consequently there's no ability to extend the module with external TTM (trigger to MIDI) devices.
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