New ashton e-kit

[pluto3]

Hi all,dont know what these would be like as im not in a city to test.They read like they have some good features.gotta be better than LEGACY/osp(?) and all the rebranded stuff.thanks and check them out plz.

http://www.allansmusic.com.au/Product.aspx?p=131468

Anyone in oz played this kit?,and there not on ashtons website yet(there having probs).cheers.

[stickinthemud]

Impossible to comment given the scant info provided. It looks like the connecting hardware on the rack is metal, but I can't tell, and they don't say. Nothing said at all about the capabilities of the module. Google gave me only one return - not reassuring. I think you would be safer with a used Roland or Yamaha of the same price, even with rubber pads.

[pluto3]

Thanks for the reply,this kit has just been released.I have the specs on pdf file from ashton and its limited yes.
-5 assignable kits
-57 diff sounds
-vol/sensitivity for each pad
-metranome & 6 beat patterns.
-5x8" mesh drum pads (1x snare,1x kick, 2x rack toms and 1x floor tom)
-2x 14" cymbals (1x crash cymbal with hand mute, 1x ride cymbal with bell sound effect)
-1x 14" hi-hat with x hi-hat controller pedal (allows the hi-hat to be open or closed)
-1x bass drum pedal
-rugged aluminum drum rack system
-power supply included
-includes headphones
thats about all thats not on the link.So yes its average on specs.
And this is an australian design company,prob get rebadged elsewhere.

http://www.ashtonmusic.com.au

there website is having probs they told me.

[allanjohn]

Hi Pluto,

Thanks for the heads-up. Having been appointed Australian Musician's electronic drums reviewer, I have contacted Ashton for more information, but as you point out, they're having some technical issues.
Their other instruments are rebadged Chinese imports, so I wouldn't hold out too much hope for these - certainly not as a Roland competitor. Looks like they're going up against Legacy and the other strange-named incarnations/house branded starter kits. I'll keep you posted.

[pluto3]

Thanks mate,these look like them or very close.Yep Taiwan .

http://www.alibaba.com/product-tp/12156011/Electronic_Drum_Kits.html

[rbressers]

Yikes.. These kits are so damn bad for E-drums reputation, which isn't so good anyway. A lot of so-called musicians don't like E-drums at all and kits like these don't make it any better.

[pluto3]

I agree,best keep saving for a roland.

[allanjohn]

Ashton has a good name for entry-level musical instruments in Australia (I believe their products are also available in the UK).
I've just started testing this for a review in Australian Musician and I must say it's streets ahead of the no-name entry kits. The module only has four kits, but you can adjust senstitivy and volume of each pad. There's a built-in metronome and stereo mix.
The rack looks like chrome, although the manual says its aluminium - whatever, it's very sturdy and probably overkill for the lightweight pads.
The pads are quite responsive - although at 8" not overgenerous. One cymbal (crash) has a choke, the other has a velocity-triggered bell sound (but I've struggled to trigger that).
I'm quite impressed with the kick, which certainly rivals the KD8 and I'm tempted to see if it's possible to buy one separately.
In short, not a bad packaged for AUD799 - if you're in the market for a kid's practice kit or not looking to expand down the track.
I'll post a link to the full review when it's finished.

[pluto3]

Look forward to reading your review of these allan,thanks.

[allanjohn]

As requested, here is my review which will appear in Australian Musician.
Disclaimer:This is a generalist magazine, not an e-drum specialist. Its readers are musical tyre-kickers - very amateur-oriented. And this kit needs to be considered alongside the no-name offerings like Legacy, Simmons and all other kinds of impressive-sounding names....

PRODUCT: Ashton EDK530 Electronic drum kit

Ashton has a solid reputation for value-focused instruments and the importer has broadened its range to tap into the growing electronic drum kit market. The EDK530 kit represents Ashton’s first offering and the kit is pitched between the entry kits of the major brands and the plethora of no-name-brand contenders.
The kit is a generous package, offering everything the digital drummer needs –besides a throne and sticks. The kit includes a rack, a drum module, three cymbals and five drum pads, and even comes with a bass drum pedal and stereo headphones.

THE MODULE

There’s no rocket science with the Taiwanese-made module. It’s a basic drum brain with inputs for six mono triggers and a stereo input for a crash cymbal. There’s also a “CD in” jack for practice with CDs or MP3s, plus “Midi in” and “Midi out” for connections to a computer or sequencer.
With limited functions, the module is clear and well laid-out. It has three volume dials, function up and down buttons and a couple of plus and minus buttons.
The module comes programmed with five “kits” – standard, jazz, Latin, dance and rock, but there is scope to alter the individual sounds in each kit. The 57-instrument sound library includes a range of drum and cymbal sounds as well as some more exotic percussion bits like timbales, guiros and agogos.
As you’d expect with an entry-level module, there’s no scope to edit the sounds, but the module does allow for the adjustment of volume and sensitivity from the individual pads.
The module boasts a useful metronome function with variable tempo, beat and volume which adds a valuable teaching aid.

THE TRIGGERS

The EDK530 includes five eight-inch mesh pads which serve as snare, three toms and bass drum. The mesh heads add an acoustic-like feel, and the bass pad is especially impressive – with a more realistic feel than the standard rubber pad included in most Roland and Yamaha kits. The pads are a tad small, particularly the snare, but they are expressive and provide good training in accuracy. It’s possible to do a roll without sounding too much like a machine gun – a common complaint against many entry-level e-kits.
My one frustration is the high plastic rim around the heads which is very easy to hit accidentally – and unless you like the sound of wood on plastic, my suggestion to all buyers would be to rush out to the nearest auto trim supplier and buy some rubber U-channel to put over the rims.
Three 14-inch plastic cymbals are supplied with the kit – one serves as a hihat, one as a ride and one as a chokable crash. The cymbals are full circles, unlike some of the wedge-shaped triggers used by other manufacturers, but there are designated triangular strike zones covered in sound-proofing foam. Stick noise is tolerable and the crash is probably the most realistic of the cymbals, with an effective choke action. The ride has two sounds with the addition of a velocity-triggered bell sound, but it takes some tweaking of the sensitivity and some hard smacks to get that happening.
The hihat is a simple open-closed configuration and the controller is probably the poorest component in the set-up, with a very plastic feel.

THE HARDWARE

Even though the drum pads and cymbals are light-weight, Ashton has outdone itself with a heavy-duty rack that rivals its competitors at the top end of the market. The solid and generous rack features an elegant curved cross bar and sturdy verticals, and even the mounting hardware is flexible and solid. The bass drum support is also simple and easy to assemble, and fits neatly with any pedal, including the one that comes with the kit.
Another welcome touch is the cable snake, with the wires neatly bundled and colour- coded, making it really hard to make connection mistakes.

THE VERDICT

The EDK530 is clearly designed for the budget end of the electronic drum kit market, with a street price of around $850. That positions it at about half the cost of the entry-level big-name offerings. So is it half as good as those rivals? In short, it’s more than that. While it’s not up to live gigs, the kit is clearly a versatile learning instrument with a realistic feel and enough sounds to retain the interest level of any amateur drummer. Of course, if you have serious aspirations, it’s better to go with something upgradeable, which really means spending at least twice as much. But if you’re just starting out, need something for almost-silent practice or simply interested in having a bash every now and then, look no further than this Ashton kit.

[damien]

They are the cheapest looking kits!! I have seen them here and I didnt even want to demo one. Frankly the kit build is worse than some of the roughest custom kits I have seen here! (not dissin anyone here). For the price range I'd prolly go with the Alesis. Much Sturdier and less cheap looking.

[daveybabes]

My drum tutor has one in the school foyer that the local music store who deal in these "gave" him, on that model the cymbals have round holes in them? no idea why? not nice in the looks dept, best things are the solid non slip kick and the impressive rack, the pads look crap, stick noise and rebound are average. I would never admit to owning one even under torture.

Overall it's standing there and makes quite a handy coat rack

[allanjohn]

Actually, the build is quite good. Things feel quite sturdy and everything fits together well. The aesthetics may not be great, but it's well put together on the whole. The hi-hat pedal is the weak link and I've told Ashton to stock up on spares because I can't see them lasting!

[daveybabes]

Mt tutor reckons the hi hat pedal is great sounding although basic in looks.

I think if ya gonna spend that kinda money i would go the extra for a TD3.