New Simmons SD9K Drum Set

[Guest]

I know a lot you guys around here don't like the new Simmons stuff, and I would agree that the SD5K was OK at best. The SD7K was a little better, but I went to Guitar Center today and played around a little with the new SD9K set. It's not bad for a rubber pad kit and the module is a much better improvement over the previous kits. The whole thing just feels more solid then their other kits. It's not a Roland TD-9 but this new Simmons kit is definitely worth a look at. Go over to Musician's Friend to get more details. Here's a quick picture:

[Greenbutmean]

That don't look all that bad to me. I'm just sayin'.

Could we have a possible future competetor to Roland?

[gteps]

You may find that this kit, like the Simmons SD7K is produced for Simmons by Medeli, the SD7K was also sold under the following names:
Session Pro DD506 / Black Mamba DD506 / Legacy to name but a few, all made by Medeli.

[Guest]

You may find that this kit, like the Simmons SD7K is produced for Simmons by Medeli, the SD7K was also sold under the following names:
Session Pro DD506 / Black Mamba DD506 / Legacy to name but a few, all made by Medeli.

I think most people know this by now, however this kit is not on Medeli site (that's not to say they didn't make it, because I believe they did). Nor do the other drum names you mention sell a set like the SD9K. I believe this one is custom made for Simmons only. At least for now. Take a good look at the pictures. These pads are all rubber, not the interchangeable head type like you find on the kits you mentioned. These drums have the Simmons name embossed in the rubber and the back of the pads have the Simmons trademark hex look. I have not seen any other Medeli kits having a drum module with a full character base LCD screen and a SD card slot. If you know of one please share. (Thou I believe that this module is made by Medeli). It is not the same as the other kits you mentioned. I played with this drum set myself and I can tell you it is a hell of a lot better than the other stuff you mentioned, if you like rubber type pads. I'm just saying don't knock till you try it.

[V(ader)DRUMMER]

Hmm...interesting development. Thanks for sharing.

I have to admit, if I were spending $1,000 right now, I'd be more inclined to go with a brand with a better recent reputation (for newbies who don't know, there's nothing in common between the Simmons brand of 1980s fame and the brand at Guitar Center today). However, it would be great if we're seeing the beginnings of a new commitment to quality out of the Simmons name. I've been surprised by all of the positive comments I've read about their latest drum monitor, so it will be interesting if a similar pattern develops for this new kit.

[Tweaksta]

Guitar Centre are using the SIMMONS name under license....there is abolustely no affiliation with Dave Simmons the founder of the original SIMMONS company.

Here is the pasted text from their Wikipedia entry...
The Simmons Name

In 2005, Guitar Center acquired the rights to the Simmons trademark (not according to Dave Simmons who has sought legal advice about this matter) and began marketing entry-level electronic drumkits under the Simmons name and retro logo. These kits have no relationship to the original company.

[jakedrummer11]

I went to guitar centre a few days ago and spent about 3 hours playing different sets. I liked the simmon's SD9K the best for the money. I'm going to be getting one in septemeber after i have enough money and i think its the best 1000$ kit available today.

[gteps]

Hi,

Please understand my intention was to inform only not to say that the latest Simmons kit or the others I mentioned were of poor quality, I actually started out with a Session Pro DD506 and still use some of the items from it with my new setup.

Lots of people slag them off but, if your happy to play rubber pads I can tell you that the Session Pro DD506 is a smashing kit for home practice or a newbie, it has some great sounds from the module with good triggering and dual zone / chokable cymbals.

[Guest]

I have stumbled across an interesting thing with this new Simmons SD9K kit. Web sites have taken it off of there search results. If you try to do a search for this kit at Musician's Friend's web site you get: "Sorry, we are having trouble locating a match for your search". I wounder what is going on at Simmons(/Guitar Center). What a shame, it seemed that the "new" Simmons finally had a decent kit too.

(The SD9K is not even listed on Simmons own website!)

[M.Schwartz]

Uhm, I have some questions about the SD5K kit, I know it's not comparable to any Roland sets or anything like that but i don't have much money and I've tried out the kit and think it's pretty OK for that price, I'm just going to use it for home practice and some simple recording stuff..But as i said, i have some questions!:

1. Does the SD5K has support for more pads than what it comes with? if not: does it have any kind of device to add more pads to it, like the Roland TMC-6 or anything like that, or is there some other device i can use?

2. Can i switch the cymbals for Roland cymbals with better quality?

3. Is there any mesh-pads that fits with the kit?

4. Can i download additional sound to the module via internet and then save into the module or can i use a program like Fruity Loops and use the Fruity Loops Percussion Console and somehow change the sounds in the module additionally?

5. If i make a custom kit with the sound already on the module, can i use the dual zone feature to have for example: 1st crash edge - crash, 1st crash bow - splash, ride edge - 2nd crash, ride bow - ride. so that i can get 4 cymbals in 2?

6. Will i need something special to do recording with this kit or is it just to connect the output to a studio-card's input and then record via Audacity or something?

7. The Alesis DM5 Pro Kit costs the same as the SD5K here in Sweden so i wonder: which one is the better choice? Alesis has more inputs but SD5K has more features that makes it more realistic.

I would be really thankful for quick replies because i need a drum kit for school which starts soon (music college) so I'll need to get these questions answered fast.


Thanks!
//M.Schwartz

[Guest]

I don't know if anybody is interested anymore about the "new" Simmons stuff (aka Guitar Center stuff), but it looks as if the SD9K is coming out. The information is now up on Simmons website. There you can download the manual and hear some samples of the new drum module. It looks like the "new" Simmons is really trying to be somewhat competitive. Heck, you can even add two more dual zone pads to the set-up shown.

Man, I'm starting to sound like a Simmons fan boy. I don't even own any of this new Simmons stuff. It is the cost that always catches my eye with these kits and for just under $1000.00 I think it is worth looking at.

Edit: It looks as if the sound samples are the same for all of their kits. Oh well, the info is there if you wish to look.

[ein_sof_aur]

i own this beast

hey im new here. anyway i was swimming a few weeks ago and then on a whim i decided i needed this kit so i raced across town trying to get to guitar center before they closed and i bought this. within a week the bass drum stopped working. they gave me a new one and it hasnt really given me any problems since then. i have some gripes though. i dont know if this is all the same with all kits though but..the pads arent as responsive as id like them to be. it wont pick up light taps. it makes me miss notes when im doing light drumrolls. i cant do volume swells very well on it either.

[bogiesbad]

You should wait at least thirty minutes after swimming to buy a drum kit...

[saku]

You should wait at least thirty minutes after swimming to buy a drum kit...

I thought it was after EATING a drum kit, you should not g swimming?? Or is that only here in the North?

[eric_B]

I thought it was after EATING a drum kit, you should not g swimming?? Or is that only here in the North?

It's the same in The Netherlands: first you eat, then you wait 30 minutes, then you go swimming, then you wait another half hour and then you go buy a drum kit. It's really very simple.