R.e.t. Design Claim?

[spanner]

I have just been watching some video's on the tube which claim that R.E.T. kits were/are specifically designed for software not modules and this makes them more suitable for DFHS,BFD etc..

Is it me or is this a load of horses**t?
I am aware of the basic construction of the R.E.T pads and this is a very early design which Yamaha also used at one point. Has the design of the current R.E.T kits changed? and if so how ..er..so?

[JrummerJ]

I find lots of R.E.T. advertising to be a bit gimmicky. Their whole VPT thing is just selling as a bundle what people have been doing for years. Things like "the first software based drum kit" and "real look, real feel, real sounds" just make me want to laugh. There were guys using VSTs with edrums well before they coined the VPT catchphrase. And c'mon, real look? They look as real to me as any Roland or Hart kit. Heck, my DIY kit looks more "real" since it is made from an actual acoustic kit.

Anyway, enough ranting. But yes I agree with you. All marketing.

J

[Michael Render]

It is not all marketing. With the advent of the Alesis Trigger IO a lot of companies have been tweaking their designs to better suit it. Hence, they are more suited to MIDI and software apllications than modules. In fact, the designer of X-Drums metioned that his triggers are built in such a way that they work horribly with Roland products. But work great with the Alesis Trigger IO.

[JrummerJ]

Ok, maybe not all marketing. I have no doubt about the quality of their drums. They seem well made and obviously play and track well. I just have a hard time with some of their claims:

1) The first software based drum kit - I would bet $$ that some on this forum were doing this same thing before them. I

2) Real looks - yes, they really look like electronic drums, maybe they resemble a Pearl Rhythm Traveler but certainly not a full size kit.

Anyway, this is just my opinion.

J

[spanner]

I still don't believe it. What "special " triggers are they using? If they are using something other than piezo or ribbon switches maybe ther might be a difference.

The RET pads do not seem to have changed nor do the smart trigger cymbals and these were designed for module use.

The reason this bugs me is - since I have been making DIY pads and cymbals it is obvious that the technology involved is very simple and yet manufacturers - Roland, RET,Hart etc make wild claims and charge top dollar.

Edrummers should be more sceptical -"you're working for your car man!"

[Michael Render]

True, at the end of the day, everybody is using piezos and ribbon switches (except for KAT). The real design challenge is how head vibration is channeled to the piezo. Roland cones and baskets are a big technological improvement. Personally, I feel Roland is always improving their designs. We just seem to forget how much innovation they come up with.

And Hyperbole is everything in marketing. Who would buy drums with the slogan, "Our drums are just OK"?

[spanner]

Fair point- I was going to use hyperbole in my next response

[Michael Render]

I was going to use hyperbole in my next response

Big words are fun! (Or should I say "brings much conviviality"?)

[jrcel]

It is not all marketing. With the advent of the Alesis Trigger IO a lot of companies have been tweaking their designs to better suit it. Hence, they are more suited to MIDI and software apllications than modules. In fact, the designer of X-Drums metioned that his triggers are built in such a way that they work horribly with Roland products. But work great with the Alesis Trigger IO.

That's really true. I found the midi implementation of the TD-20 to be cumbersome and not suited to turning it into a good midi controller. There's that whole thing with midi again, if you started with edrums back in the '80's or early '90's you had to learn how to use midi just to use the edrum stuff of the day, now you don't really need a good working knowledge of midi because one of Roland's selling points is you don't need to learn midi to use their modules. It's still there but it's a pain to access. I'm going to buy an XR rack and stick an SRX-1 card in it. The Drumkat will still give me 3 or 4 ways to control hi-hat and other drum stuff.