Which V-drums do I need?

[drumguyhooper]

I hung up the sticks a little over 10 years ago and I'm getting the itch again. I am looking for some V-drums, but I'm not sure which model will best suit my needs. I want a realistic sounding kit, particularly when it comes to the cymbals and hi-hats. I want the ability to splash the hi-hat and play a tight buzz roll. I don't see recording in my future, although it could be possible; what I'm looking for is a practice / live kit. On top of this I don't want to spend a fortune...somewhere between $1500-$3000 CAD.

Any suggestions?

[hairmetal-81]

Welcome to the forum, drumguyhooper!


I had a look around 'long-mcquade.com', seeing that you mentioned CAD as your currency.
In the lower price category (1500 - 2000 CAD) there are three drumkits:

a) Roland TD-11
b) Yamaha DTX 502 (in two different configurations)



Higher up the scale (2000 - 3000 CAD) there are the usual suspects:

c) Roland TD-15 (in two different configurations)
d) Yamaha DTX-700



There's also: (currently not covered on their website)

e) 2box Drumit Five (...which I would spring for, since you already can operate with such a generous budget!)




Couple of questions to help you along further:

1. Would prefer a dedicated hihat stand?
2. Does your budget exclude or include monitoring?
3. Woud you like rubber- or mesh-surfaces?
4. How about going used?




HTH

[drumguyhooper]

Thanks Hairmetal!

I would like a dedicated hi-hat, my budget does not include monitors, I prefer mesh surfaces as i am looking for quiet practicing at home, but would like something with a slightly more realistic feel if possible. And I am considering going used for sure...just not sure what the improvements over the last generation products were. I have tried the roland TD-15, and aside from the hyper bouncy pads, I like it. Wondering what it's equivalent would be in an older model.

Also just heard the Alesis makes a much more realistic feeling drum pad, but the brain is inferior. Can you mix the Alesis pads with the roland brain?

[hairmetal-81]

Thanks for answersing! I highly recommend you a used TD-9 (the complete kit was called 'TD9KX2' and featured a dedicated hihat-stand, and mesh-pads for all the toms). The TD9 was the direct forerunner of the current TD-15.







If you shop around a bit, they will come up from time to time on ebay and other secondhand sites!



HTH

[Kenster]

Ummm...guys...he said he wants a "realistic" sounding kit, ESPECIALLY cymbals and hi-hats....that rules out all the e kits lol. Except maybe 2Box with some VSTs onboard...or external VSTs from any other module lol.

K

[hairmetal-81]

Ummm...guys...he said he wants a "realistic" sounding kit, ESPECIALLY cymbals and hi-hats....

Alright, Alright....

...but I mentioned the 2box up there already!

[jimorlando]

I have a TD9SX and if my drum teacher decides that he doesn't want to buy it, I will put it up for sale. I would prefer the sale to be local pick up. I also have a VH11, a CY12, and a PD85 that I would sell separately.

[mystic fred]

I can highly recommend the TD- 12 for realism, sounds amazing live and on recordings, had mine for several years now and still working ok with my conversion full size drum kit, downloaded many other kits too.

[Eric J]

I'm sort of in the same boat. I can pick up a used TD9KX2 but would I miss the SuperNATURAL technology in the newer TD-15KV?

[drumguyhooper]

Ummm...guys...he said he wants a "realistic" sounding kit, ESPECIALLY cymbals and hi-hats....that rules out all the e kits lol. Except maybe 2Box with some VSTs onboard...or external VSTs from any other module lol.

K

Hey Kenster,

Thanks for the reply. I'm a green horn when it comes to this stuff. Can you elaborate on the VST's on on board bit? What is this you speak of in layman's terms?

Cheers!

[Kenster]

Drumguyhooper...I wished for a glossary of terms thread a long time ago just for this reason!!

I was making a pun about e drums not sounding like "real" drums, otherwise known as A kits or acoustic kits or the regular old drums that everyone knows.

VSTs: Virtual Studio Technology (VST) is a software interface that integrates software audio synthesizer and effect plugins with audio editors and hard-disk recording systems. VST and similar technologies use digital signal processing to simulate traditional recording studio hardware in software.

In simple terms here on the Forums, VSTs refer to software packages/sound files that are played from a PC, triggered from the drums, with the module connected to the PC via MIDI. VSTS are actual drum sounds that have been sampled, so when you play them, they sound like "real" drums.

Currently, the 2Box module is one of the only ones that let you put your own drum sounds onto a memory card and play them from the module, eliminating the need for a PC and MIDI interface to play the sounds. HOWEVER...there are some lengthy steps needed to make the sample right and put it into the module. There are several Forum members here who have done it and can outline it for you. You can't play external or personally loaded sounds in a Roland or Yamaha module, you can only play the sounds that are built in.

Make sense?

K

[JmanWord]

Currently, the 2Box module is one of the only ones that let you put your own drum sounds onto a memory card and play them from the module, eliminating the need for a PC and MIDI interface to play the sounds. HOWEVER...there are some lengthy steps needed to make the sample right and put it into the module. There are several Forum members here who have done it and can outline it for you. You can't play external or personally loaded sounds in a Roland or Yamaha module, you can only play the sounds that are built in.

Make sense?

K

It certainly was a very complicated process with many steps to create 2Box instruments and kits from VSTs and load them into the module when Slap the Drummer from the 2Box forum and I started pioneering the process back in 2011. But fast-forward to today and the SDSE program and it is literally just a few mouse clicks and you have a kit built from your favorite VST ready to load into the 2Box module. Lustar continues to improve, streamline, add new features and compatibility with more VSTs and VST expansions. http://www.2box-forum.com/index.php?topic=1544.0 It is all pretty simple now, just install the program, open it up, choose your VST, load your kit and click a tab.