Yamaha DTX502 and Roland pads

[Trip McNealy]

I'm just about on my way finishing up my A2E conversion kit and will be playing out some gigs with it soon. I was thinking of pairing it up with a Yamaha DTX502 module.

The kit itself contains internal triggers by Wronka (from Germany) which are in essence like any typical internal trigger for our Roland modules. I already have a mixture of Roland and Yamaha e-cymbals (except for hi-hat). I assume if I get the DTX module I will be safe with my PCY155 cymbals but will most likely have to get a RHH135 or something, as I understand Roland VH-xx sets don't work with them without modding.

My other question is, will pads/triggers made for Roland work on the DTX without modification? And all zones (head/rim/rimshot/crosstick) and positional sensing?

[Trip McNealy]

http://www.vdrums.com/forum/forum/general/products/69328-yamaha-dtx-502-module-roland-pad-compatibility

[TheYardbird]

As stated in the linked thread: roland cymbals will work with a yamaha module, but since roland uses piezo/piezo to trigg their cymbals and yamaha uses piezo/switch on theirs then the roland cymbals will most likely lose multi-zone capability and i've also read at some places that the choke-function could become a bit unstable when using the ''wrong'' kind of cymbals with the ''wrong'' kind of module.

What kind of roland cymbals do you have? What kind of yamaha cymbals do you have? Don't you have a hi-hat at all at the moment? If so definitely get a RHH135. And you could probably sell the roland cymbals and use that money to fund some new yamaha cymbals so that you know that all cymbals will work with the 502-module. Or a local music store could probably trade your roland cymbals for yamaha ones, or at least give you store credit for them that you could then use to purchase the yamaha cymbals.

Yamaha does not have positional sensing in their modules I believe.
Yamaha's latest modules have a set of piezo/piezo inputs, so you could get at least a 2-zone snare by plugging the snare into one for the tom-inputs. The tom inputs and sometimes one or two more (depending on the module) are piezo/piezo in Yamaha's module from the last couple of years up 'till today. You could then plug a crash into the 3-zone snare piezo/switch input and get another 3-zone cymbal.
The only way to get a 3-zoned snare on a Yamaha module is to buy a 3-zoned Yamaha pad or build your own kind of trigger I believe.
Your Wronka triggers will work perfectly with a Yamaha module as far as I know.

I hope you understand what I just wrote, I haven't slept more than 3 hours tonight at english isn't my native language. Hope I helped at least a little bit!

TheYardbird.

[airflamesred]

I don't think your PS will work. If you're going to use AD2 then get a megadrum - problem solved.

[perceval]

Yardbird, your English is fine, even with a 3-hour night / rest!

You've stated pretty much everything.

The 502 has piezo/piezo tom inputs, but piezo/switch for snare.
I have a thread somewhere about following Hellfire's way of making a switch that the Yamaha module will use.
Or, just get a TCS snare pad... that way, you get a 3-zone snare.

[Trip McNealy]

Thanks guys! I have a full-fledged TD-12 setup in my home studio with Addictive Drums and a mixture of Roland and Yamaha cymbals. I have a VH-11 hi hat, CY-15R as my ride and Yamaha PCY155's as my crashes. I am not gigging out my Roland pads or cymbals nor selling them, hence the confirmation that I will need an RHH135 as a hi-hat for the DTX502 module. And of course, the PCY's will mate up just fine.

So sounds like besides the hi-hat, my other purchase/need will be a 3-zone snare. Perceval, who makes TCS pad and/or do you have a link to that? What I would like at a minimum, the head and crossticking to work.

[hairmetal-81]

The TCS- (or 'Textured Cullular Silicone') pads are made by Yamaha itself. The 12" snare pad (the one you should probably be aiming for due to size) is called the XP120SD:

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/drums/el-drums/snare-pads/xp120sd/?mode=model

HTH

[Meshopotamia]

DTX500 (see page 34 of PDF manual) has a trigger setup option (after many Yamaha pad and cymbal types) allowing further choices 1-6 for 'Other manufacturer's pads'. I would assume DTX502 has similar. That may handle some of any potential piezo vs switch problems. You likely would want to reverse the polarity switch (if available) on the Roland pads.

[Trip McNealy]

[perceval]

Then, you'll have to split a tom input and use that as a rim trigger.

There are no other company making a piezo/switch pad.

[TheYardbird]

Aah, so this new kit is your gigging kit and the TD-12 is for practice? Makes sense now that I think of it.
But yeah, a RHH135 to go along with the Yammie cymbals you already have and use those of the A2E kit with your 502-module would be great. The TCS pads comes in 12" at their biggest size, but if you're fine with playing a 12" snare then there you have your 3-zone snare. Otherwise you'll have to DIY your own kind of trigger that could handle Yamaha's 3-zone system or somehow use teo triggers on the same snare, one stereo and one mono for example, to get your 3 zones, although I guess it would be impossible not to get any crosstalk with that so that's kinda out of the question.

[Trip McNealy]

That will work, since I'm only going to be using 2 toms. Can I just plug my Roland pad directly into that third tom input with the TRS cable or do I have to do any cable splitter trickery?

[perceval]

Maybe, but keep in mind that Yamaha and Roland wiring is different:

[perceval]

Since the most important pads are Roland, why don't you get a second hand TD4 instead for a small traveling kit?

[Trip McNealy]

I am attracted by the small form factor of the DTX502, it has better cymbal sounds (to my ears), and you can import samples... among some other things. All for a good price point.

I had a TD-4-KP kit actually.. sold it mainly due to me completing my A2E kit but also I was never totally thrilled by the on-board sounds and very limited COSM features.. if you want to call it that.