Which is more useful? [SPD-20, SPD-S, Handsonic 15 or Handsonic 10]

[coletones]

So, which is more useful for live performance. . . SPD-20, SPD-S, Handsonic 15 or Handsonic 10?
Which has the most useful sounds?
Which has the most realistic sounds?
Which has the best interface?
Which are you looking to add to your arsenal most?

[Hercules]

Hi coletones,

I can only answer for SPD-20 and SPD-S...I'm a stick man

Which is better for live?
Very hard question:
- if you want sampling and loops then the SPD-S is for you
- but I think the versatility of the SPD-20 is for me

Which has the most useful sounds?
- good question !!
For inbuilt sounds and tweakability = SPD-20
For expandibility = SPD-S
They actually work really well together and are "better than the sum of the 2 parts"

Which has the most realistic sounds?
I think SPD-S...
but I find that I can generate some really good blended sounds in the SPD-20 and then sample them in the SPD-S so I can use both units together....

Which has the best interface?
SPD-20 control buttons are definitely more user friendly, accessible and better placed so you don't accidently whack them
SPD-20 pads are more responsive to stick dynamics, are slightly larger and the impact point is spread across the whole pad better
SPD-S pads have slightly better rebound but you need to strike them closer to the centre

Which are you looking to add to your arsenal most?
That only leaves one of the Handsonics...and I look forward to the other guys comments to compare which model is better

[Mixxit]

I say SPD-S. They perform the same basic function aside from a few bells and whistles with each. However, while the 20 has A LOT of sounds, the SPD-S truly can contain any sound you can come up with.

[saku]

I have and love the HPD 10. It demands slightly different technique compared to the real things, but allows you to add all kinds of hand drums to your palette...and quite a few effects to make weird sounds. It is a lot of fun. The interface is easy to use. It is much more slimline and cheaper than the Hpd-15 (here, about 40% of the cost of the 15).

That said, i am waiting for Roland to release an update to the SPD-S because i want to add sampling to my kit....USB instead of CF, or at least 2GB CFs, better sounds and pad response, etc....

[drummerian]

I have to agree with Hercules. I've been using the spd-20 for years and it has a great arsenal of sounds about 700 I think and most of them are sounds you may actually use, and with editing facilities and sound effects, which I don't thinkthe spd-11 had.
I've only recently acquired the spd-s because of it's sampling and sequencing abilities which the 20 doesn't have of course. I was actually going to sell the spd-20, but I've come to realise that it is a very useful machine to take sounds from to put on the spd-s, which I have already done.
The downside of the spd-s is the memory space available on the machine, and once you start sampling sounds on it you will need to start deleting patches and waves from it, unless of course you use memory cards. I didn't and I deleted all the patches from it not knowing that it's not as easy to restore the factory settings.
I found the spd-20 very user friendly, after a short time there's no need to use the manual. The S on the other hand is more difficult to learn and the manual is not as easy to follow. BarT is testament to this as I've been burning his ear for the last week on how to operate it!
I can't speak for the Hand-Sonic instruments as I've never used them.

[Michael Render]

The SPD-S is the only unit that I can get that squishy fart noise I need. From my point of view, its the SPD-S all the way.

Seriously though, my TD-20 makes all the realistic sounds I need. I love the HPD-15 for hand percussion and the SPD-S serves for loops and unusual sounds. I have no need for a SPD-20.

[drummerian]

Despite what I've said about the spd-s, I do also agree with what Michael Render says. The spd-s is a powerful tool because of it's sampling and looping capabilities, and once I know as much about it as Michael and BarT do, then I'm very sure I will be singing it's praises. It's just that it is a more complex machine than the spd-20 which is relatively easy to use. Because of it's sampling abilities, the spd-s is of course going to sound more realistic.
The spd-20 is not yet obsolete and it still has a place in the electronic drummers world, but the spd-s is a more powerful machine in the right hands............I'm not sure my one is in the right hands!