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2Box Drumit 5 Forum => DrumIt 5 Hardware => Topic started by: peanutismint on May 13, 2018, 05:02:45 PM

Title: Moving to a different country: Which bits of my Roland/2Box kit should I keep??!
Post by: peanutismint on May 13, 2018, 05:02:45 PM
I'm moving UK > USA in the next 9 months and so I'm facing the difficult task of working out which bits of my current music gear (instruments & studio/recording stuff) I can bear to sell and which bits I will probably want to try and take with me.

I have some big, bulky, heavy things (like a Nord Electro keyboard) that, whilst expensive, would probably be more hassle/money than it's worth to ship over, in which case I plan to sell them here and re-buy the same (or something better) when I get to the US. Other things, like a couple of my guitars or synths that I've customised, are very dear to me and I will be making every effort to take over, even if I have to carry them as hand luggage on separate journeys! :-)

As for my electronic kit....well, it's essentially a Roland TD8KV kit (https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/roland-td8kv (https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/roland-td8kv)) but with 2Box DrumIt Five module and hi-hat. It comprises:


It works really well and I really can't see myself getting rid of the module/hi-hat (especially with the new DrumIt Three sounds hopefully coming to the Five) but I'm just wondering what (if any) of the other stuff should I keep/get rid of and re-purchase in the States? Aside from the fact that they're bulky/heavy and might cost nearly as much to ship as to buy new ones, the only reasons I could think that I might want to upgrade any bits of my kit:


Anybody have any advice or suggestions on which bits I should keep/take? Do things like the Roland pads keep their value pretty well or would I be able to re-buy pretty much my entire kit at a fraction of the original cost once I get to the USA??
Title: Re: Moving to a different country: Which bits of my Roland/2Box kit should I keep??!
Post by: welshsteve on May 13, 2018, 05:34:15 PM
Quote from: peanutismint on May 13, 2018, 05:02:45 PM
I'm moving UK > USA in the next 9 months and so I'm facing the difficult task of working out which bits of my current music gear (instruments & studio/recording stuff) I can bear to sell and which bits I will probably want to try and take with me.

I have some big, bulky, heavy things (like a Nord Electro keyboard) that, whilst expensive, would probably be more hassle/money than it's worth to ship over, in which case I plan to sell them here and re-buy the same (or something better) when I get to the US. Other things, like a couple of my guitars or synths that I've customised, are very dear to me and I will be making every effort to take over, even if I have to carry them as hand luggage on separate journeys! :-)

As for my electronic kit....well, it's essentially a Roland TD8KV kit (https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/roland-td8kv (https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/roland-td8kv)) but with 2Box DrumIt Five module and hi-hat. It comprises:


  • 1 x KD80 kick pad
  • 1 x PD120 snare
  • 2 x PD80 toms
  • 1 x PD80r tom
  • 2 x CY12R/C cymbals
  • 1 x CY8 cymbal

It works really well and I really can't see myself getting rid of the module/hi-hat (especially with the new DrumIt Three sounds hopefully coming to the Five) but I'm just wondering what (if any) of the other stuff should I keep/get rid of and re-purchase in the States? Aside from the fact that they're bulky/heavy and might cost nearly as much to ship as to buy new ones, the only reasons I could think that I might want to upgrade any bits of my kit:


  • to have all my toms have rim triggers
  • to have all my cymbals be 3-zone (can the DrumIt Five do this?)
  • to have a snare with a more responsive 'rim' trigger for cross-stick etc.

Anybody have any advice or suggestions on which bits I should keep/take? Do things like the Roland pads keep their value pretty well or would I be able to re-buy pretty much my entire kit at a fraction of the original cost once I get to the USA??

Adding rim triggers to Roland pads should be easy. A small piezo glued to the rim and then wired to the "ring/ground" of a stereo jack socket should suffice.

All 2box cymbal inputs are capable of 3 zone. BUT... it will depend on the cymbal pad. It worked pretty well with the 2box cymbals because the bell zone was determined from high velocity, the cymbal trigger itself only had a single donut piezo around the mounting hole. Roland (or similar) cymbal I believe you can get Bell/Bow or Bow Edge but not all three.
Title: Re: Moving to a different country: Which bits of my Roland/2Box kit should I keep??!
Post by: edtc on May 13, 2018, 07:44:10 PM
I would say ...

FIRST SOLUTION :
keep the module , hihat , pd120 and one cy12rc  , and sell the rest ...

there you could buy a cheap TD4/11 KV ( the one with mesh pads and KD9 kick pad )


or better an old TD9KX2 ... those are around 700/900 dollars ...

Then sell the roland module ...  You ll have a 12" snare 10" floor tom and 3x8" pads , all dual zone ...

  (https://static.sonovente.com/img/library/zoom/28/28121_1.jpg)

about the 3 zone cymbals , frankly , is it really usefull to have a bell sound on the 2 craches ? And isnt it ok to have just bow and bell on the ride ?  Ok on the ride , 3 zones are handy .. so , next solution ....

SECOND SOLUTION :
Keep only the pd120 + 1 cy12rc , and sell the rest . Then buy the same td9KX2 + a drumit3   ... then enjoy all 3 zones cymbals + VH11 hihat


A crossover solution , is solution one ( td9+Drumit5) + a zourman box for the 3zone ride ...

Title: Re: Moving to a different country: Which bits of my Roland/2Box kit should I keep??!
Post by: peanutismint on May 13, 2018, 08:00:38 PM
Quote from: welshsteve on May 13, 2018, 05:34:15 PM
Adding rim triggers to Roland pads should be easy. A small piezo glued to the rim and then wired to the "ring/ground" of a stereo jack socket should suffice.

All 2box cymbal inputs are capable of 3 zone. BUT... it will depend on the cymbal pad. It worked pretty well with the 2box cymbals because the bell zone was determined from high velocity, the cymbal trigger itself only had a single donut piezo around the mounting hole. Roland (or similar) cymbal I believe you can get Bell/Bow or Bow Edge but not all three.

Thanks for the tip WelshSteve! (I'm in Cardiff butt!)

Yeah my current cymbals are that way; I have the 2 x 'crashes' on 'bow/edge' and the 'ride' on 'bell/bow' which seems to make most sense.
Title: Re: Moving to a different country: Which bits of my Roland/2Box kit should I keep??!
Post by: peanutismint on May 13, 2018, 08:04:06 PM
Quote from: edtc on May 13, 2018, 07:44:10 PM
I would say ...

FIRST SOLUTION :
keep the module , hihat , pd120 and one cy12rc  , and sell the rest ...

there you could buy a cheap TD4/11 KV ( the one with mesh pads and KD9 kick pad )


or better an old TD9KX2 ... those are around 700/900 dollars ...

Then sell the roland module ...  You ll have a 12" snare 10" floor tom and 3x8" pads , all dual zone ...

  (https://static.sonovente.com/img/library/zoom/28/28121_1.jpg)

about the 3 zone cymbals , frankly , is it really usefull to have a bell sound on the 2 craches ? And isnt it ok to have just bow and bell on the ride ?  Ok on the ride , 3 zones are handy .. so , next solution ....

SECOND SOLUTION :
Keep only the pd120 + 1 cy12rc , and sell the rest . Then buy the same td9KX2 + a drumit3   ... then enjoy all 3 zones cymbals + VH11 hihat


A crossover solution , is solution one ( td9+Drumit5) + a zourman box for the 3zone ride ...

Thanks, super useful suggestions!! Do you think the DrumIt Three is good enough to warrant an 'upgrade' from the Five? It's kinda confusing because it almost looks like it's 'less' powerful, and I don't just mean the confusing naming of going from 'Five' down to 'Three'....! In fact, I kinda assumed because it has less buttons/knobs on the front that it'd be less powerful. In my heart of hearts I was really hoping 2Box would do something more like that Pearl Mimic Pro with a touch screen for their DrumIt Five successor.....  :-\
Title: Re: Moving to a different country: Which bits of my Roland/2Box kit should I keep??!
Post by: welshsteve on May 13, 2018, 10:51:45 PM
Quote from: peanutismint on May 13, 2018, 08:00:38 PM
Thanks for the tip WelshSteve! (I'm in Cardiff butt!)

Yeah my current cymbals are that way; I have the 2 x 'crashes' on 'bow/edge' and the 'ride' on 'bell/bow' which seems to make most sense.

SHWMAE BUTTY!!!!

Ah, Cardiff are ewe?! ... Swansea me! 40 or so miles. Good to make your acquaintance boyo!!!
Title: Re: Moving to a different country: Which bits of my Roland/2Box kit should I keep??!
Post by: edtc on May 14, 2018, 06:57:33 AM
Quote from: peanutismint on May 13, 2018, 08:04:06 PM
Thanks, super useful suggestions!! Do you think the DrumIt Three is good enough to warrant an 'upgrade' from the Five? It's kinda confusing because it almost looks like it's 'less' powerful, and I don't just mean the confusing naming of going from 'Five' down to 'Three'....! In fact, I kinda assumed because it has less buttons/knobs on the front that it'd be less powerful. In my heart of hearts I was really hoping 2Box would do something more like that Pearl Mimic Pro with a touch screen for their DrumIt Five successor.....  :-\

D3 is D5 with less outs , buttons + universal trigger and apparently upgraded D/A converters ...
Title: Re: Moving to a different country: Which bits of my Roland/2Box kit should I keep??!
Post by: welshsteve on May 14, 2018, 09:21:28 PM
The 3 isn't less powerful, it's pretty much the same thing, just some tweaks. Personally I think they shouldn't have called it the drumit3. But maybe Drumit5 mk II or Drumit5 plus or something. It has some major improvements and depending on who you talk to, some downgrades. For me, it's an improvement for sure.