Assembling new set with DrumIt 5 module - choosing toms

[Pret]

Being on the virtue of assembling a new set to be driven by lately purchased DrumIt 5 module, I'm willing to consult the common wisdom of the forum
Up until now I used to a rubber heads of the modest Alesis kit, have never tried mesh heads so far.
I intend to build the kit with mesh heads. For toms I considered Roland PDX100, appeared to me an obvious choice for DrumIt 5.
However I realized that PDX100 has center-positioned sensor, but the original 2boxpads used off- center positioning of the sensors, near the edge of their heads.
Am I asking for troubles choosing PDX100 to go with DrumIt 5 ?
Are there users successfully using PDX100 with the module without any undesired artifacts ?

Do you think choosing original 2box pads would be wiser choice ? (I know the set is out of production now, but their pads are still available on Thomann)

[welshsteve]

The common issue with Roland pads and others like it with a piezo in the centre is hotspotting. So a side mounted trigger would be better for overall trigger consistency.
This can be done with an acoustic drum with a mesh or Mylar head and a rim or internal side mounted trigger.

[Pret]

So using standard Roland pads for toms isn't good idea ?
A bit confusing because the module is known for its versatility to be used with off-brand pads (and Roland are the most widely spread over)
Hmm...
So is it advised to use 2box original pads instead or go a2e conversion ?
I intend to do that for snare but hoped to stay with off-the-shelf mesh headed toms...

[welshsteve]

I wouldn't say it's a bad idea. Loads do and find them fine. But just beware you might find some hotspot issues only because others have said about that. Do you know anyone with a Roland kit you could try their pads on your module?

[Pret]

Unfortunately I know no one with Roland who would allow me to try out...
Only if the music store would allow me to hook up their Roland sets to my module...
As far as I used to know them... unlikely..

[edtc]

pdx-8 or PDX-6 have side triggers , and are quite compact ... 

Go-edrum have small cheap mesh pads ...

[Pret]

So PDX-8...
On the other hand I would prefer 10" toms..
Is there any reason to prefer PDX-8 for toms over 2box ?
(putting aside size issue)

[edtc]

  second hand availability ....  if bought new  there is no reason  except mayby the  durability of roland stuff that seems to be better than 2 box pads ...

[Pret]

Ok, understood
Actually the 2box pads are still available new from Thomann...

BTW, what about Jobeky Prestige 10" electronic drum ?
They do offer the DrumIt 5 modules to be coupled to thei drums... but how they in reality ?
Any opinion ?

[Pret]

Just visited a music store that holds Roland stuff available, brought my recently acquired DrumIt 5 and surprisingly they allowed me to hook it up to a Roland PDX-100 and PD-108 pads they have on their show kits.
Well, the hot spotting unfortunately was quite pronounced to my ears, too noticeably to pass by..
The interesting thing is that the hot spotting distortion sounded quite close I pitch and feel to what I've been experienced with my old rubber Alesis pads...(and I was really disturbed by that not knowing that this is actually hot spotting sounds...)
So unfortunately no news here...Roland pads of this kind are not my saver...

Will be heading towards original 2box pads, unless will be able in some future to go a2e route with side triggers...

[welshsteve]

I am not sure if this problem you're experiencing is pad related, by which I mean the distortion you talk about. The hotspotting issue will be a pad thing, but without being in front of your module and hearing it, it's hard to say. Can you record the distortion and upload it to dropbox or something and then put the link here?

[Pret]

Yes this is what I meant, pad-related
What I heard today from Roland pads (was clearly related to the position of sticking, at the center of the pad produced distinctive peaking, while towards edges produced more even sound), is close to what I'm experiencing from my Alesis rubber pads.
However it appears with Alesis the effect covers somewhat more area of the pad while with Roland the peaking is more centered.
I'll try to record few samples and upload somewhere...

[edtc]

did you try to lower the level of the sounds ? 

[Pret]

Yes, tried to adjust gain, curves
That does influence overall just like expected but does not eliminate the hot spotting or improve to my satisfaction
Perhaps Roland in particular compensate for that in their modules by specific processing or hardware treatment, however played around with TD25 on the same pads... did not like the sounds, kind of harsh and unpleasant tiny ears

[edtc]

i was talking about the audio level , not the trigger settings ...