Are you looking for the perfect electronic drum kit for you to improve your drumming skills?
Yeah, so I recommend you try out the Yamaha DTX522K.
This drum kit is perfect for someone running on a low on budget but in need of creating quality music.
And I’ve been in the music business long enough to know which companies produce the best equipment and Yamaha is one of them.
Things to consider when buying an electronic drum kit
Many people make the mistake of buying an acoustic drum set because they are really excited and they want to start to play as soon as possible.
But they don’t consider that an acoustic drum set is really noisy!
So just after buying am=n acoustic drum set, they realize that maybe the best choice could have been an electronic drum set.
Electronic drums first-time users, in particular, get excited too just to know there is a more uncomplicated solution to sound issues in their band.
Doing this ends up affecting their budget and other plans.
Instead, consider that an electronic drum set is perfect for both beginners and expert players.
However, you still need to know the basics of using such equipment.
If you live somewhere where you can’t be too noisy, then most acoustic drum kits may not be the ideal choice for you.
So, when you will decide to buy your first e-drum set or upgrade the existing one, here are a few things to put in your mind:
- Your need. Every player has different needs. I, for instance, prefer my equipment to come complete with everything. Therefore, consider if the package has everything you need. It may include items like a sound module, pads, rack, hi-hat controller, cables for connecting the pads to the module.
- Your space at home. Unfortunately, this drum set requires quite an ample space. Be sure to have enough room for your equipment, although you can use some innovations, like traditional hardware instead of the rack that comes with e-drums.
- Manufacturer reputation. There are many manufacturers of electronic music equipment. We all may agree that Yamaha is among the most reputable ones. The last thing you want is equipment that falls apart time you want to play.
- Sound output. You can always go through the best electronic drum set to compare notes. Check the module specs for sound outputs. On the same note, think of how much sound you want in your playing space. Low to high sound production in e-drums depends on how the pad is set, so you want to pick your pad carefully too.
About the Yamaha DTX522K
The Yamaha DTX522K appears to me as the most expandable electronic drum. It is excellent for both beginners and expert players. It is part of Yamaha’s DTX502 series and appears as a mid-range drum kit.
This drum kit is an upgrade from the DTX400 series. It comes with several features absent in this and other advanced lines of e-drums.
It comes with:
- Module: DTX502
- Snare: XP80
- Tom: TP70 x 2
- Floor Tom: TP70
- Bass drum, KP65
- Hi-Hat: PCY100 and HH65
- Crash cymbal (PCY100)
- Ride Cymbal (PCY135
- Rack (RS502)
Specifications:
- Trigger module DTX502
- Rack system RS502
- Pad set DTP522
The DTX522 is great for all levels of drummers. It has every needed to get you started or simply upgrade your gear. However, note that this drum kit produces a significant amount of noise, so it can be challenging to practice with. It may not be ideal for someone living in an apartment with close neighbors.
Features and benefits
Drum trigger module
The DTX502 comes with more sounds than its predecessor. Its wave ROM is close to double that of the 250. It also comes with additional new drum and cymbal samples. Unlike many drum sets that come with cymbals, I find this one pretty impressive. They are of high quality, selected from top VST developers.
Apart from this, the voices inherited from other DTX modules have been enhanced. Now there is better playability and sound.
This feature ensures you get the highest quality of sound. It gives you a great feeling when you play that you don’t have to struggle with the tuning.
Hardware
I took my time to compare the DTX522 to other Yamaha series and realized the drum rack comes with more positional options. It is more flexible too. There is no doubt about the quality of the material here, so stable.
Mounting the snare on the ball does not present any challenge. This is an excellent feature because it offers you the ability to play in angels. This was impossible a few years ago.
It has more solid cymbal stands. Everything you set will remain in position during the performance.
This 5-piece drum set comes with 3-zone cymbals with a ‘choke’ feature. They deliver a more realistic expression. They can express varying sounds in each zone of the cup, bow, and edge. The cymbals come with a high stick so you can feel what you are playing, even low acoustic sounds. The “choke” function enables you to control sounds during practice; it will allow you also mute the cymbal.
On the snare is three-zone textured silicone. This enables you to play different sounds, depending on where you hit. Note that the cymbal pads also come in three zones. As such, the player can perform multiple sounds as per the desired module.
Sounds
One of the most exciting features I discovered on this drum set is the sound options. I had not even realized you have up to 691 individual percussion, cymbal, and drum samples to choose from. These also include presents for perfect sound production.
The sound quality is just out of this world. And to make it even better, it has exceptional memory. It allows you to customize presets and kits then save them for future reference.
There is 1MB of flash memory in the module. There are different ways you can use this feature, including importing MIDI song files therein.
There are 50 different factory kinds and the ability to create more customized kids. You can mix different matching sounds to achieve this.
It comes with a preset that allows you to play EDM drums. Hence, lovers of techno, drum, and electro-pop have been covered.
It has an excellent selection of play along and jamming capability. You have over 37 different songs to choose from. This is called the updated practice function with scoring. This feature will help you grow your drumming skills. It is a perfect set for rhythmic and timing, as well as pad accuracy and endurance. You can even request for the score to see how much you have improved.
Laser technology
Yamaha has tried to stay ahead of other brands in terms of innovative technology. The propriety laser technology is one innovative feature you will not find in any other brand.
This feature is quite crucial because it analyses drum strokes. As a result, you get a smoother and more natural feeling when you are behind this drums set.
Apart from this technology, it comes with iOS app free. It is similar to the Yamaha DTX400K drum set, only better. This ensures you can use the drum easily with your most preferred devices to record your best performances. You can also learn better ways of improving your drumming experience.
Social proof
I had to know if other people felt great about this drum kit. I found many drummers who reviewed it with enthusiastic positivity. Well, I can say the internet helped me discover yet another great accessory for my music career. Consider these:
Alternatives you might find considerable
Many other manufacturers are making an impact on the market too. You may be interested in the following e-drum sets also.
Roland TD-11K
This kit is quite similar to the Yamaha DTX522K in terms of hardware. It comes with the same number of drums and cymbals. It also has a mesh snare head, and equivalent of the snare on the DTX522K. It appears in the same price range too.
Alesis Crimson 2
This is another big rival to the Yamaha DTX522K. It comes with a full mesh setup that includes five mesh drum heads and four cymbals. It is interesting how cheap it is compared to the other two above. They both have right sides as well as negatives, deciding which set is best depends on the individual.
The Yamaha DTX532K and DTX562K
Yamaha is a leader in the electronic music industry. So, if you are looking for more improved features, I would recommend you check out the DTX532K or the DTX562K.
They both introduce a superior hi-hat, with the latter coming with added benefits where all toms have silicone heads. However, they are more expensive than DTX522K.
Bottom line
If you are a drummer looking for the perfect electronic drum experience, Yamaha is a company you can consider. The DTX522K proves this. It is a robust instrument, beautifully designed for everyday playing. It comes with an impressive dynamic range on the module, great for presenting realistic playing. So what are you waiting for?
