Yamaha is one of the biggest brands in the drum industry. Whether it is electronic sets or acoustic ones, you will always get something nice and of great quality. Because of the high standards they have set for their products, Yamaha remained at the top of the market.
The Yamaha DTX542 drum set is one of the sets any drummer would be glad to have. It features in the 500 series of drum sets from the company.
I have been looking forward to reviewing this product for a very long time. Many users say it has never disappointed them as it carries the brand’s name.
In this Yamaha DTX542K overview, I will be discussing a 5-piece set carrying 50 built-in drum kits. It is a good set for those who want to start drumming on a great-quality electronic drum set.
DTX542K Review
Yamaha products are not the cheapest you can find out there. Therefore, you should not expect this one to come cheaply either.
It is made with high-quality materials and designed to offer the best sounds. Most e-drum sets at this price range don’t sound or feel real. But Yamaha has tried to make this one has features almost like an acoustic piece.
Despite the quality and the brands, it is not overlaid expensive either, which one another thing that makes it even more attractive.
However, it is still on the higher side for beginners. It is more recommended for someone who is serious about their drumming future. The price of the DTX542K electronic drum set varies from seller to seller. You can find it between $1599 and $2499.
This means it is one of the highest quality drum sets from Yamaha in the mid-range.
Yamaha DTX542K Electronic Drum Set Review
The set I got for this review was a 5-piece set with 50 different drum kits on board. It has DTX-pads for the snare and toms, a 3-zone hi-hat pad, a 3-zone choke-able ride, and crash cymbal pads, and a training mode on the module.
If you have ever used a DTX-PAD, you understand their naturalism, carried into this set. As such, you are promised playability levels and feel close to that of a standard kit.
I was never a fan of electronic drum kits because they never sounded natural. But this piece changed my mind. Besides, technology has greatly improved in this industry. And it’s the efforts of companies like Yamaha that are making it possible.
For parents out there thinking of a good electronic drum set to buy for their kits, this piece can be all you need. And if you, the player, enjoy the natural playing, with the amazing sounds that this kit produces.
You can never doubt the high-quality product from Yamaha, an expert in the industry. The DTX542K is a display of excellent use of modern technology and futuristic innovations. In terms of responsiveness, the pads are quite amazing and will react easily to your drumming.
One good thing about e-drum kits is that you never have to worry about volume. If you want it high, turn it so with the volume knob, or low if you want low volume.
This Yamaha electronic drum set offers more than what regular kits can offer at this price. Affordable drum sets have become a real boost for many drummers.
Those who want silent practice can now do so without disturbing their neighbor. Besides, the kits are portable enough to fit in any space in your house.
DTX523K is an excellent product for such needs. It can also be used for studio recording, as it creates excellent sounds without having to use too many kits.
Configuration of the Yamaha DTX542K electronic drum kit
The Yamaha DTX542K comes with everything you need to start playing right from the box. I was not expecting it would be that simple, but there it was, with every component in the right place.
The first thing you will notice is the DTX502 module. This is the most important component of any e-drum set.
Then comes well-designed drum pads. You get an XP80 snare, two XP70 toms, and floor tom, a KP65 bass drum, a PCY100 plus HH65 hi-hat, a PCY100 crash cymbal, a PCY135 Ride cymbal, and an RS502 rack.
Every component is made from high-quality materials with excellent features for great performance. They are also designed to withstand a lot of punishment, making them last longer than regular e-drum sets.
Hands-on
After setting everything in position, which was easy by the way, I was eager to taste the product features. And as to my expectations, the kit did not disappoint.
The trigger module weighs about 610grams and is small enough to fit in little space. It comes with a sturdy mount, which you can set to connect the other components.
There are 691 drums and percussion voices, on this DTX502 module, with 128 melodies. These are more than enough to have you playing anything you want.
I liked the quality of the drum pads. They are made from textured cellular silicone (TCS), which is a good material for such items.
Besides that, it makes use of free-floating construction, which virtually eliminates any cross-talk effects while making it more sensitive. As a result, you get e-drums that feel and sound close to a real drum set.
And if you thought you had had enough, check out the comprehensive training function. It has every setup you can think of to improve your skills. Groove Check, Rhythm Gate, Measure Break, Tempo Up/Down, Change Up, Pad Gate, Part Mute, and Full Volume are all here.
It comes with MIDI recording and practice songs. You can either record your own tunes or use the onboard ones as play–along sounds for quick practice.
The module also features a USB port that enables you to use a VSTi software plug-in-and-play function. Use this function also to import custom wave files onto the module. You can use it for home studio recording, and it will not disappoint, with new drum training functions for easy working.
The cymbal pads have professional zones, which produce different sound features when hit. The cup, bow and edge zones are made different to enable easy playing. The kick pad is my favorite.
This electronic drum set offers a unique experience for modern drummers, with a total capacity of 1MB.
Pros
The DTX502 has more wave ROM than the previous model. It also carries 250 sounds more. The updated voices from other DTX modules module is another notable improvement.
Also, the kit allows for a more natural feel than other similar kits, especially on the kick pad. It bears advanced features like cymbal muting, smoother drum rolls on the snare, and natural swells on the cymbals.
Choke function around the edge with a good general stick-feel creates a perfect feel for a good drum set. It ensures low acoustic noise. The ride and crash cymbals sound great.
Cons
The biggest con of this kit is time to time unavailability. Also, drumsticks, stools, and installation are not included.
Summery
The Yamaha DTX542K electronic drum set is a perfect solution for those who need a ‘hybrid kit’ to use with the current hardware. It has space for four more pads and triggers, allowing you to create a full set as you wish and with ease. And many users agree that the DTX-PADS for snare pads are incredible.
The new drum training functions of this kit will help you take your skills to the next level. It is, therefore, worth a recommendation, as this review reveals.
