Yamaha DD55 Pro Digital Drums Reviews 4

I bought this unit in Hong Kong for around HK$2000 from a local music store. I am a singer/guitarist, but I used to be a drummer long ago. I couldn't get a drum kit into my home, but the DD55 fitted the bill, so I tested it in the shop and bought it.

The sounds are indeed quite remarkable, and the size is perfect. The fact that you can adjust the individual drum sounds is a definite plus, particularly the snare which sounds at it's best on number 25. The hand percussion sounds are pretty good, and I like the fact that it's Midi compatible. I use my own backings to sing with at gigs and with the DD55 I'll be able to add more rolls and fill-ins to enlarge my sound. My children are also learning to play on it! The headphone socket is useful for night practice, but don't turn it up too much!

The foot pedals for hi-hat and bass drum are rather tiny, but I got used to them after a while. I used Araldite to anchor them to bits of woods to stop them sliding around. Obviously it's not the same as playing a kit because you're playing in a very restricted area and the feel is not the same. The hi-hat pad really should be on the left hand side.

The construction is quite good, although I wouldn't like to drop it on the floor too many times! The on/off switch is a little flimsy, but for the price this is a good quality unit and does what I want it to do.

I wish that the DD55 had been on the market long ago. It is a great learning unit for anyone in a compact package and is terrific for school music departments. My last thought is that I would definitely re-design the foot pedals and put the hi-hat pad on the left where it should be.

Mike in Hong Kong. rated this unit 4 on 2002-11-28.

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