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Thread: Yamaha DTX 532 start of a review

  1. #1

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    Default Yamaha DTX 532 start of a review

    I'm not ready for a full review yet because I don't know everything to know about the kit yet. It's all new to me. I have used a Roland Octapad before, so that's all I have for comparison.

    Out of the box, putting it together for the first time was easy.

    I have three A-kits but got this because it looked easy to carry and fast set up and tear down. It's for a band I play in that plays mostly small bars and clubs. I will continue to use an A-kit for another (prog rock) band.

    I used zip-ties to keep the harness attached to the rack. Set up and tear down time is about 15 minutes. That includes pads in and out of suit cases. Unfold the rack, attach pads, plug in the pads, attach module, plug in module, plug into the PA, connect kick pedal, good to go. I use a standard size suit case and a small suit case. Both easily carried at the same time and carry the light weight rack. Easy in and out of my SUV.

    So it fits the bill so far, but how does it sound? I played my first gig with it last night, an unusual gig for us because it was an outside concert with a few hundred people.

    I was a bit worried about this because we play through a small PA. 1000 watt powered mixer (500 watts for mains, 500 for monitors), 2 JBL Eon 15s with horns on stands and an EV powered sub.

    I tweaked out the sounds for a "custom" kit with headphones, hoping it would be okay out of the PA. Played the first set without knowing how it was out front. This is the kind of band that encourages other musicians to sit in, so we always have a decent following of friends/musicians. Positive feedback was immediate. Everyone was impressed with it.

    Second set I had another drummer sit in while I sat with another drummer friend. It sounded like a well mic-ed drum kit! Success!

    There are a lot more expensive kits than this one. For the money, with some tweaking it serves my purpose very well. I thought the cymbal sounds were poor, tweaked them out as best as I could with headphones, but when I heard them live with another drummer I was impressed. Hi Hat was great. Crash was reasonably good and ride was very good. I still might download some other cymbal sounds though. Cymbal swells kind of suck though, but for what I paid, I can live with that.

    All in all, It's perfect for what I was looking for! Thank you Yamaha!

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Yamaha DTX 532 start of a review

    Nice review. What did you and the band use for monitoring I know 500 watts but could you and the band hear the drums fine while playing. That's where I always find the problem is with using electronics live.

    What kind of music was this for. I too am an acoustic player, started with the octapad, and now have a td15. I want to use it out live but the band is a little Leary. For monitors, We run 3 1000 watt qsc k10s. And it just doesn't have the thump the rest of the band wants on stage. It works for me, and sounds way better than even a perfectly tuned mic ed drum kit. But they want to FEEL it.

    We're a rock band. I used the octapad out live a few times as a mini kit with external k,s,HH,ride. And it went over well. This was with an acoustic trio. I tried it with this band the my band monkeys are just too loud.

    Thanks for the review.

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Yamaha DTX 532 start of a review

    Glad to hear it!
    I have one on order, hope to have my hands on it tomorrow !!!!!

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Yamaha DTX 532 start of a review

    Only one monitor is used for the keyboard / singer / harp player. A 15". He plays bass keys so we don't have a bass player. The guitar player and I each use a little Makie (I forget the model #) powered monitor. I got a "main" feed but it didn't sound like it did out front, so next gig I will Y out my E-Kit, one to the mains and one back to a channel in my monitor AND take a feed from the mains (For vocals etc.) to a second channel into my Mackie. That way I can adjust the volume of a monitor everything and a separate volume for the E-kit. Hope that makes sense.

    The keyboard player knows well over 200 songs. Anything from Billy Joel to Zeppelin to Beatles to Don McClain to Rolling Stones.

    We travel VERY light, no amps. Guitar plugs his pedals into the mixer and the keyboard player plugs into the mixer. Since this band travels light, I decided to follow suite with the E-kit.

    I should mention that the EV powered Sub (just one) does a very nice job and everyone hears / senses the bottom end (kick) just fine. Without a sub, the E-kit wouldn't work live well at all.

    I play in a prog band and we either rent a big PA or play where there is a large house PA and I will only use an A-kit for that. But I might add some E-pads for tympani and other effects. Haven't tried that yet.
    Last edited by Hawk; 07-21-2013 at 05:43 PM.

  5. #5
    Tazticles Guest

    Default Re: Yamaha DTX 532 start of a review

    Nice wee review man. I was looking at similar Yamaha kits recently but ended up going Roland because the NZ Yamaha agent is a bit poos. Really liked the Yam pads (particularly the lack of ridiculous bounce!) however.
    Are you happy with the rubber cymbal pads? Have you seen those Zildijan Gen16's?

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Yamaha DTX 532 start of a review

    Quote Originally Posted by Tazticles View Post
    Nice wee review man. I was looking at similar Yamaha kits recently but ended up going Roland because the NZ Yamaha agent is a bit poos. Really liked the Yam pads (particularly the lack of ridiculous bounce!) however.
    Are you happy with the rubber cymbal pads? Have you seen those Zildijan Gen16's?
    I love the silicone textured snare pad with three zones. Not totally happy with the (too) hard tom pads, but I got what I paid for. They work VERY well, but they don't feel very good.

    I'm fine with the Cymbal pads. I'll wait on the Zildjian E-cymbals, perhaps the price might come down some day...

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Yamaha DTX 532 start of a review

    After gigging this E-Kit for a while now, I know buying this Yamaha 532 was the right thing to do.

    Now I just leave all of the drum pads and cymbal pads and module connected, lower the cymbals, partially fold it, and carry it to the car. It stands up n the car securely. (Rav 4)

    Plug it in, good to go. Un-plug it, tear down complete! The only thing I have to connect or disconnect is the kick tower and the hi hat.

    I'm happy with the sound. I'll add a new 15" cymbal pad. Probably at some point I'll replace the hard black rubber tom pads with the silicone textured pads which I really like.

    A friend of mine just got the Roland flag ship model (can't remember the model - but it's the most expensive one they make). Beautiful kit but NOT what I would want for my situation. I don't need all the bells and whistles. Just a decent drum kit sound and simple transport.

    The bottom line is that the 532 is a nice kit to practice on and (for me) small gigs in bars and clubs. And it suits the variety of music we play. It's not for everyone, but with the little research I did, it proved to fill the bill. I still play an A-kit in a prog rock band, but I have used the E-kit for practice in that band and while I wouldn't gig with the E-kit in that band, it works well for rehearsals.

  8. #8

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    Default Re: Yamaha DTX 532 start of a review

    thank you for this review .. and especially the follow up after you had been using it for a few weeks. Im probably getting a 700 series dtx .. I want some bells and whistles.. I already own a yamaha e kit but want the new pads and I love my yamaha..
    We Have nothing to fear but Reefs and Pirates

    I tried taking life seriously, didn't much like it so now what I take seriously is living

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Yamaha DTX 532 start of a review

    Is the hi hat on the DTX 532 so much better than a DTX 522 that's it's worth the extra money? In regards to the DTX 562 are the toms worth the extra money as well?

  10. #10

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    Default Re: Yamaha DTX 532 start of a review

    Nice review do you just play that or as an addition to your set
    Kreg
    First concert the Beatles 1966
    Love to rock and roll with my set of Rogers

  11. #11

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    Default Re: Yamaha DTX 532 start of a review

    Quote Originally Posted by czoli View Post
    Is the hi hat on the DTX 532 so much better than a DTX 522 that's it's worth the extra money? In regards to the DTX 562 are the toms worth the extra money as well?
    In my opinion YES!!

    I have a 7000 series and the TCS pads are amazing. nicer feel better articulation better sensitivity range and quieter. Night and Day compared to rubber pads, even nice rubber pads.
    We Have nothing to fear but Reefs and Pirates

    I tried taking life seriously, didn't much like it so now what I take seriously is living

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