Just picked up a Roland VAD503 for myself and am completely in love with it! Wanted to drop by and thank you for all of your help and contribution to the e-drum community throughout the years. Your videos have been a huge help to me!
Agreed. That’s why I am going to buy a v drum setup. Superior drummer has the ambience setup so well and the mics they use are amazing. Legends of rock sounds good too
Same ! I’m computer illiterate so it’s a real big nightmare for someone like myself to not only have to pay for it all but to run it . I might have to hire a tech head or something….
I've had the vad 506 for a few days now, and can honestly say it's exceeded my expectations, and my expectations given the price were high. It's a dream to play, I hope it holds up for years to come.
I really like the insight into their pricing. Roland is completely and utterly out of their minds charging 8000 dollars for the TD-50KV. Giving you 12 inch rack toms at that price is among the greatest proverbial slaps to the face that any company has ever done. Let alone the fact that better triggering schemes and responsiveness exists for most of the pads. Think drum Tec kick drums and real feel mesh heads. You will at the very least have to be the absolute pinnacle of edrum performance charging that price. But they did just as justin pointed out completely kill the 50 lineup with the VAD 506 which is practically superior in every way shape and form bar having a module with a few more options most people will never have a use case for. That is still progress. We're still far away from reasonable pricing at 4800 bucks but this is a substantial improvement for a flagship product.
Td50k is in the $4500 and KV in the $5500. Quoting retail is misleading and not what people actually pay for them. I bought my 50kvxs 2 years with an extra tom and mount for $5500, no tax and free shipping to my door. Don't ever pay sticker price once you get above $3k on this stuff, always negotiate.
@@bobbypena7828 cheapest td50kvx in Northern Europe is on drum tec at the low price of 7800€, that's 8600$. US does not represent the world market. The prices are completely accurate. Not paying taxes is considered illegal here too:). So I don't know how you managed to fluke your country in the process but I guess that's all fine and dandy over there. I'm joking, but it's not something you should boast about.
@@fVNzO In the USA, where I live, when you buy on the Internet there is no tax if you buy from another State of the United States. It's called interstate commerce for us. Now, If I had bought from my own State there would be taxes to be paid, but if I lived in New Mexico and bought from Texas, there is no tax. I don't live in Europe, but I do live in the same country as Justin where these prices are currently not what people actually pay for them. We negotiate just about everything. Nobody pays retail prices, and there is no tax on Internet purchases. If you pay more in Europe and can't negotiate for whatever reason, that's unfortunate. The USA is free market, try it out one day when you visit. We don't buy from Europe, aka Drumtec because yeah, those prices are 20%-30% more than here in the States.
@@bobbypena7828 Yikes that's a bit of a loophole isn't it? Everyone could basically just buy things from outer state then and completely evade sales tax. I'm not saying im for or against sales tax to begin with but you'd think that if the government come up with such a thing they'd want it to stay consistent. In any case, i have to pay the sales tax of whatever EU country i'm buying from - 20% in germany i believe - if i buy something from drum tec. Not to mention the ~40% i pay in general taxes. To offset the minimum wage is around 18$. I guess it's both good and bad;).
I totally agree. Roland drums have always been WAY overpriced and sometimes of questionnable quality (I owned a TD7-KE at one point, and after a couple of years of occasional use, was falling apart). Moreover, Roland still don't get how a real drum sounds. This still sounds like a simple rompler, and a bad one at that. Just listen to how inconsistant the snare drum sounds in the first few seconds of this video, because the drummer can't control efficiently the rimshot sound.
Just watched a "review" of the VAD506 in another video. Quite the review, not even one negative comment about the kit. I like how Justin gives us his opinion and includes positive and negative points.
Great vid Juz! I still prefer the sound of my old 2box di5. This new roland kit still sounds like an electronic kit IMO. My di5 sounds amazing compared to this. I dont understand why roland arent using real sample sets rather than electronically manufactured sounds. Crazy. Thanks Juz. Stay cool.
I like that they put the jack on the cymbal facing out instead of in like older roland cymbals that are a pain in the ass to plug in cause the cymbal stand gets in the way.
65 Drums i have seen most your videos including on interfaces but I have yet to see where you definitively approximate total latency for your roland module (td-25 it seems like you own?)or tell us if it feels at all sluggish in vsts? That info would be greatly appreciated as well as what interfaces are best for lowest latency without glitches in vsts? thanks in advance
Your videos are seriously well done man. You always address all the pertinent questions a buyer might have with complete transparency, it's fantastic. If I need a well-informed opinion on damn near any matter when it comes to e-drums, I know exactly where to come. Love it all, keep it up!
Good review Justin. I’ve been happily using an atv kit with the td50 module and digital snare and ride cymbal for a little over a year now. Overall I’ve been happy with my atv drums but I’m running into issues with my atv cymbals developing issues. First it was a 16 inch crash and now my 14 inch hi hats are severely miss triggering... I’ve always appreciated Rolands consistent quality and durability. It will be interesting now with Roland making full size edrums how the market turns over the next several years.
That would be very disappointing to me because ATV arent cheap. Ive been beating on my bought used Roland cymbals for a couple years now with no problems.
Thank you. This video was very well done and very informative. You are obviously quite knowledgeable and have a talent for articulating the various design features. Good job.
Another great video, brother. Learn something about the vibration of shells that affects triggering. Surely, will consider this on the forthcoming project of mine of acoustic-to-electric conversion. Cheers and God bless you!
Just as I made my mind on which drum module I should buy (was going for a td-17) Roland releases this incredible module. I guess I'll have to think about all the pro's and con's (including price difference) and it will probably take me like another month to make my decision ! Damn !
Another great video ! Thank you sir. They are really nice kits and I would love to own one , but unfortunately $4800 is a bit out of my reach at the time . Even if I sold my TD-17KVX with a bass pedal , hi hat , yadda yadda yadda for $1500 , I would still have to come up with close to another $3500 ( ouch ! ) . I mean , forget the 4 pc kit. Gotta go all the way with this kit and get the extra tom and 18in ride. I think it is worth the extra $800 in the scheme of things. I think I am just gonna have to roll with my 17 KVX for now and start saving up !
you could do an easy acoustic-to electronic conversion too. Buy the cheapest acoustic drum you can find. Good mesh head (like Drumtec) for the snare, cheap mesh heads for everything else. Ddrums triggers are pretty cheap and you mount them on the rims. Used cymbals. Then the only expensive piece will be the module itself, but you will still be pretty far from that Roland kit price !
Thanks for this, Justin. Was waiting for your thoughts on those new sets. I’d still rather go for either a DIY solution or something like drum-tec - just because of the option to customize the looks. And yes, I’d still use a TD-30, it’s still the best option - at least for triggering VST. By the way, love your added sense of humor in your videos. 😉
Going to a convention like this would be a nightmare for me, seeing all these kits and not being able to play any of them... I'm left handed and play a lefty-righty hybrid setup.
Hello Justin I've been on this dillema for this couple of weeks , first of all ty for all of your videos. Which one you recommend ? should i try Converted An 5 piece acoustic drum For about 2000 $ ,? or should i try save my money for The vad 503? I'm really scared to be not satisfied with converted drum kit . TY , Hope you reply .
get a TD27 expansion pack...Some ATV or Roland crash/hi hats and a bunch of RT-30 triggers for you acoustic kit...your golden for around 3k. If you want the Roland sounds...
Plus, then you can actually play it as an acoustic which seems like the entire point of having a hybrid kit. This would be a hard pass for me if they've really eliminated all the resonance.
how loud (or quiet) are those when playing in an apartment with neighbours? I mean that's one of the main reasons to buy an electric kit over an acoustic one. (yes I am fully aware, that it is easier to record and play live and stuff, but for practicing at home they should be quite quiet..) can you practice for hours within thin walls, without driving neighbours crazy?
I purchased this kit about 2-3 months ago to replace the strike pro I've been playing on for 3-4 years now and the drums, cymbals and hardware are top notch how ever the stock module instrument sounds pale in comparison to the strike pro. I have had issues with digital ride since day one and the wonderful thing is the consumer is responsible for shipping items back to Roland even if they are under warranty. Getting any kind of reply from support is an absolute joke and all communication is via Rolands website or email. Zero options to speak with someone which seems ridiculous given the amount of money I have spent.
@@XJoeyJordison666X just put down money for mine today. Only thing making me nervous is reports on the hi hats, though they look to have incredible response in every video I watched.
yeah, prices have been insane in canada since the last 5-10 years. Everything is SOOOO expensive because of the exchange rate. I'm doing an acoustic to electronic conversion, and i'm now at the last step of the project, which is buying a drum module. New Roland modules are so much better than previews generations but they are very expensive. I made my mind on the TD-17 which is pretty cheap for being such a good module, but now Roland comes up with this td-27 which is like the best module Roland ever made......... so I guess that will be the one !
I assume that a successor to the TD-50 will appear by the end of 2020. Roland releases its flagship drumsets every 4 years, and this should be the year when they will launch the next flagship. Although Justin recently said that Roland representatives had told him that the successor to the TD-50 was not yet been planned, I would say that the latest kits are just an introduction. We can say a lot of things about the people from Roland, but we can't say they're stupid.
@gambit2 goku34 Exactly what I was thinking! Why else did they add a third digital input on the 27 and 50 modules? I could see a TD60 coming within a year or two that includes the digital HH. They really need to fix their price range though. No more than 5k for flagship, 3k for mid tier, and around 1k - $1,500 for beginner/entry level kits. I'd love to see the numbers on how many TD50 full kits they sold compared to 25, 17, 15, or 11. I guarantee they weren't sell as many 50 kits as they had hoped hence needing a new selling point...VAD503/506.
I agree that the kit is awesome, but as I wrote elsewhere the TD-50 has 10 professional balanced outs, and 2 unbalanced for stage monitoring. The TD-27 has 4 unbalanced outs. Balanced outs are for long cable runs on the stage.
Great review! Appreciate all the information and honesty. To me the sounds have an electronic sound and don't sound very "Real". Do they sound more realistic in person? I have always disliked electronic drums because they sound electronic and I don't hear much variance in articulations.
im sooo tempted to jump to the 506 from my current hybrid kit that i built for a more solid kit. i really wish they at least included a 14" hihat :( how is the tension adjustment on the floor tom compared to the rack tom? on my current kit im able to make my floor tom loosey goosey for a more accurate feel. can you do that with this kit?
@65 Drums -- Been doing some research on this set for a while now... thinking about getting into drumming again! Would you recommend this kit for a beginner? I live in a townhome but I have an unfinished basement to set the kit up in... is the pad noise going to drive my family upstairs / neighbors next door crazy??? Loved the content of your review man... really appreciate all the hard work you put in to your vids!
Sounds like a nice quality kit from Roland to compliment my td25 I have one on my radar Roland has never let me down What's on the bottom of the toms Justin did I miss somthing?
If it has a quarter inch jack and produces an electrical signal when hit then yes, yes it will work. Expect Roland to have software updates with factory profiles soon.
Hey Justin, thanks for these videos! Let me start by saying I’m not a drummer but I’ve pieced together a Frankenstein Roland kit (kd120, vh12, etc). I had the opportunity to pick up a lightly used TD-27 and I’m wondering if you’ve heard anything about the vh12 being used with it - it isn’t listed as one of the compatible HH options. I’ve read something about the sensor for light playing doesn’t perform well but that’s it. My current brain is a td12, so hopefully the 27 performs as well as that. I mostly use my drums via midi anyway but wanted something for my drummer to just come over and jam on without all the computer hookups I use. Any insight will be appreciated.
I agree that the look of the kit could be allot nicer. the black sparkle is nothing special. Maybe I just don't want another black kit. How easy or hard is it to set the kit up with Superior drummer 3 ? do you have a detailed video on setting it up ?
Hey! Nice vid! Thinking of (upgrading??) from a TD50 to a TD27... What can the TD50 do that the TD27 can't? I use the TD50 to layer with SD3 for the most part. Thanks! Just looking for the best triggering out there!
I have the TD17 and the sounds are very usable. I do wonder if the TD 50 sounds are better then the Pearl mimic pro or even the newest Pearl offering? I play out with the SD3 but it would be nice to not have the laptop to get real sounds. Thanks for your hard work you get very honest info.
Did you like the kick tower in the bass drum? Can you find out how the 28 ch.Usb is a n advantage to me running SD3? Can I avoid using an interface for example? I’m waiting to find out. I wrote to Roland but haven’t theard back Don’t think I will but if you or someone reading this knows please tell me?
Greg Williams you don’t need an interface with any USB port V-Drums kit since TD-11. Just install the driver and stream audio and midi back and forth seamlessly and mix and match module and software sounds.
I don’t understand why the kits always sound crap on these video. I just got a TD-30, spent few days messing with settings and sounds and this thing sounds and respond really well...
I record the kits as they are for these videos, I didn't have days and days to mess with the sounds. It's kinda Roland's fault that their pre-set kits don't live up to the module's potential. I used a $700 recording unit out of the R/L outputs of the TD27 for this video. I'm just playing the drumset with Roland's out of the box pre-sets.
Hi! I'm been watching several of your videos, they're great and honest which is very important and difficult to find. After 7/8 years of not playing at all I want to buy an E Drum. Which E drum would you recommend? I like this VAD506 but I saw your video with EFNote (7X) too (I also like Alesis Strike Pro SE). I was (or I am, will see...) a metal drummer. I played professionally, touring, sessions, studio recording, etc... But now I really like to experiment different genres and I want to create drumming content for my social media (but is more for me). I would really like your opinion since you try already several of these drums and how they work and more importantly how they feel. Thanks in advance! Great work! Greetings from Playa del Carmen, México.
My 2 cents. Roland is by far the most established and most reliable edrum manufacturer. Pricy but it can last decades if you take care of it. Ive saved alot buying used Roland equipment. If its not obviously abused it should be fine.
Hi Justin. Love your channel. What did you finally due about the issue you had with your vh10? I'm having the same issue. Keep up the great work. Thanks
how do the drumtec drums compare to the Roland as far as how they play and the triggers. and do they also make drumtec symbols, and how are those. and how do you use superior drummer with the 506 kit ? do you put it into the td27 sound module. or do you need to run it through a computer ? and if you bought the d tec drums, what would be the best module to get with them ?
I have 3 drum module roland tm2 and tm6 for my hybrid set up, which I'm fixing to get rid of my tm2 since tm6 is much better. Now, for my eletronic drum set I have the alesis strike module and for a while now I've been considering on switching the strike for roland TD50 but its too expensive. So, is the TD27 module a really solid option over the TD50 module?
Yes, especially if you are going to hook it up to superior drummer 3 🥁. I am upgrading my TD11 to TD27, just like Justin said the TD27 will give you more lower latency with the digital ride, Snare and hi hat
Looking to purchase these drums, but it’d be cool if they had a different finish. I am thinking about applying vinyl wrap to these shells for a “custom” finish. Could you post your thoughts on something like that?
I don't understand why people want to make an e-drum kit look like an acoustic drum kit. What advantage is there since the sounds come entirely from the module? I suppose it's to accommodate people who play both e-drums and acoustic and want physical continuity between the two.
I used to think it was just appearance but after converting my acoustics to electric it feels better playing full size shells. For example even though they both have mesh heads, a 20" bass drum feels way different than an 8" one.
Thank you for this in-depth review. I have been scouring RUclips for videos of these drums. Here's my question, since I don't have a local store nearby to play these drums, what do they sound like live in the room??? From what I can tell, every video, the sound I'm hearing is coming straight out of the drum module and not a live sound in a room. I know it is difficult to get a live sound to sound great over a video, but I want to have a some sense of what these drums sound like with a band in a live setting. Also a secondary question, since the drums do have actual shells, what does the kit (specifically) the drums sound like when they are unplugged? Can you help me here or direct me somewhere I might get answers to these questions, thanks. Thank you again for you time!
Hello There, Couple of questions 1) What is the difference between this module and TD50KV module.Which is powerful 2) TD 50KV has the direct output for all pads/cymbals etc and Does TD27 has only 2 direct out? Will it not be a challenge in live shows 3) Can we overlay a sample or patch to have a dual tone. For Example clap & a kick?Can I assign & use this across all the toms & snare?Can I use the patch downloaded from external world? 4) Any different color shells available
What's your opinion on the kick feel? My DIY Jobeky conversion feels quite close to an acoustic kick but Roland state - "...when you bury the beater into the specially designed kick drum, you physically move air inside the shell, creating air pressure and resistance that feels remarkably like playing an acoustic kick." - is it all that??
For the money, would it be better to buy the 506 or buy a shell pack & cymbals from Jobeky with a TD-27 module? Would there be a huge difference in triggering using Jobeky’s drums instead of Roland?
65 Drums, what would your main electronic drum set look like if you had limitless money? I ordered a VAD506 kit and I will be using them to trigger VST for everything. I feel like this could be one of the best rigs but I haven’t tried half the drums you have.
I use my TD30 live and the front of house guys always wants a snare and kick separate out on top of usual mix out (Thanks Justin for your help with my query around that in Dec). can the TD27 module do that (NB the TD30 and TD50 have specific direct outs)?? AND I wonder if at some point they will offer direct feeds from the pads rather than a snake - I really love my TD30 module. Also on you tube Dire Tribe Skeletons
the TD-27 has two direct outs. So you could indeed, send the snare and bass drum by those direct outs. I don't know if you can route anything to those direct outs including doing some "groups". That would be great, you could send all the cymbals seperate from the rest, so the soundman can adjust the amount of cymbals from the drums. Maybe you can, but i'm not sure about that. But yeah, there's 2 direct outs.
I'm an acoustic drummer (as a hobby), but life threw me a curve ball and had to pack my acoustic drumkit and store it (moved into an apartment). I'm contemplating going electronic. Or should I say going back to electronic. Because way back in the '90s I had a Roland TD7KE. Pretty horrible experience. I know that today, with mesh heads and faster, better modules, things got better. But I'm still not entirely convinced I could get the EXACT same playing experience and sounds out of the current (2022) offerings by Roland or Alesis. I know I could always use Superior Drums software to get better sounding kits, but I shouldn't have to. My question: I'm hesitating between the Alesis Strike Pro Special Edition, or the Roland VAD506. I'm leaning heavily towards the Alesis because it offers more for half the money. What's your take on it? Thanks for any reply.
Ive been reading edrum posts for years. It seems Alesis has alot more problems with quality control than Roland. I would buy used Roland before a brand new Alesis personally.
The kit that I’ll most likely end up with in the end is th Strike pro Se.becauof the price I’ll be usingSd3 anyway and a vh 10 while saving up for thdigital package of snare and ride.while saving up for
Roland is way ahead on durability. Even if Alesis has good customer service who wants to be exchanging defective pads every few months? Ive been beating on my 2 Roland sets, both used for over a year and a half with no pad failures. Only thing Ive replaced is one cable. Alot of the pads are 20+ years old and feel like they will go another 20.
I just found out about these. I'm trying to see how much you can add to it without buying an additional module. I quite like the 306 series, I don't need full shells. tbqh, I don't understand why they worry about shells. It makes no difference. It's all looks. I trust Roland as they're Japanese but they're are so far behind the curve it's silly.
I dunno if its a TD50 killer, its missing options that were on the td10 eg mic placement on the snare, I bought a td50 in april, if I was on the lookout for a digital kit now yeah I probably would look at the td27 as it has the digital pad which was one of the main reason I went for the td50, but I wouldn't have the roland shells, I can get shells with my wood and hardware choices from numerous vendors and at the end of the day id only be paying about 500 less, id still rather pay 500 more and take the td50 and upgrade when I can, the td50 remains king but it does offer the possibility that a new flagship with digital hats and digital snare throw off is in the pipeline, we will see those on a flagship before they become available to buy separately.
Just picked up a Roland VAD503 for myself and am completely in love with it! Wanted to drop by and thank you for all of your help and contribution to the e-drum community throughout the years. Your videos have been a huge help to me!
Can you trigger samples via a VST? Like SD3? thanks
Love how your reviews are so legit and so honest. I wish Roland paired up with Superior Drummer 3 instead of having modular sounds...
Agreed. That’s why I am going to buy a v drum setup. Superior drummer has the ambience setup so well and the mics they use are amazing. Legends of rock sounds good too
Getting Get Good Drums to provide all the sounds. Remember to buy £1k laptop to run your DAW . . .
A module will never sound as good as Superior Drummer, it doesnt have the computing power (not yet anyway).
Im getting some good sounds for jamming with the module but it will never come close to SD3 for recording.
Same !
I’m computer illiterate so it’s a real big nightmare for someone like myself to not only have to pay for it all but to run it .
I might have to hire a tech head or something….
I've had the vad 506 for a few days now, and can honestly say it's exceeded my expectations, and my expectations given the price were high. It's a dream to play, I hope it holds up for years to come.
It will love it and make music you love so others can love it too
They are very cool, and I love the direction Roland is going in. This is an exciting shift in the E-Drum scene.
I really like the insight into their pricing. Roland is completely and utterly out of their minds charging 8000 dollars for the TD-50KV. Giving you 12 inch rack toms at that price is among the greatest proverbial slaps to the face that any company has ever done. Let alone the fact that better triggering schemes and responsiveness exists for most of the pads. Think drum Tec kick drums and real feel mesh heads. You will at the very least have to be the absolute pinnacle of edrum performance charging that price.
But they did just as justin pointed out completely kill the 50 lineup with the VAD 506 which is practically superior in every way shape and form bar having a module with a few more options most people will never have a use case for. That is still progress. We're still far away from reasonable pricing at 4800 bucks but this is a substantial improvement for a flagship product.
Td50k is in the $4500 and KV in the $5500. Quoting retail is misleading and not what people actually pay for them. I bought my 50kvxs 2 years with an extra tom and mount for $5500, no tax and free shipping to my door. Don't ever pay sticker price once you get above $3k on this stuff, always negotiate.
@@bobbypena7828 cheapest td50kvx in Northern Europe is on drum tec at the low price of 7800€, that's 8600$. US does not represent the world market. The prices are completely accurate. Not paying taxes is considered illegal here too:). So I don't know how you managed to fluke your country in the process but I guess that's all fine and dandy over there. I'm joking, but it's not something you should boast about.
@@fVNzO In the USA, where I live, when you buy on the Internet there is no tax if you buy from another State of the United States. It's called interstate commerce for us. Now, If I had bought from my own State there would be taxes to be paid, but if I lived in New Mexico and bought from Texas, there is no tax. I don't live in Europe, but I do live in the same country as Justin where these prices are currently not what people actually pay for them. We negotiate just about everything. Nobody pays retail prices, and there is no tax on Internet purchases. If you pay more in Europe and can't negotiate for whatever reason, that's unfortunate. The USA is free market, try it out one day when you visit. We don't buy from Europe, aka Drumtec because yeah, those prices are 20%-30% more than here in the States.
@@bobbypena7828 Yikes that's a bit of a loophole isn't it? Everyone could basically just buy things from outer state then and completely evade sales tax. I'm not saying im for or against sales tax to begin with but you'd think that if the government come up with such a thing they'd want it to stay consistent. In any case, i have to pay the sales tax of whatever EU country i'm buying from - 20% in germany i believe - if i buy something from drum tec. Not to mention the ~40% i pay in general taxes. To offset the minimum wage is around 18$. I guess it's both good and bad;).
I totally agree. Roland drums have always been WAY overpriced and sometimes of questionnable quality (I owned a TD7-KE at one point, and after a couple of years of occasional use, was falling apart). Moreover, Roland still don't get how a real drum sounds. This still sounds like a simple rompler, and a bad one at that. Just listen to how inconsistant the snare drum sounds in the first few seconds of this video, because the drummer can't control efficiently the rimshot sound.
Just watched a "review" of the VAD506 in another video. Quite the review, not even one negative comment about the kit. I like how Justin gives us his opinion and includes positive and negative points.
Great job on this review Justin.
I was waiting for this, and you didn’t disappoint!
Thanks Jim!
Your guess was right on the money by the way! I just now noticed that!
Great vid Juz! I still prefer the sound of my old 2box di5. This new roland kit still sounds like an electronic kit IMO. My di5 sounds amazing compared to this. I dont understand why roland arent using real sample sets rather than electronically manufactured sounds. Crazy. Thanks Juz. Stay cool.
Block Lobster so does the Strike ProSE . Now there’s a good deal @2400$
Great video, Justin. Very useful insight for someone who is seriously considering these. Thanks!
Love your videos, man. I just purchased a VAD506, can't wait for it to arrive!
How goes it?
@@maximumguitarage sickest rig ever 🥹
@@dagugoso very happy for you mate 😊
I like that they put the jack on the cymbal facing out instead of in like older roland cymbals that are a pain in the ass to plug in cause the cymbal stand gets in the way.
My honest Opinion, I would never use the the onboard sounds. Always Toontrack software. But Would upgrade to the TD27 module.
I use Superior Drummer 3 every time I do serious recordings. Just sounds way better like you said.
that's what's up :)
I can't understand how in 2020 even the best modules still sound like shit compared to even the cheapest VSTi.
65 Drums i have seen most your videos including on interfaces but I have yet to see where you definitively approximate total latency for your roland module (td-25 it seems like you own?)or tell us if it feels at all sluggish in vsts? That info would be greatly appreciated as well as what interfaces are best for lowest latency without glitches in vsts? thanks in advance
Your videos are seriously well done man. You always address all the pertinent questions a buyer might have with complete transparency, it's fantastic. If I need a well-informed opinion on damn near any matter when it comes to e-drums, I know exactly where to come. Love it all, keep it up!
Great review Justin, thanks for sharing my dear friend 😎👍👊✌️
I appreciate it Rob :)
Good review Justin. I’ve been happily using an atv kit with the td50 module and digital snare and ride cymbal for a little over a year now. Overall I’ve been happy with my atv drums but I’m running into issues with my atv cymbals developing issues. First it was a 16 inch crash and now my 14 inch hi hats are severely miss triggering... I’ve always appreciated Rolands consistent quality and durability. It will be interesting now with Roland making full size edrums how the market turns over the next several years.
That would be very disappointing to me because ATV arent cheap. Ive been beating on my bought used Roland cymbals for a couple years now with no problems.
That's sad to hear I haven't had any issues myself thankfully 🙏
Thank you. This video was very well done and very informative. You are obviously quite knowledgeable and have a talent for articulating the various design features. Good job.
Nice keep up the good work can't wait for the next video
You’re awesome Justin!
You should have over a million subs!
Another great video, brother.
Learn something about the vibration of shells that affects triggering. Surely, will consider this on the forthcoming project of mine of acoustic-to-electric conversion.
Cheers and God bless you!
the ATV kick is so much better . Your description was exactly my thought
VAD-506 is so sexy, wish I could afford it honestly
You probably already know this but just incase; zzounds and American musical supply have relatively decent financing options. That's what Ima do.
Glad to hear this. I’d buy the acoustic looking kits.the 503 for $4800 is a deal imo I Lovett.
Can’t wait for the VAD 306 review!!
Just as I made my mind on which drum module I should buy (was going for a td-17) Roland releases this incredible module. I guess I'll have to think about all the pro's and con's (including price difference) and it will probably take me like another month to make my decision ! Damn !
Well the 506 just made its onstage debut in a big way, it was used with the TD-50 last night in the SB halftime show along with an acoustic set.
Looks sweet and really nice review Justin!!
Another great video ! Thank you sir. They are really nice kits and I would love to own one , but unfortunately $4800 is a bit out of my reach at the time . Even if I sold my TD-17KVX with a bass pedal , hi hat , yadda yadda yadda for $1500 , I would still have to come up with close to another $3500 ( ouch ! ) . I mean , forget the 4 pc kit. Gotta go all the way with this kit and get the extra tom and 18in ride. I think it is worth the extra $800 in the scheme of things. I think I am just gonna have to roll with my 17 KVX for now and start saving up !
you could do an easy acoustic-to electronic conversion too. Buy the cheapest acoustic drum you can find. Good mesh head (like Drumtec) for the snare, cheap mesh heads for everything else. Ddrums triggers are pretty cheap and you mount them on the rims. Used cymbals. Then the only expensive piece will be the module itself, but you will still be pretty far from that Roland kit price !
The 4 pc comes with the 18" digital ride also
Thanks for this, Justin. Was waiting for your thoughts on those new sets. I’d still rather go for either a DIY solution or something like drum-tec - just because of the option to customize the looks. And yes, I’d still use a TD-30, it’s still the best option - at least for triggering VST.
By the way, love your added sense of humor in your videos. 😉
You were absolutely right about the 700 series
Thanks Justin for a great review !
I’m selling my 11KVs and thinking hard about the 506s....!
Excellent review!! Thank you for sharing
Going to a convention like this would be a nightmare for me, seeing all these kits and not being able to play any of them... I'm left handed and play a lefty-righty hybrid setup.
I think I might go for the four piece one! I just wish the bass drum head was white to match the toms.
I love this channel. Thanks Justin !!
Good playing in the intro man!
Thanks Logan! Only had 12 minutes to play and record as much as possible before I got kicked off the drumset, glad it turned out ok.
Hello Justin I've been on this dillema for this couple of weeks ,
first of all ty for all of your videos.
Which one you recommend ?
should i try Converted An 5 piece acoustic drum For about 2000 $ ,?
or should i try save my money for The vad 503?
I'm really scared to be not satisfied with converted drum kit .
TY , Hope you reply .
Great video Justin!👍
Damn you were kicking it up a notch!
get a TD27 expansion pack...Some ATV or Roland crash/hi hats and a bunch of RT-30 triggers for you acoustic kit...your golden for around 3k. If you want the Roland sounds...
I think that's the best way to go !
Plus, then you can actually play it as an acoustic which seems like the entire point of having a hybrid kit. This would be a hard pass for me if they've really eliminated all the resonance.
So they woke up finally?
I have got a crush on this vad506.
I wish they partner with XLN or Toontrack to make a beast modulr that can compete with the mimic pro
Great video Justin.
Great review just excellent thank you.
how loud (or quiet) are those when playing in an apartment with neighbours? I mean that's one of the main reasons to buy an electric kit over an acoustic one. (yes I am fully aware, that it is easier to record and play live and stuff, but for practicing at home they should be quite quiet..) can you practice for hours within thin walls, without driving neighbours crazy?
I could barely play an acoustic guitar in an apartment complex without people getting on my case.
I decided to buy the td27, but I really would´ve liked a 506... just so damn expensive
Yep
I purchased this kit about 2-3 months ago to replace the strike pro I've been playing on for 3-4 years now and the drums, cymbals and hardware are top notch how ever the stock module instrument sounds pale in comparison to the strike pro. I have had issues with digital ride since day one and the wonderful thing is the consumer is responsible for shipping items back to Roland even if they are under warranty. Getting any kind of reply from support is an absolute joke and all communication is via Rolands website or email. Zero options to speak with someone which seems ridiculous given the amount of money I have spent.
Atv customer service is good
I like the digital ride cymbal
I'm completely stuck between the td 27kv and the vad 506, such a hard choice
Me too. Which one did you take?
@@pazieger I went with the 506 about 6 months ago, totally glad I did it
@@XJoeyJordison666X just put down money for mine today. Only thing making me nervous is reports on the hi hats, though they look to have incredible response in every video I watched.
Long and Mcquaid has it listed right now for $6300 CAD. That seems pretty fair, considering the flagship TD-50 model is currently $10K CAD!!
yeah, prices have been insane in canada since the last 5-10 years. Everything is SOOOO expensive because of the exchange rate. I'm doing an acoustic to electronic conversion, and i'm now at the last step of the project, which is buying a drum module. New Roland modules are so much better than previews generations but they are very expensive. I made my mind on the TD-17 which is pretty cheap for being such a good module, but now Roland comes up with this td-27 which is like the best module Roland ever made......... so I guess that will be the one !
For those living in an apartment. How does it compare to a td17 as regards the noise levels when playing? Thanks
When will they do something like this but with the td50, they have killed the td50 with this set
I assume that a successor to the TD-50 will appear by the end of 2020. Roland releases its flagship drumsets every 4 years, and this should be the year when they will launch the next flagship. Although Justin recently said that Roland representatives had told him that the successor to the TD-50 was not yet been planned, I would say that the latest kits are just an introduction. We can say a lot of things about the people from Roland, but we can't say they're stupid.
That's what the TD 50 deserves
@gambit2 goku34 Exactly what I was thinking! Why else did they add a third digital input on the 27 and 50 modules? I could see a TD60 coming within a year or two that includes the digital HH. They really need to fix their price range though. No more than 5k for flagship, 3k for mid tier, and around 1k - $1,500 for beginner/entry level kits. I'd love to see the numbers on how many TD50 full kits they sold compared to 25, 17, 15, or 11. I guarantee they weren't sell as many 50 kits as they had hoped hence needing a new selling point...VAD503/506.
I agree that the kit is awesome, but as I wrote elsewhere the TD-50 has 10 professional balanced outs, and 2 unbalanced for stage monitoring. The TD-27 has 4 unbalanced outs. Balanced outs are for long cable runs on the stage.
Great review! Appreciate all the information and honesty. To me the sounds have an electronic sound and don't sound very "Real". Do they sound more realistic in person? I have always disliked electronic drums because they sound electronic and I don't hear much variance in articulations.
im sooo tempted to jump to the 506 from my current hybrid kit that i built for a more solid kit. i really wish they at least included a 14" hihat :( how is the tension adjustment on the floor tom compared to the rack tom? on my current kit im able to make my floor tom loosey goosey for a more accurate feel. can you do that with this kit?
Good film Justin :-)
I think Justin should buy one of these kits and then have his td30 as he secondary
Comparison between these new Roland sets and Pearl e/Merge would be great.
Is the 306 different in a good way? 😬 Waiting for your review to buy!
@65 Drums -- Been doing some research on this set for a while now... thinking about getting into drumming again! Would you recommend this kit for a beginner? I live in a townhome but I have an unfinished basement to set the kit up in... is the pad noise going to drive my family upstairs / neighbors next door crazy??? Loved the content of your review man... really appreciate all the hard work you put in to your vids!
Sounds like a nice quality kit from Roland to compliment my td25 I have one on my radar
Roland has never let me down
What's on the bottom of the toms Justin did I miss somthing?
How loud do these compare with the TD-50 pads? I'm looking for the quietest setup
Same here, thats the thing most important to me
They are louder, especially the kick.
Only a matter of time before they release a set like this that has all digital triggers.
Yup, probably a few years out yet though
I really enjoy your v-drum reviews. The trouble is I end up spending money!
😂😂😂😂😂😂
@@65Drums In all seriousness though. If you were going to upgrade a Roland TD11KV and had $2500 to spend what would you recommend?
hey man could u direct me to a good tutorial on how to use the TD50 with superior drummer. Thanks for all your great videos on electronic drums
Can you take these drum shells and pair them with the Roland - 50 brain? and the 22" TD-50 bass drum?
If it has a quarter inch jack and produces an electrical signal when hit then yes, yes it will work. Expect Roland to have software updates with factory profiles soon.
Hey Justin, thanks for these videos! Let me start by saying I’m not a drummer but I’ve pieced together a Frankenstein Roland kit (kd120, vh12, etc). I had the opportunity to pick up a lightly used TD-27 and I’m wondering if you’ve heard anything about the vh12 being used with it - it isn’t listed as one of the compatible HH options. I’ve read something about the sensor for light playing doesn’t perform well but that’s it. My current brain is a td12, so hopefully the 27 performs as well as that. I mostly use my drums via midi anyway but wanted something for my drummer to just come over and jam on without all the computer hookups I use. Any insight will be appreciated.
I agree that the look of the kit could be allot nicer. the black sparkle is nothing special. Maybe I just don't want another black kit.
How easy or hard is it to set the kit up with Superior drummer 3 ? do you have a detailed video on setting it up ?
Awesome content dude! Can VSTs utilize positional sensing or is that worthless if using Superior Drummer? Thanks!!
Superior Drummer 3 does positional sensing on the snare
Hey! Nice vid! Thinking of (upgrading??) from a TD50 to a TD27... What can the TD50 do that the TD27 can't? I use the TD50 to layer with SD3 for the most part. Thanks! Just looking for the best triggering out there!
Hook it up to superior drummer 3 🥁
I have the TD17 and the sounds are very usable. I do wonder if the TD 50 sounds are better then the Pearl mimic pro or even the newest Pearl offering? I play out with the SD3 but it would be nice to not have the laptop to get real sounds. Thanks for your hard work you get very honest info.
Did you like the kick tower in the bass drum? Can you find out how the 28 ch.Usb is a n advantage to me running SD3? Can I avoid using an interface for example? I’m waiting to find out. I wrote to Roland but haven’t theard back Don’t think I will but if you or someone reading this knows please tell me?
Greg Williams you don’t need an interface with any USB port V-Drums kit since TD-11. Just install the driver and stream audio and midi back and forth seamlessly and mix and match module and software sounds.
I don’t understand why the kits always sound crap on these video. I just got a TD-30, spent few days messing with settings and sounds and this thing sounds and respond really well...
I record the kits as they are for these videos, I didn't have days and days to mess with the sounds. It's kinda Roland's fault that their pre-set kits don't live up to the module's potential. I used a $700 recording unit out of the R/L outputs of the TD27 for this video. I'm just playing the drumset with Roland's out of the box pre-sets.
Hi! I'm been watching several of your videos, they're great and honest which is very important and difficult to find. After 7/8 years of not playing at all I want to buy an E Drum. Which E drum would you recommend? I like this VAD506 but I saw your video with EFNote (7X) too (I also like Alesis Strike Pro SE). I was (or I am, will see...) a metal drummer. I played professionally, touring, sessions, studio recording, etc... But now I really like to experiment different genres and I want to create drumming content for my social media (but is more for me). I would really like your opinion since you try already several of these drums and how they work and more importantly how they feel. Thanks in advance! Great work! Greetings from Playa del Carmen, México.
My 2 cents. Roland is by far the most established and most reliable edrum manufacturer. Pricy but it can last decades if you take care of it. Ive saved alot buying used Roland equipment. If its not obviously abused it should be fine.
Great review! Hey what hihat stand was part of that set you were using? Was it a Roland stand or??? Thanks!!
How's the snare response compared to the ATV snare? That Roland snare seems the best for ghost notes etc.
Hi Justin. Love your channel. What did you finally due about the issue you had with your vh10? I'm having the same issue. Keep up the great work. Thanks
Hey, any idea/suggestion what hi hat stand goes well with this kit? You maybe remember which one was displayed here? Thanks a bunch!
I believe Roland has their own stands and pedals. I would guess thats what they were using.
how do the drumtec drums compare to the Roland as far as how they play and the triggers. and do they also make drumtec symbols, and how are those. and how do you use superior drummer with the 506 kit ? do you put it into the td27 sound module. or do you need to run it through a computer ? and if you bought the d tec drums, what would be the best module to get with them ?
I have 3 drum module roland tm2 and tm6 for my hybrid set up, which I'm fixing to get rid of my tm2 since tm6 is much better. Now, for my eletronic drum set I have the alesis strike module and for a while now I've been considering on switching the strike for roland TD50 but its too expensive. So, is the TD27 module a really solid option over the TD50 module?
Yes, especially if you are going to hook it up to superior drummer 3 🥁. I am upgrading my TD11 to TD27, just like Justin said the TD27 will give you more lower latency with the digital ride, Snare and hi hat
Looking to purchase these drums, but it’d be cool if they had a different finish. I am thinking about applying vinyl wrap to these shells for a “custom” finish. Could you post your thoughts on something like that?
I don't understand why people want to make an e-drum kit look like an acoustic drum kit. What advantage is there since the sounds come entirely from the module? I suppose it's to accommodate people who play both e-drums and acoustic and want physical continuity between the two.
Volume and appearance versatility, best of both worlds.
I used to think it was just appearance but after converting my acoustics to electric it feels better playing full size shells. For example even though they both have mesh heads, a 20" bass drum feels way different than an 8" one.
Thank you for this in-depth review. I have been scouring RUclips for videos of these drums. Here's my question, since I don't have a local store nearby to play these drums, what do they sound like live in the room??? From what I can tell, every video, the sound I'm hearing is coming straight out of the drum module and not a live sound in a room. I know it is difficult to get a live sound to sound great over a video, but I want to have a some sense of what these drums sound like with a band in a live setting. Also a secondary question, since the drums do have actual shells, what does the kit (specifically) the drums sound like when they are unplugged? Can you help me here or direct me somewhere I might get answers to these questions, thanks. Thank you again for you time!
Any updates on using plugins to trigger sounds? For more realism?
I have mesh heads and ddrum trigger module. Wondering if it’s time for a cymbal set.
Hello There, Couple of questions
1) What is the difference between this module and TD50KV module.Which is powerful
2) TD 50KV has the direct output for all pads/cymbals etc and Does TD27 has only 2 direct out? Will it not be a challenge in live shows
3) Can we overlay a sample or patch to have a dual tone. For Example clap & a kick?Can I assign & use this across all the toms & snare?Can I use the patch downloaded from external world?
4) Any different color shells available
What's your opinion on the kick feel? My DIY Jobeky conversion feels quite close to an acoustic kick but Roland state - "...when you bury the beater into the specially designed kick drum, you physically move air inside the shell, creating air pressure and resistance that feels remarkably like playing an acoustic kick." - is it all that??
Sitting on a fence: getting a VAD506 or the GEWA G9 Pro C5... I'd wish you would review the final version of the G9.
For the money, would it be better to buy the 506 or buy a shell pack & cymbals from Jobeky with a TD-27 module? Would there be a huge difference in triggering using Jobeky’s drums instead of Roland?
65 Drums, what would your main electronic drum set look like if you had limitless money? I ordered a VAD506 kit and I will be using them to trigger VST for everything. I feel like this could be one of the best rigs but I haven’t tried half the drums you have.
I use my TD30 live and the front of house guys always wants a snare and kick separate out on top of usual mix out (Thanks Justin for your help with my query around that in Dec). can the TD27 module do that (NB the TD30 and TD50 have specific direct outs)?? AND I wonder if at some point they will offer direct feeds from the pads rather than a snake - I really love my TD30 module. Also on you tube Dire Tribe Skeletons
the TD-27 has two direct outs. So you could indeed, send the snare and bass drum by those direct outs. I don't know if you can route anything to those direct outs including doing some "groups". That would be great, you could send all the cymbals seperate from the rest, so the soundman can adjust the amount of cymbals from the drums. Maybe you can, but i'm not sure about that. But yeah, there's 2 direct outs.
I'm an acoustic drummer (as a hobby), but life threw me a curve ball and had to pack my acoustic drumkit and store it (moved into an apartment). I'm contemplating going electronic. Or should I say going back to electronic. Because way back in the '90s I had a Roland TD7KE. Pretty horrible experience. I know that today, with mesh heads and faster, better modules, things got better. But I'm still not entirely convinced I could get the EXACT same playing experience and sounds out of the current (2022) offerings by Roland or Alesis. I know I could always use Superior Drums software to get better sounding kits, but I shouldn't have to.
My question: I'm hesitating between the Alesis Strike Pro Special Edition, or the Roland VAD506. I'm leaning heavily towards the Alesis because it offers more for half the money. What's your take on it? Thanks for any reply.
Ive been reading edrum posts for years. It seems Alesis has alot more problems with quality control than Roland. I would buy used Roland before a brand new Alesis personally.
The kit that I’ll most likely end up with in the end is th Strike pro Se.becauof the price I’ll be usingSd3 anyway and a vh 10 while saving up for thdigital package of snare and ride.while saving up for
I'm in the process of returning mine, The module packed it in. Don't fall for the hype, I'd rather a td17kvx next time.
Roland is way ahead on durability. Even if Alesis has good customer service who wants to be exchanging defective pads every few months? Ive been beating on my 2 Roland sets, both used for over a year and a half with no pad failures. Only thing Ive replaced is one cable. Alot of the pads are 20+ years old and feel like they will go another 20.
You can’t beat Roland for dependable triggering & durability
What’s Guerro thanks 👍🏻 your friend Cesar Flores
I just found out about these. I'm trying to see how much you can add to it without buying an additional module. I quite like the 306 series, I don't need full shells. tbqh, I don't understand why they worry about shells. It makes no difference. It's all looks.
I trust Roland as they're Japanese but they're are so far behind the curve it's silly.
What do you think of the 506C (Costco) version for $4.6k.
Can you buy the kd 18 separate without the drum to do an A to E conversion
Great drum sound in at 2:40...what settings were you using on the td-27? Thanks!
I was just running through the stock kits one by one.
I dunno if its a TD50 killer, its missing options that were on the td10 eg mic placement on the snare, I bought a td50 in april, if I was on the lookout for a digital kit now yeah I probably would look at the td27 as it has the digital pad which was one of the main reason I went for the td50, but I wouldn't have the roland shells, I can get shells with my wood and hardware choices from numerous vendors and at the end of the day id only be paying about 500 less, id still rather pay 500 more and take the td50 and upgrade when I can, the td50 remains king but it does offer the possibility that a new flagship with digital hats and digital snare throw off is in the pipeline, we will see those on a flagship before they become available to buy separately.
Awesome...!
VH-11 vs VH-13 hats, if money is not an object. Worth the 13? Already have TD50K set. Thanks!