Yamaha have done it again. The all new Yamaha DTXTREME3 Special electronic drum set has set new ground for all Drummers, wanting an amazing recording and or practice tool or live drum set with incredibly realistic feel, if you closed your eyes, you would think you were playing the real thing.

The first thing I noticed when setting up the kit was the amazing all new Hex Rack System designed to be strong enough not only for this world class electronic kit, but is the same rack used for all new Yamaha Acoustic System Drums. The All New DTXTREME3 Special Rack even has an inbuilt central spirit level so you can make sure you're set up is perfectly straight!!!

One special point to mention is the kits size feels much more realistic to an acoustic kit, it doesn’t feel cramped or over compact as most brands of electronic kits try to make their kits. Yamaha do offer 2 models here though, the Yamaha DTXTREME3 Standard comes with a more compact rack system and is a 5pce kit with a 3pce cymbal set up as opposed to the DTXTREME3 Special which comes with the Hex Rack, 6 Pce kit and 4 Pce Cymbal Set up. See right for a pic of the new Hex Rack minus the left side bar.

So, I’ve finished setting up the kit, attached a Yamaha Double Pedal and here’s what it looks like!!!

The first thing I noticed about the all new module was the awesome backlit LCD display. It is so easy to read and even has a LCD dimmer adjuster on the back of the module!!!

After plugging in the Drum set to a Yamaha MSR400 Powered Speaker, (for some serious fat sounds), and turning the module on, the display takes you right to KIT 1: Yamaha Oak Custom, now I have one of those kits in store tuned up real nice and I could not believe how realistic the sample sound was, it was incredible.

On the right hand side of the module, you’ll notice the simple scroll button, which you can turn clockwise or anticlockwise to scroll through the amazing Pre set drum kits.

The LCD Screen shows you which kit setting you are on and tempo’s of songs and how the triggers are set up for the particular kit you have chosen, it’s so simple, yet so in-depth if you choose so. Below the screen are the 6 Mode and 6 Function buttons, which are aligned with the screen for feature changes.

The individual sliders adjust all pad volumes, click track and accompany music volume, master volume etc. The white cursors on the bottom right allow you to easily scroll across and up or down on the LCD Backlit display, so you can easily change features.

See Right for a picture of the front of the all new Yamaha DTXTREME3 module, it’s a beauty!!!

Now the back of the module is just as important so here are a few features I found really groundbreaking, especially for a drum kit in this price point.

AUX IN/ SAMPLING IN: You can connect your external audio equipment such as your iPod to either play along to, or use for sampling.

OUTPUTS: It has 6 individual outputs to go to a FOH mixer and/or a digital output to connect to sound reinforcements or your recording device.

PAD INPUTS: There are 15!!! 13 of which you can use 2 or 3 zone pads, which can make for some pretty awesome custom setups!!!

PHONES: For headphone connection for quiet playing or recording.

MIDI IN & OUT: For interconnection of your external MIDI device.

USB: This is used to connect to your PC or USB Memory device. You can exchange info in WAV data or MIDI, when saving a performance or uploading sounds which you have previously edited. Above Right is a picture of the Module Rear.

The Yamaha DTXTREME3 offers both of their “all new” 13” and 15” 3 zones pads which have a very realistic feel in have triggers in the bell, the bow, the edge, and also have great “choking” facilities. They felt so good to play and respond amazingly well.

The Kick Trigger supplied with the new DTXTREME3 is the KP125, which is nice and large firstly, and is solid as a rock.
This should be a huge hit for all you double “dooga dooga” fans out there. It has a really nice soft feel, much like a real kick drum skin that has been tuned quite low. The KP125 can obviously accommodate single or double pedals and has an all new trigger design inside which allows double kicks to have just the same amount of poke as a single kick.

Below right is a pic of the kick in action:

Here’s my favourite part of the all new DTXTREME3!!! The Hihat setup. WOW!!! Is the best way to describe just how fast, how accurate and real it is, I was absolutely blown away. Apart from doing everything you’d normally expect, it even splashes both Cymbals together to the point you can hear the overtone of the top hihat cymbal ringing out!!! The other feature of the New Hihat I found amazing is, you know when you tramp on your Hihat Pedal hard and the pitch of the cymbals goes up and sort of chokes? Well, so does this, talk about making something realistic electronically. There is nothing you can’t do on it…Enjoy!!!

Here’s a pic for y’all:

So what are you still doing sitting there? You gotta come and try this out, it’s awesome you should enjoy yourself immensely playing the 50 preset kits, or the 50 kits you can design in the FLASH ROM, not to mention you can download another 1584 kits!!!!

That’s right that wasn’t a typo…1584 kits in the USB Storage device. Throw in 9 types of reverb, 19 types of chorus, 5 band master eq, and 9 types of Master FX!!!

Still not convinced? Well every tom has a red button, not every kit has red buttons!!! The red buttons are for tuning your toms where you’d like and on the snare the red button controls your snare wire on/off and tension.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reviewing this beast by Yamaha, and the best part is the price.

Check out our online store for the special deals now!

I’ll see you soon.