We have many musical instruments at our house, but we have always lacked a drum set. My youngest son has begged to learn how to play, so when I had the chance to review the Yamaha DTX400K electronic drum set (MSRP $799), we jumped all over it. I was not sure what to expect, but this thing has blown us away.
The DTX400K includes 10 kits that can be customized and 169 acoustic drum and percussion sounds. Each piece includes Accent Articulation which brings dynamic expression and a more realistic drumming experience. Four 7″ drum pads and three 10″ cymbals make up the kit which mounts on a steel base.
Assembly was straightforward and not difficult at all. I was able to put the entire set together in less than an hour. That was with limited drum set knowledge and playing close attention to make sure each of the pads was connected correctly. Once together, the set is easy to adjust the positioning to personal preference and it just needs to be powered up and start drumming away.
We have used the drum set two different ways. Using headphones, you will need a 1/4″ connector like used as studio headphones or a guitar amp. Each preset kit has a unique sound that is very realistic through headphones, and the sound through the headphones is excellent. If you play along with any of the supplied practice tracks, they also sound great. I mostly use the kit connected to an amplifier. I have an acoustic guitar amp that sounds amazing and super realistic.
My wife’s favorite aspect of the drum set is that the pads are extremely quiet. If you are in another room and the drummer is using headphones, you will not even know they are playing. This is great for small living spaces or to keep the sanity of those that live with you. I found the pads to be soft but also realistic feeling. The kick pedals are also really quiet, but they give nice feedback and great sound.
The control box is also straightforward. The top numbers toggle from each kit and also each jam track. The jam tracks are pretty varied to allow for different tempos and styles to practice. While listening to the tracks, you can mute the drums and really see how well you are playing. The first time we muted the drums, we realized we were not nearly as good as we thought we were.
There is also an app that can connect to the control box using an adapter for your Android or iOS phone. The app allows you to toggle through the drum kits by swiping and using a more visual look at what you have rather than the simple numbered buttons.
The app can also be used to edit any of the drum kits to your specifications. We are far from needing that feature, but it is really useful and simple to do.
To wrap up, after assembling the drum set and getting it set up, my sons and myself have had a great time working at learning to play. I am not great at it yet, but I can play along with some of the jam tracks so far. I have played it enough that I developed blood blisters on my right fingers twice. I struggle with the kick bass, and currently, I’m practicing to make it second nature. My youngest son has shown the most interest in learning and is getting some basic beats down. As you can see from the pictures, the set has found a permanent place in the family room. I really hope my youngest gets good enough that he can play some songs together with me on the guitar.
The Yamaha DTX4ooK is a fantastic drum kit for beginners and professionals alike. With 10 preset kits and 169 realistic sounds to customize any kit, just about any sound can be attained for any style. The kit is relatively compact, and it will fit easily into most rooms Best of all, when using the headphones it is nearly silent. The drum kit has a permanent spot in our house, and using it will hopefully allow us to expand our musical abilities in our family.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review unit.
What I like: 10 kits to choose from; Nearly silent when used with headphones; Excellent drum set for beginners and professionals; Straightforward setup; iOS and Android app available for easy sound customization; Straightforward control box operation
What can be improved: Nothing for the product, but I could use some improvement with my playing!