Bang Up To Date
Although I’ve not used the original TD‑50 module, I have reviewed the previous flagship TD‑30 and the new TD‑27 module, so I had a pretty good idea what to expect from the TD‑50x.
The headline feature for the new module (when compared to the original TD‑50) is the increased number of internal sounds, up from 422 to 961 — more than double the number of sounds, so a pretty impressive upgrade. There are now 40 acoustic kick drums, 95 ‘processed’ kicks, 35 acoustic snares, 215 percussion sounds... and, as you can imagine, far too many more to list here. However, of particular interest to existing TD‑50 owners is the increase from only two ride cymbals to the much more interesting total of nine.
...the TD‑50x now includes 70 preset kits (up from 55), which perfectly showcase the new sounds and additional functionality of the module. The level of realism and playability is incredible...
If you’re familiar with any of the Roland drum modules, you’ll know that the level of editing possible reaches quite fantastic levels of detail. When you can adjust everything from head type, muffling and drum size to mic position, number of snare wires and cymbal thickness (plus a lot more), even 400 instruments would present almost endless options, so increasing the palette this much really does give you an incredible resource to work with.
As a result of this expansion, the TD‑50x now includes 70 preset kits (up from 55), which perfectly showcase the new sounds and additional functionality of the module. The level of realism and playability is incredible, from the solid and warm sound of ‘Acoustic #1’ through to ‘Poppin Walnut’, ‘Swing Jazz’ and the classic electronic sounds of ‘FAT808’ and ‘Hybrid909’.
In truth, it’s difficult to highlight particular presets, as they are all absolutely stunning, and, more importantly, very usable. This is in part due to the new Ambience algorithms, whose parameters can be accessed directly from the Ambience button and controlled by the Ambience fader. This aspect of the TD‑50x now combines the Room and Overhead Mic settings to create an overall ambience that can be applied to the whole kit, or elements within it via individual sends. Again, the level of editability is extensive and detailed, including mic type, mic position, compression and EQ. Room types include Small and Large Studios, Halls and Stages, in addition to favourites from the TD‑50 such as Garage, Beach and Gymnasium. Regular reverb is also catered for and now includes presets from the classic Roland SRV2000. A handy preview button lets you listen to only the ambience as you edit, should you want to isolate that element.
Roland drum modules have always been big on effects, and the TD‑50x increases the number of on‑board effects available in the three effects processors from 30 to 38. New additions include a speaker simulator and guitar amp simulator plus virtual recreations of the classic Roland SBF‑325 Flanger and SDD‑320 Dimension D. A Time Control Delay has also been added that enables you to change the delay setting over a specified time period. Delays, flangers and speaker simulators are possibly not the most inspiring enhancements the TD‑50x has to offer but when you already have 30 effects at your disposal, what else do you need? Well, the answer may be hidden away in the Master Effects section, where the very tiny addition of a Mix parameter in the compressor settings means that you can create parallel compression, a popular and very handy production technique enabling you to blend compressed and uncompressed signals together to get exactly the sound you’re seeking. The Master EQ can also now be switched to Mid/Side processing, which facilitates another quite specific engineering technique, used to process the sounds at the centre of a stereo field differently from the left and right stereo extremes. Perhaps neither of these are going to be at the top of most people’s wish lists, but they really highlight Roland’s phenomenal attention to detail and the processing power of the TD‑50x.
I’ve mainly focused on what’s new or different in the TD‑50x compared to the TD‑50, but of course everything that was available in the TD‑50 is still there, such as the ability to import your own samples and layer them with existing instruments, and the facility to import songs as MP3 or WAV files for backing‑track playback. You can still edit any instrument to within an inch of its life and tweak transients and mic positions until the cows come home. If you’ve played with a Roland drum module or read any of my previous reviews, you know you’ll not be short of parameters to adjust — I could literally take up the whole magazine going through the various options. I will specifically mention one, however: the snare drums in the TD‑50 have always boasted a huge number of editable parameters, such as three different snare wire types and their tightness on the drum, from choked to loose and buzzing. The TD‑50x now gives you the ability to turn the snare wires off completely, which adds a new character to all the acoustic snares.
A number of other small, ‘under the hood’ changes in the TD‑50x, in areas such as layering and sample import, have simplified the workflow but, handy as they are, they are most likely to only be appreciated by a minority of power users.
This is their absolute top‑of‑the‑range kit, featuring the latest digital pad technology, and anyone who buys it is going to end up with a setup that is hard to beat on almost every level.
Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Having reviewed a number of Roland electronic drum kits over the years, I think it’s safe to say they are masters of the craft. This is their absolute top‑of‑the‑range kit, featuring the latest digital pad technology, and anyone who buys it is going to end up with a setup that is hard to beat on almost every level. The TD‑50 was already an exceptional control module, and the TD‑50x adds a host of very useful and usable features — as well as doubling the number of instruments. The level of editing and sound manipulation possibilities border on the intimidating, but the kits also sound incredible straight out of the box, so I guess that’s the best of both worlds! The fact that this is also a downloadable upgrade for existing TD‑50 owners is a real bonus.
The PD‑140DS digital snare and 18‑inch CY‑18DR digital ride have been around for a while now, but still manage to impress, and the addition of the VH‑14D digital hi‑hat ups the game another notch. At around £900$1000 (if bought separately), it does cost more than any regular hi‑hats I’ve ever seen but, having said that, it sounds and plays incredibly well and is the closest thing to playing acoustic hi‑hats that I’m aware of. Having said that, if you’re buying the best digital hi‑hat in the world, a bell sensor might have been a nice addition.
At this price, the TD‑50KV2 won’t be for everybody — in fact, I imagine it won’t be for the vast majority of people. However, if you’re in the market for what is pretty much the best of the best in electronic drum kits, from the industrial‑quality rack system through to ground‑breaking digital hi‑hats, the TD‑50KV2 sets a very high bar in electronic drum excellence.
Rack ‘Em Up
The TD‑50KV2’s MDS‑STG2 rack treads that fine line between elegant and seriously heavy duty.
As I mentioned in my introduction, the MDS‑STG2 rack is a substantial piece of kit and looks more than capable of withstanding the rigours of live touring... or pretty much anything else you could throw at it. The curved horizontal pipes of the three‑sided rack are attached to the legs using a selection of heavy‑duty clamps, and everything, including the clamps, is finished in chrome. The loom for connecting the pads to the module is integrated into the horizontal poles to hide it from view and preserve the clean lines of the kit. Even the cables themselves have a silver external coating, so that they blend in visually.
The cymbal boom arms and tom holders can either be attached to the rack via clamps or directly into the legs of the stand which, in combination with the ball joints featured on both, allows for maximum flexibility when setting up the kit. Roland still do not supply a hi‑hat stand or snare drum stand with the TD‑50‑KV2, which surprises me considering the cost of the package, and the fact that absolutely everything else you need, including a drum key, is supplied.
It’s About Time
No matter what playing level you’re at, a bit of training will always help sharpen you up. For me, Yamaha are the masters of built‑in coaching features, but Roland have upped their game in the TD‑50x by adding two new rhythm training routines in addition to the Quiet Count mode from the TD‑50. Quiet Count will play a click for a specified number of bars, then mute the click for a specified number of bars, helping you to develop your own internal sense of time, as the aim is to still be playing in time with the click when it is unmuted.
The new Time Check mode is designed to analyse whether you’re playing behind, ahead of or on the beat. You can select two pads to be ‘active’ (typically kick and snare or hi‑hat and snare) and, as you play to the click, the TD‑50x will display whether your strikes are hitting the spot. You can specify the number of measures over which you’ll be tested, and also the strictness of the scoring.
Finally, Warm Ups combines three exercises: Change Up, where the play‑along rhythm type changes every two bars; Auto Up/Down, where the tempo increases by 1bpm per minute and a revisiting of the Time Check mode. Over five, 10 or 15 minutes you run through each of the three exercises successively and receive a final score at the end.
More USB Than You Can Shake A Stick At
The TD‑50 module supports 10 audio channels over USB, while the new TD‑27 offers 28 channels. The TD‑50x, being the flagship, increases this to a massive 32 channels, which should be enough for any situation. What this means in practical terms is that if you connect the TD‑50x to your Mac or PC via USB you’ll be presented with 32 discrete audio channels in your DAW. The TD‑50x’s routing options enable you to direct all of the individual instruments to their own audio track via USB, and also to route the ambience independently, should you want to record that on its own track. The high channel count and routing also allows for playback of audio in your DAW to any of the direct outputs, meaning that the TD‑50x can work as an eight‑output USB interface. MIDI is also supported via USB, so with a single connection you can record and play back an entire performance in both MIDI and audio form.
Pros
- Stunning new sounds.
- Almost endless editing options.
- Digital Hi‑Hat is the closest thing to playing an acoustic hi‑hat so far.
- Extra USB audio channels.
Cons
- Very expensive.
- No hi‑hat bell zone.
- Hi‑hat and snare stand not included.
Summary
Electronic drumming doesn’t get much better than this. The TD‑50KV2 combines existing top‑end features with new and innovative technology that sets the bar higher than ever before.