Well done Luke, you've done the drum community proud yet again with your in depth, honest appraisal of this innovative product. You have saved us all from months of seeking the answers we need after purchase. Thanks for your hard work and sharing it all. I think you've more than earned that kit. I look forward to any updates that you review on this product.
Thank you so much for such an incredibly thorough review. It was integral in my selection and really helped me make an informed decision especially when there wasn’t any DWe kits within hundreds of miles from me personally. I chose to buy the DWe kit and it is truly remarkable. Thank you again for the work you’re doing and huge kudos to what you do for the drumming community!
Excellent comprehensive review, Luke. Thank you for putting in so much work over the past 6 months to get it done. It's encouraging to hear that you have had interactions with DW/Roland leading to improvements. I hope that continues, and they listen to your ideas and feedback. I would love to get one of these kits, but cost is the main barrier. Cheers.
It’s always the hihats, I’ve settled down with a Roland TD-27 triggering a 2box. No missed hits with the digital pads, Superior Drummer 3 sounds and a smile in my face
So midi from td27 to 2box with loaded samples from sd3? Which 2box module do you recommend for this? What are the pros of this vs directly into a Mac running sd3?
About 40 minutes so far this is the review I needed to make me realize that while this is amazing tech, I don't need it at the moment. I'm not really a version 1 type of purchaser, especially at this price. However, Its exciting to see how they iterate on this and if/when other companies (not sure about patents) can also get involved in wireless solutions
Absolutely understand! I've never spent that much on a kit either so I doubt I would have done, but it's definitely an exciting product and I genuinely think it'll keep getting better for some time.
@@TheeDrumWorkshop I think the two biggest things for me is the metal cymbals. The loudness for playing at home, and even your point if you took this to a small gig how it could potentially cut through. I had a metal cymbal before and it was way more noticeable than the rubber. Also, I like the laptop for sounds, but sometimes I just like to flip the switch on the module and play without having to mess around with the laptop.
Great review and incredibly in-depth! I haven't played one in 3 months, so it's great to hear the current state of the software and triggering. They were pushing out multiple firmware patches near launch, so It made me wonder what the kit would be like down the road.
Thanks Justin 🙏 Yeah, the commitment to improving and refining seems to be there which is very promising. I think a year from now we might be looking at a very different proposition!
@@TheeDrumWorkshop will those improvements apply to existing kits or will you have to buy a new generation of hardware in order to reap those benefits? If it's a matter of just updating software, I'd buy one today, with that in mind.
It's been mainly software updates, as far as I can tell. There has been an upgrade to the audio interface - they now ship with a Roland Rubix24. I believe any current owners can apply to exchange their R-Tap for the new one.
Great review. I bought and use the Soundworks software on my TD-50k2 kit with its TD-50x. All works well, although as you mention, they sound soft and more like real raw kit. I also find they have no punch, and the kicks are very quite on the presets. Saying that, I always use it in my DAW and add verb and parallel drum bus’s and adjust as needed for my pouch and also Distressor to the snare etc for punch and cut through the mix. I much prefer Superior Drummer 3 by far. But for sheer looks and great stage presence, this looks amazing. Something I don’t need in my home studio though 🤗
Great video. Covers everything that is interesting for me and more 😀 I am curious how this product line will develop over time. But for me paying that much money and then relying on a company to keep the software updated is not an option. Although the kit looks really amazing, I think they should have figured out a more practical interface for it. Maybe with multiple outs etc. This would have helped the pro live drummers which I believe the kit was designed for. But the software interface looks very nice. Maybe Roland will integrate some of this sounds in future TD-Series-Edrums.
I currently have a VAD 506. The digital Snare, hi-hat and ride was a game changer for me. The touch muting I didn't think I would use being a digital drummer only. I was very wrong. This DWE kit is beatiful. I look forward to lesser expensive version.
I genuinely think these are the perfect kits for studios as you could get any snare,toms,kick and cymbal sounds for recording but as for playing this live,it would probably work well too,i couldn’t justify spending this much on an electric kit,I have the Roland vad 306 and absolutely love it,such an in-depth review,perfect timing too as it’s been featured in modern drummer magazine.
The no shallow rim shot is definitely a deal breaker with me. (you said around 27:00 in the video) That's why I went from the TD17 to the TD 27 and got the digital snare. It doesn't sound like the DWe hi-hat or ride are as good as the digital ones either. That's definitely the nail in the coffin... Not that the shallow rim shots weren't... Also... I think it stinks that they ALL are limited as far as extra pads and cymbals, but it is what it is. I use my TD17 for a bunch of extra cymbals and run through a board to even the sounds. Plus if I decide to play the 808 or 909... Etc... on the TD27 it's nice to have constant cymbals that are normal sounding that I don't really change from the TD17....lol There are some things I like on the DWe, like: you can press on the head to get a different sound, but I'd definitely hate no shallow rim shots over that feature. Although, I don't know if it fixes the shallow rim shot, but later near the end of the video, it looks like you can adjust the positional sensing pretty good, so I don't know if it would make it kind of be the same, I'd doubt the feel would be the same. That rim shot crack is actually pretty good on my Digital Snare, and I deep dove my settings to get it where I like it !!! 👌 Anywho.... Great indepth review Luke !!!! I thought you were totally fair and I didn't see any bias at all. You told it like it is. Actually... I'm surprised you went as far as you did, because I guess this is kind of your baby, being that you were involved with the creation of it. So thanks for the great review !!!! I haven't played the DWe, yet, but I just wanted to add my 2 cents from watching your video, and my reasons I wouldn't get it. In fact, I think all the toms and cymbals in the future should all be as good as the 3 digital Roland ones. Then edrums will truly break that threshold of people who are against playing edrums. It's getting closer every year, so I hope things progress !!! Have a great day ! 👍😁👍
Fantastic review as usual, Luke. I expect DWe will continue to improve, and feedback like yours will help them to do this. I sure wish you would do an in-depth review on the Ef Note Pro.
Magnificent work the future is here the best two in one solution even for that price the result is an amazing product this is the future and overall quality look's promising the one major thing is this kit is beautiful thak you for this kind of video my friend cheers.
The only benefit I can see in being able to swap from electronic to acoustic is live versus quiet electronic practice at home but most semi pro bands play smaller venues most of the time which is where electronic drums are most suitable, tough call this one, but I love the wireless option as opposed to messy looking wiring which spoils the illusion of an acoustic looking electronic kit.Thanks for the in depth demo Luke.
Rolands digital snare seems to be better than this one, only thing is i really like about this one is that it can be converted, and the snare strainer works for both acoustic and electronic. Awesome job, and great video!
Great, well balanced review. You answered all questions I had about this kit. My question though is: Do you think, that your custom e-drum kit including eDrummin' is superior in feel, quality, triggering etc. right now?
Espectacular kit! Suena increible! 👏 Quizas lo único que note, es que los platillos no se mueven de manera natural, los noto muy estáticos. Pero fuera de eso me resulta increible que sea inalámbrico!👏👍 Gracias por este Review.
This was a great and very fair review Luke! You're a lot nicer about this than I would have been. I posted about this on Reddit, but I was extremely disappointed with DW Soundworks. The entire experience, from purchasing the software to downloading it to actually using it, is incredibly poor. At the same price as EZDrummer 3, it has no excuses for being any lower quality. The samples themselves are very, very good, but nothing else about it was. And I could not care less that they give you pitch bend by pressing the stick into the head. That technique is a drum solo trick and not an acceptable selling point of a flagship electronic drum product. Selling a $10,000 MIDI controller with the intent that it is plug-and-play with DW Soundworks is laughable. At that point they are simply selling customers a Collectors kit with proprietary electronics. For $10,000, every single component of this should have been perfect, full stop.
great review! I got mine over the past weekend, it's satisfying to see your concerns/struggles with the hihat as well... although with your guidance on the software I was able to get mine A LOT more dialed in tonight. I do a fair amount of slightly-lifted and dynamic playing on the hihat, and that was frustrating me a bit. I've almost got it to the point that I don't think about it much now. I do need to spend some time on the mixer, unlike you I think the cymbals are a bit low for my taste, especially the hihat. I think getting the mix closer to my playing style and dynamics will also help. This is my first e-drum kit, and my first new kit in 35 years! So I justified it to myself that I was due for a new acoustic kit, and the electronics was icing on the cake. I've has a decent Yamaha kit since I was in 7th grade and it's been passed around my family a bit, but still in great shape. I plan to pass that one AND the dw down to my son who also plays. It is expensive but when you buy quality instruments they really can last a lifetime.
I'm curious if DW has addressed any of these little glitches? Can the snare rimshot issue addressed at the 28:00 mark be fixed by a simple software update or is it more of a hardware issue? I'm about an hour from pulling the trigger on one of these kits and this is the first review I've seen that had much of anything negative to say. I greatly appreciate how thorough you've been so far.
Not as hard as when I gig on my acoustic kit, for sure. I've swapped to Balbex sticks and they're holding up waaaaayyy better so I think there's something going on with Vic Firth sticks.
I have a converted Yamaha acoustic kit running a Roland TD-50 controller. Absolutely love it, but too many wires to play live. I could totally gig with this DWe kit and never look back on the acoustic thing.
As always an excellent review Luke, very fair and well worth the wait. For me I don't really get the point of being able to play either electric and acoustic so I don't understand why DW went that route. I don't see a compelling reason to do this. Are drummers crying out for this? I don't think so. Going with cheaper shells would surely have opened it up to a much wider group of potential purchasers. Having reflected on your review the main thing for me is the wireless element as everything else can be found elsewhere and better perhaps. I'm a gigging drummer with quite a big set up so not having cables is a real game changer. Hopefully wireless will be the norm in the not too distant future.
I'm only a few min it, but I've been taken over by a wave of gratitude for your content Luke. Nothing against any of the other Edrum channels or creators, but I greatly appreciate your level of detail, and how well thought out and executed your information delivery is. Also you're a killer drummer! I'm thrilled to be in the Edrum world at this point in time to witness the evolution in technology that allows a product like the DWe to now exist. It's pretty rad! I'm not on team "full size shells for an ekit" so I won't be buying this, but depending on what direction Roland/DW go with incorporating the technology into future products (hoping pad size or the like) will determine what I'll get. Ok, now I'll settle in and watch this!
I am a long time user of versatrigger for all but my digital pads (and HH pre TD50) I am therefore surprised that the issues you describe with edge triggers and HH CC ops are very similar to my challanges with the versatrigger boxes. It works well but there are issues with edge swells and dynamics for cymbals so I think I have adapted to that to some degree. There may therefore be a unique issue with wireless for achieving the ultimate all round trigger for now. Excellent review as ever and I think you have saved me a bunch of cash 😂
Just finished up reviewing the DWe and we agree on many (I'd say most) points. The triggering seems to have had it's first software upgrade since release as triggering on my review kit seems to have already improved compared to yours. Job well done on your end!
I think you can program hit variation on superior drummer 3 and also the amount os samples being triggered. That helps. But I experience the same problem on the bow/edge triggering (crashes) and when opening and closing the hats. I use the roland controller with jobeky hats on SD3. Cheers, thank you for the great review dude. I would love to try those cymbals!
Thanks for this review! I'll definitely need to playtest these. I grew up playing acoustic, converted it to electronic, but then sold all my stuff years ago. Now with my son growing up, I plan on the next kit I buy being the one he ends up learning on so I love the idea of an electronic kit. Cymbals still seem to be the issue with edrums. Also, I'm assuming their app doesn't run on a phone or tablet, yet? I could see using a web app on my computer to dial everything in, but then I want him to be able to play along with a track from a phone/tablet without having to bring a workstation.
Hey. I don't have anything available yet but I plan to in the future. I'll have a demo video on the channel for any packs I create so stay tuned for updates!
The track is Epinephrine by Dissidence. I got it from a subscription service called Epidemic Sound which has royalty free tracks for use in videos etc. It reminded me a lot of New Noise by Refused which is why I picked it!
Great review Luke and appreciate your upfront statements as a live gigging edrummer ill pass and wait to see where Roland go next from my 50x powered VAD. I already have too much gear n cables to plug in. Best regards from NZ.
I really like how the DWe is wireless, but the cymbals and lack of module are a no for me. I’m probably going to pick up a VAD716 at some point in 25. Perfect timing on this video as I’ve been wondering how the Roland module & cymbals would work.
Personally never want to go back to shells or metal cymbals and I want the controller with multiple balanced outputs found in all other ekits with no need for an external computer or external gear. However, I am very hopeful that some of the tech ends up in Roland's next flagship! Like wireless everything, more trigger (inputs), pressure sensors, 3 zones on all cymbals, and a snare throwoff.
I have no interest in this kit but this was an excellent review. Thanks for all the hard work you do. And I'm still loving my kit for my td17 I got from you.
Great thorough review Luke! I was wondering if you think that those triggers would work with other acoustic shells and mesh heads?Would they make a good option for a2e if they were sold separately?
The question of portability to other acoustic kits is very important. I can understand why DW/Roland doesn't want to promote that idea, but I imagine people will work out how to do it themselves at some point.
This is the biggest downer about this kit. I already own a DW custom set. I just want to add wireless triggers and cymbals to something I already own. I should’ve bought versa triggers before they were bought out. Now thinking of what this all might cost…$2,500 for the cymbals, probably $250 for the interface, and probably $350 a pop for drum triggers and $450 for the bass, plus another $150 in cymbal accesorios. That’s probably conservative. Eh, I’ll just stick to my Millenium mps-1000 and ez drummer for e-kit stuff and take my real drums to those gigs that need that. And pray that they later sell the parts for cheaper.
It's not absolutely mind blowing, but a damn impressive first go by DW. I hope they'll continue on this path and improve instead of killing it off from v1
Are you doing an Alesis Strata Prime review? I'm in the market for a kit and stuck between TD27KV2, VAD507 or Alesis Strata Prime and no idea what to go for lol
Hello Luke two general e drum related questions please: 1) Is there a way to automate trigger settings somehow? Ex. Linear curve, sensitivity:10 on snare then Loud 2 curve and sensitivity:15 when the blast beat section comes etc. 2)If you go live with an e kit,How can i send a different sound kit to the soundguy while monitoring another one mixed differently? I know a lot of things depend on the module used but is the above at least possible on any module? Currently using TD-17,thanks
I thought the TD-27 has positional sensing with the VH-14D? I see in the settings left and right hit detection being recorded, as well as edge bow and bell zones. If that is the case, do they both send the same midi notes for the VH-14d to a VST like superior drummer 3? Or is the TD-50x superior in that sense as well?
The TD-27 can detect the positional sensing and will pass the CC data through to the MIDI out like the TD-50X. However, the onboard hi-hat sounds in the TD-27 don't react to the positional sensing, so you don't get any change in tone etc when playing in different positions.
Great video review. It was interesting to see a more in-depth look. With using the snare with the Pearl Mimic can you still use the throw-off feature or is that only available using the DW program? Thanks!
Thank you 🙏 The throw off swaps over to a different set of MIDI notes, so you can technically set it up to work on any module as long as there's a free input or instrument slot somewhere. Since the Mimic has 8 instruments that are purely for triggering by MIDI, you can easily set this up. However, there are no built in "snare wires off" instruments, so you'd either need custom instruments for that or just use an alternate sound instead.
Great review, really in depth I play in a couple of live theatre productions and also a wedding band, and I use a Roland VAD507 currently, the wireless aspect for me is a huge gamechanger, how well do you think this kit holds up in a live environment?
Thanks! Unfortunately I haven't used the kit live so I can't speak from experience. I imagine it will work well, but it's up to you whether you're confident running a laptop live (unless you paired it with a module). I also think that the cymbal noise could be an issue if you're quite close to the audience during wedding gigs. A lot of the weddings I used to play were floor shows quite near the dance floor and rubber cymbals could already be heard if people got very close (and drunk people often did!)
Perhaps I missed it in the video, but is there a relatively easy way to send individual outputs for each drum/cymbal into a mixer rather than a stereo LR? Specifically for live sound.
What happens if you recalibrate the snare rim after putting the rim guard? Also the classic roland black ones are harder and stiffer than the gray ones of the VAD-706, these are softer and less rugged so maybe they will allow the snare to trigger better rimclicks and rimshots?
Recalibration doesn't make a big difference, unfortunately. Trust me, I tried as many different adjustments as I could when trying to get the rim guards to work because I really wanted it to work!
Fair enough! I believe it's the shells that they're pushing as the "Collector's" part in most of their marketing. The lugs are Design, if I remember correctly.
From DW's site - "9-Ply All-Maple Versatility. This all-Maple 9-ply shell sans reinforcement hoops is wide-open supremely and resonant. (9 ply VLT, no hoops) Alterations in grain direction greatly influence sound. In a VLT™ shell, the outermost and innermost plies run vertically, rather than a traditionally horizontal configuration. The vertical grain places less tension on the shell, thus allowing it to vibrate more freely, resulting in a lower fundamental pitch. From VLT technology, 333 was born. This 9-ply VLT evolution also has no reinforcement hoops and produces a lower overall tone while still maintaining maximum resonance and attack. 333™ shells are available only in Collector's Series® Pure Maple."
I wonder if we'll see anyone running these with real cymbals. A lot of people are using samples for their kick/snare anyway, and it would make mic'ing the cymbals easier.
Great review of the kit and software. I’ve recently purchased the Soundworks software to use with my edrumin. I’m using a jobecky snare trigger and the one use I’m having is the snare seems jarringly loud on ghost notes. I’ve tried many different configurations with curves and gains. Any suggestions? I didn’t have this issue with ssd 5
Thank you! Have you found the Dynamic Response dial in the drop down cog menu? (Next to the Grooves tab.) I think it's set to 75% by default but I upped it to either 85 or 90 and it made ghost notes much quieter and more natural feeling. 100% felt quite nice in solo but the ghost notes effectively disappeared in context, so that was a bit too extreme for me.
@@TheeDrumWorkshop one last question can I use one of your snare packs with the instrument builder inside the software? I do like how your snare sample packs sound.
Hi. I see you're using a mini pc? Specs? And what monitor are you using? Sorry but I kind of want to do something similar but with a touchscreen monitor.
For the maple mahogany clean, the one you use towards the end, did you do anything special for the hi hat? I’m having a hard time with mine. I don’t get them quite clean high pitched. It always sounds as though I’m hitting it sideways.
the hihat has been my biggest "issue" with it. I want to spend some time on the tuning as well, but the tips he gave in this about setting the midi-cc settings was GOLD. Really helped me dial in the pedal to my liking. I also want to spend some time on the mixer, I need to bring the hats and ride up a bit louder.
The review is fantastic as always and the kit is amazing but lets be honest very few drummers if any will buy this kit to use as a dual functioning instrument. Who in their right mind wants to switch components out constantly when you can buy an E kit and an acoustic kit separately to get the same results?
Quite frankly if I wanted a Roland kit I would not have sold it to get the DWe kit, two different animals for two entirely different purposes. If you want a Roland kit DON’T buy this.
Don't get me wrong the DTX is a lovely piece of kit. But it doesn't compare in triggering, sensitivity, and nuance compared to Roland Td27 and above. The Dtx sounds better than roland and the rack is superb, and you get more for your money. And I love TCS pads. I've played them all😮
Just a cheap vinyl wrap from eBay. I think it was called something like "cherry woodgrain". I have a video which goes into a bit more detail here - th-cam.com/video/S23Vhx4cRQk/w-d-xo.html
I don't have Logic but I presume so, yes. I can set up with however many channels/tracks I want if I run Soundworks as a VST in Reaper, or if I use their ReaRoute ASIO outputs to send the Soundworks standalone audio into Reaper.
Thank you for the fast response!!! You channel is excellent, sometime a bit more detail than I require but that is okay, MORE IS BETTER. I own the 40th DW anniversary kit and wish I could just purchase the triggers and add them to my kit. I just can’t justify another 6,000$ on top of the 6,000$ I’ve already spent. Well, that’s an entirely different issue. Once again great job, very informative.
What Roland needs to do is to allow for these triggers to be used in any acoustic kit. Sell the triggers as a separate package so people can go wireless in some form.
Probably the most in depth review of any kit Ive seen. Kudos! And great drumming.
I already own the Roland VAD 706 kit and I'm waiting for the delivery of my DWe kit! Thanks for the review!!
Which do you like better?
@@jjellen5804 DWe kit....Hands Down!!!!
@@jjellen5804 DWe Wireless kit....hands down!!!
@@rogerwhitsettdrummer2922 you suck for not answering
Well done Luke, you've done the drum community proud yet again with your in depth, honest appraisal of this innovative product. You have saved us all from months of seeking the answers we need after purchase. Thanks for your hard work and sharing it all. I think you've more than earned that kit. I look forward to any updates that you review on this product.
Thank you 🙏
Amazing work Luke. You are a super hard worker and incredibly professional content creator.
Thanks Justin 🙏 Really appreciated!
Thank you so much for such an incredibly thorough review. It was integral in my selection and really helped me make an informed decision especially when there wasn’t any DWe kits within hundreds of miles from me personally. I chose to buy the DWe kit and it is truly remarkable. Thank you again for the work you’re doing and huge kudos to what you do for the drumming community!
I'm glad it helped you make a decision and that you're enjoying your new kit!
37:13 - On my VH-14D, I'm playing the BecauseDrumGeek L/R distinction engine for SD3 hi-hat and I love it. It's L/R on hi-hat edge + bow + bell 😊
Excellent comprehensive review, Luke.
Thank you for putting in so much work over the past 6 months to get it done.
It's encouraging to hear that you have had interactions with DW/Roland leading to improvements. I hope that continues, and they listen to your ideas and feedback.
I would love to get one of these kits, but cost is the main barrier.
Cheers.
Thank you! 🙏
It’s always the hihats, I’ve settled down with a Roland TD-27 triggering a 2box. No missed hits with the digital pads, Superior Drummer 3 sounds and a smile in my face
I have the same and very happy and all I need when it comes to e drums Td27 kv
So midi from td27 to 2box with loaded samples from sd3? Which 2box module do you recommend for this? What are the pros of this vs directly into a Mac running sd3?
@@Xan7a i wouldn’t recommend the 2box hihat
You’re the most honest non-biased E drum reviewer! Even though you bought a DW kit, you’re still totally non-biased which I love!🥁🥁🥁
What a great unbiased review Luke … I’m a Roland 50x/vad player… interested in this but there is work DW need to do. Thanks so enlightening.
Thank you 🙏
If you could buy a new kit now would you stay with roland or try this one?
It does not seem that you are completely blown away from this product😊 very great video! Thank you!
14:06 - Yeah the current ones have a patch included, rdavidr just uploaded a video yesterday of getting a DWe kit and there was a patch on the kick.
About 40 minutes so far this is the review I needed to make me realize that while this is amazing tech, I don't need it at the moment. I'm not really a version 1 type of purchaser, especially at this price. However, Its exciting to see how they iterate on this and if/when other companies (not sure about patents) can also get involved in wireless solutions
Absolutely understand! I've never spent that much on a kit either so I doubt I would have done, but it's definitely an exciting product and I genuinely think it'll keep getting better for some time.
@@TheeDrumWorkshop I think the two biggest things for me is the metal cymbals. The loudness for playing at home, and even your point if you took this to a small gig how it could potentially cut through. I had a metal cymbal before and it was way more noticeable than the rubber. Also, I like the laptop for sounds, but sometimes I just like to flip the switch on the module and play without having to mess around with the laptop.
Great review and incredibly in-depth! I haven't played one in 3 months, so it's great to hear the current state of the software and triggering. They were pushing out multiple firmware patches near launch, so It made me wonder what the kit would be like down the road.
Thanks Justin 🙏 Yeah, the commitment to improving and refining seems to be there which is very promising. I think a year from now we might be looking at a very different proposition!
@@TheeDrumWorkshop will those improvements apply to existing kits or will you have to buy a new generation of hardware in order to reap those benefits? If it's a matter of just updating software, I'd buy one today, with that in mind.
It's been mainly software updates, as far as I can tell. There has been an upgrade to the audio interface - they now ship with a Roland Rubix24. I believe any current owners can apply to exchange their R-Tap for the new one.
Great review Luke. Well done!
What a thorough and intuitive review. The best I've seen for this kit.
Thank you 🙏
Great review. I bought and use the Soundworks software on my TD-50k2 kit with its TD-50x. All works well, although as you mention, they sound soft and more like real raw kit. I also find they have no punch, and the kicks are very quite on the presets. Saying that, I always use it in my DAW and add verb and parallel drum bus’s and adjust as needed for my pouch and also Distressor to the snare etc for punch and cut through the mix. I much prefer Superior Drummer 3 by far. But for sheer looks and great stage presence, this looks amazing. Something I don’t need in my home studio though 🤗
Great video Luke! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you 🙏
Thanks luke for your honesty Love you kh Mik ❤
Thanks Mik 🙏
Incredible review! Thanks for taking the time, mate!
Great video. Covers everything that is interesting for me and more 😀 I am curious how this product line will develop over time. But for me paying that much money and then relying on a company to keep the software updated is not an option. Although the kit looks really amazing, I think they should have figured out a more practical interface for it. Maybe with multiple outs etc. This would have helped the pro live drummers which I believe the kit was designed for. But the software interface looks very nice. Maybe Roland will integrate some of this sounds in future TD-Series-Edrums.
Great review Luke, thanks! (And I love your bundle that I bought for my Roland VAD 507-TD27v2)
bruh aint even have time to watch it and commenting great review lmao
I currently have a VAD 506. The digital Snare, hi-hat and ride was a game changer for me. The touch muting I didn't think I would use being a digital drummer only. I was very wrong. This DWE kit is beatiful. I look forward to lesser expensive version.
41:09 Thanks. Why I didn’t but a Mimic Pro 🫣👍🏻
P.S if anyone is having technical difficulties loading the software I can share how to do it.
I have a Drum-Tec kit and a TD-50x and I think I’m gonna try and sell it for this. The versatility is amazing and I love Soundworks
awesome kit! In the near future I will have one wireless
I genuinely think these are the perfect kits for studios as you could get any snare,toms,kick and cymbal sounds for recording but as for playing this live,it would probably work well too,i couldn’t justify spending this much on an electric kit,I have the Roland vad 306 and absolutely love it,such an in-depth review,perfect timing too as it’s been featured in modern drummer magazine.
Best reviewer, hands down...can't wait for his review of the Zildjian Alchem-e.
this is far from my budget, but thank you for this thorough review. your content is very helpful to the drumming community!
The no shallow rim shot is definitely a deal breaker with me.
(you said around 27:00 in the video)
That's why I went from the TD17 to the TD 27 and got the digital snare.
It doesn't sound like the DWe hi-hat or ride are as good as the digital ones either.
That's definitely the nail in the coffin... Not that the shallow rim shots weren't...
Also...
I think it stinks that they ALL are limited as far as extra pads and cymbals, but it is what it is.
I use my TD17 for a bunch of extra cymbals and run through a board to even the sounds.
Plus if I decide to play the 808 or 909... Etc... on the TD27 it's nice to have constant cymbals that are normal sounding that I don't really change from the TD17....lol
There are some things I like on the DWe, like: you can press on the head to get a different sound, but I'd definitely hate no shallow rim shots over that feature.
Although, I don't know if it fixes the shallow rim shot, but later near the end of the video, it looks like you can adjust the positional sensing pretty good, so I don't know if it would make it kind of be the same, I'd doubt the feel would be the same.
That rim shot crack is actually pretty good on my Digital Snare, and I deep dove my settings to get it where I like it !!!
👌
Anywho....
Great indepth review Luke !!!!
I thought you were totally fair and I didn't see any bias at all.
You told it like it is.
Actually...
I'm surprised you went as far as you did, because I guess this is kind of your baby, being that you were involved with the creation of it.
So thanks for the great review !!!!
I haven't played the DWe, yet, but I just wanted to add my 2 cents from watching your video, and my reasons I wouldn't get it.
In fact, I think all the toms and cymbals in the future should all be as good as the 3 digital Roland ones.
Then edrums will truly break that threshold of people who are against playing edrums.
It's getting closer every year, so I hope things progress !!!
Have a great day !
👍😁👍
NEW NOISE ... hahaha sounds great! Great Drumming, cool drumset, powerful song!
Thx for the review!
Awesome in-depth review! Thanks!!
The intro was great bro !❤
Thank you 🙏
Fantastic review as usual, Luke. I expect DWe will continue to improve, and feedback like yours will help them to do this. I sure wish you would do an in-depth review on the Ef Note Pro.
Thank you 🙏 If they send me an EFNOTE PRO, I'll review it!
Magnificent work the future is here the best two in one solution even for that price the result is an amazing product this is the future and overall quality look's promising the one major thing is this kit is beautiful thak you for this kind of video my friend cheers.
Great honest review! Thanks!
The only benefit I can see in being able to swap from electronic to acoustic is live versus quiet electronic practice at home but most semi pro bands play smaller venues most of the time which is where electronic drums are most suitable, tough call this one, but I love the wireless option as opposed to messy looking wiring which spoils the illusion of an acoustic looking electronic kit.Thanks for the in depth demo Luke.
Rolands digital snare seems to be better than this one, only thing is i really like about this one is that it can be converted, and the snare strainer works for both acoustic and electronic. Awesome job, and great video!
Great, well balanced review. You answered all questions I had about this kit. My question though is: Do you think, that your custom e-drum kit including eDrummin' is superior in feel, quality, triggering etc. right now?
Nice review dude
bruh aint even have time to watch it and commenting great review lmao
Hey Luke great job and btw your videos always sound incredible.🤘
Espectacular kit! Suena increible! 👏 Quizas lo único que note, es que los platillos no se mueven de manera natural, los noto muy estáticos. Pero fuera de eso me resulta increible que sea inalámbrico!👏👍 Gracias por este Review.
Amazing review!! Would love to see/hear a demo with the MixWave libraries 🙏🏾
This was a great and very fair review Luke! You're a lot nicer about this than I would have been.
I posted about this on Reddit, but I was extremely disappointed with DW Soundworks. The entire experience, from purchasing the software to downloading it to actually using it, is incredibly poor. At the same price as EZDrummer 3, it has no excuses for being any lower quality. The samples themselves are very, very good, but nothing else about it was. And I could not care less that they give you pitch bend by pressing the stick into the head. That technique is a drum solo trick and not an acceptable selling point of a flagship electronic drum product.
Selling a $10,000 MIDI controller with the intent that it is plug-and-play with DW Soundworks is laughable. At that point they are simply selling customers a Collectors kit with proprietary electronics. For $10,000, every single component of this should have been perfect, full stop.
That is some serious diy level wiring inside those pads! Insane price. They only saving grace is the kit wirks well and sounds very good..
great review! I got mine over the past weekend, it's satisfying to see your concerns/struggles with the hihat as well... although with your guidance on the software I was able to get mine A LOT more dialed in tonight. I do a fair amount of slightly-lifted and dynamic playing on the hihat, and that was frustrating me a bit. I've almost got it to the point that I don't think about it much now. I do need to spend some time on the mixer, unlike you I think the cymbals are a bit low for my taste, especially the hihat. I think getting the mix closer to my playing style and dynamics will also help.
This is my first e-drum kit, and my first new kit in 35 years! So I justified it to myself that I was due for a new acoustic kit, and the electronics was icing on the cake. I've has a decent Yamaha kit since I was in 7th grade and it's been passed around my family a bit, but still in great shape. I plan to pass that one AND the dw down to my son who also plays. It is expensive but when you buy quality instruments they really can last a lifetime.
"Can I scream?!" Nice intro 🤘
*runs off to listen to Refused first and watch this later...
I'm curious if DW has addressed any of these little glitches? Can the snare rimshot issue addressed at the 28:00 mark be fixed by a simple software update or is it more of a hardware issue? I'm about an hour from pulling the trigger on one of these kits and this is the first review I've seen that had much of anything negative to say. I greatly appreciate how thorough you've been so far.
It has been fixed, I own one and the low velocity hits trigger the correct note
16:30 Bro, how hard are you hitting 😂
Nice review, btw. Thanks!
Not as hard as when I gig on my acoustic kit, for sure. I've swapped to Balbex sticks and they're holding up waaaaayyy better so I think there's something going on with Vic Firth sticks.
I have a converted Yamaha acoustic kit running a Roland TD-50 controller. Absolutely love it, but too many wires to play live. I could totally gig with this DWe kit and never look back on the acoustic thing.
As always an excellent review Luke, very fair and well worth the wait. For me I don't really get the point of being able to play either electric and acoustic so I don't understand why DW went that route. I don't see a compelling reason to do this. Are drummers crying out for this? I don't think so. Going with cheaper shells would surely have opened it up to a much wider group of potential purchasers. Having reflected on your review the main thing for me is the wireless element as everything else can be found elsewhere and better perhaps. I'm a gigging drummer with quite a big set up so not having cables is a real game changer. Hopefully wireless will be the norm in the not too distant future.
Well done sir!!!!
hey like, thanks for your super videos! and your helping. i like the song that you play at first🔥
I'm only a few min it, but I've been taken over by a wave of gratitude for your content Luke.
Nothing against any of the other Edrum channels or creators, but I greatly appreciate your level of detail, and how well thought out and executed your information delivery is. Also you're a killer drummer!
I'm thrilled to be in the Edrum world at this point in time to witness the evolution in technology that allows a product like the DWe to now exist. It's pretty rad!
I'm not on team "full size shells for an ekit" so I won't be buying this, but depending on what direction Roland/DW go with incorporating the technology into future products (hoping pad size or the like) will determine what I'll get.
Ok, now I'll settle in and watch this!
Thank you for the kind words 🙏 It's definitely an exciting time in the electronic drum world!
I am a long time user of versatrigger for all but my digital pads (and HH pre TD50) I am therefore surprised that the issues you describe with edge triggers and HH CC ops are very similar to my challanges with the versatrigger boxes. It works well but there are issues with edge swells and dynamics for cymbals so I think I have adapted to that to some degree. There may therefore be a unique issue with wireless for achieving the ultimate all round trigger for now. Excellent review as ever and I think you have saved me a bunch of cash 😂
Best review!
Awesome honest review as usual. Thanks so much. Can you make a video of DWe playing through Td50x?
I'm hoping to have a video showcasing it with multiple modules in the future, so stay tuned.
Did you make this video yet?
Just finished up reviewing the DWe and we agree on many (I'd say most) points. The triggering seems to have had it's first software upgrade since release as triggering on my review kit seems to have already improved compared to yours. Job well done on your end!
Oh nice one! Will be interested to see it when it's up. What's the channel?
@@TheeDrumWorkshop Old school print :P Dutch Magazine called Slagwerkkrant.
Ahh, apologies! Will look into it!
@@TheeDrumWorkshop No apologies needed. We're the last of the mohicans. :P There's only a handful of printed drum magazines left in the world.
I think you can program hit variation on superior drummer 3 and also the amount os samples being triggered. That helps. But I experience the same problem on the bow/edge triggering (crashes) and when opening and closing the hats. I use the roland controller with jobeky hats on SD3. Cheers, thank you for the great review dude. I would love to try those cymbals!
50th anniversary kit sounded like a great country/rock kit.
What a detailed, thorough review, Luke! Do you mind sharing what kit pieces you used to create your custom kit?
It seems the latest fimware version 84 improves greatly the low velocity rim clicks triggering
Very good Review 💯🥁🔊 !!!
Thanks for this review! I'll definitely need to playtest these. I grew up playing acoustic, converted it to electronic, but then sold all my stuff years ago. Now with my son growing up, I plan on the next kit I buy being the one he ends up learning on so I love the idea of an electronic kit. Cymbals still seem to be the issue with edrums. Also, I'm assuming their app doesn't run on a phone or tablet, yet? I could see using a web app on my computer to dial everything in, but then I want him to be able to play along with a track from a phone/tablet without having to bring a workstation.
I liked the WOO! in the begining! lol
WOO!
Missed ya Luke!!
I WANT ONE !!!
Are you selling your presets for this yet? Like 43:26? Didn't see it listed anywhere on your website
Hey. I don't have anything available yet but I plan to in the future. I'll have a demo video on the channel for any packs I create so stay tuned for updates!
what kind of song was that at the beginning
The track is Epinephrine by Dissidence. I got it from a subscription service called Epidemic Sound which has royalty free tracks for use in videos etc. It reminded me a lot of New Noise by Refused which is why I picked it!
@@TheeDrumWorkshop THX ❤
Would love one for don’t have the funds for a beast off kit like this
Great review Luke and appreciate your upfront statements as a live gigging edrummer ill pass and wait to see where Roland go next from my 50x powered VAD. I already have too much gear n cables to plug in. Best regards from NZ.
I really like how the DWe is wireless, but the cymbals and lack of module are a no for me. I’m probably going to pick up a VAD716 at some point in 25. Perfect timing on this video as I’ve been wondering how the Roland module & cymbals would work.
Totally understandable! Hope you enjoy it if you get one!
In DW fashion, made with only the finest Machingabunga wood from the sacred region of Akron, Ohio. Twice blessed.
Personally never want to go back to shells or metal cymbals and I want the controller with multiple balanced outputs found in all other ekits with no need for an external computer or external gear. However, I am very hopeful that some of the tech ends up in Roland's next flagship! Like wireless everything, more trigger (inputs), pressure sensors, 3 zones on all cymbals, and a snare throwoff.
I have no interest in this kit but this was an excellent review. Thanks for all the hard work you do. And I'm still loving my kit for my td17 I got from you.
Thank you 🙏
Great thorough review Luke! I was wondering if you think that those triggers would work with other acoustic shells and mesh heads?Would they make a good option for a2e if they were sold separately?
The question of portability to other acoustic kits is very important.
I can understand why DW/Roland doesn't want to promote that idea, but I imagine people will work out how to do it themselves at some point.
I can't see any reason that they wouldn't technically work in other shells, but I doubt they're planning on offering it as an option any time soon!
This is the biggest downer about this kit. I already own a DW custom set. I just want to add wireless triggers and cymbals to something I already own. I should’ve bought versa triggers before they were bought out. Now thinking of what this all might cost…$2,500 for the cymbals, probably $250 for the interface, and probably $350 a pop for drum triggers and $450 for the bass, plus another $150 in cymbal accesorios. That’s probably conservative. Eh, I’ll just stick to my Millenium mps-1000 and ez drummer for e-kit stuff and take my real drums to those gigs that need that. And pray that they later sell the parts for cheaper.
It's not absolutely mind blowing, but a damn impressive first go by DW. I hope they'll continue on this path and improve instead of killing it off from v1
Hi
I am trying to decide whether I should get the Drum etc pro or this DWe ... what would you recommend?
???
If you aren't afraid of computers and don't have a problem with loud clanks then DWe
Are you doing an Alesis Strata Prime review? I'm in the market for a kit and stuck between TD27KV2, VAD507 or Alesis Strata Prime and no idea what to go for lol
Hello Luke two general e drum related questions please:
1) Is there a way to automate trigger settings somehow? Ex. Linear curve, sensitivity:10 on snare then Loud 2 curve and sensitivity:15 when the blast beat section comes etc.
2)If you go live with an e kit,How can i send a different sound kit to the soundguy while monitoring another one mixed differently?
I know a lot of things depend on the module used but is the above at least possible on any module?
Currently using TD-17,thanks
I thought the TD-27 has positional sensing with the VH-14D? I see in the settings left and right hit detection being recorded, as well as edge bow and bell zones. If that is the case, do they both send the same midi notes for the VH-14d to a VST like superior drummer 3? Or is the TD-50x superior in that sense as well?
The TD-27 can detect the positional sensing and will pass the CC data through to the MIDI out like the TD-50X. However, the onboard hi-hat sounds in the TD-27 don't react to the positional sensing, so you don't get any change in tone etc when playing in different positions.
Great video review. It was interesting to see a more in-depth look. With using the snare with the Pearl Mimic can you still use the throw-off feature or is that only available using the DW program? Thanks!
Thank you 🙏 The throw off swaps over to a different set of MIDI notes, so you can technically set it up to work on any module as long as there's a free input or instrument slot somewhere. Since the Mimic has 8 instruments that are purely for triggering by MIDI, you can easily set this up. However, there are no built in "snare wires off" instruments, so you'd either need custom instruments for that or just use an alternate sound instead.
Great!
I was mighty confused by DWe and eDW :D
Yeeeaaaah, I'm hoping that doesn't prove to be too much of a problem for people 😅
Great review, really in depth
I play in a couple of live theatre productions and also a wedding band, and I use a Roland VAD507 currently, the wireless aspect for me is a huge gamechanger, how well do you think this kit holds up in a live environment?
Thanks! Unfortunately I haven't used the kit live so I can't speak from experience. I imagine it will work well, but it's up to you whether you're confident running a laptop live (unless you paired it with a module). I also think that the cymbal noise could be an issue if you're quite close to the audience during wedding gigs. A lot of the weddings I used to play were floor shows quite near the dance floor and rubber cymbals could already be heard if people got very close (and drunk people often did!)
Perhaps I missed it in the video, but is there a relatively easy way to send individual outputs for each drum/cymbal into a mixer rather than a stereo LR? Specifically for live sound.
You'll need to use another audio interface instead of the RTAP that's provided.
@@TheeDrumWorkshop got it, thanks!
What happens if you recalibrate the snare rim after putting the rim guard? Also the classic roland black ones are harder and stiffer than the gray ones of the VAD-706, these are softer and less rugged so maybe they will allow the snare to trigger better rimclicks and rimshots?
Recalibration doesn't make a big difference, unfortunately. Trust me, I tried as many different adjustments as I could when trying to get the rim guards to work because I really wanted it to work!
The finish you have may be a DW Collectors but the other finishes are DW Performance
Fair enough! I believe it's the shells that they're pushing as the "Collector's" part in most of their marketing. The lugs are Design, if I remember correctly.
@@TheeDrumWorkshop Yeah it seems the shells are a mix and match of various series, they say it's the "333" maple, whatever that means
From DW's site -
"9-Ply All-Maple Versatility. This all-Maple 9-ply shell sans reinforcement hoops is wide-open supremely and resonant. (9 ply VLT, no hoops)
Alterations in grain direction greatly influence sound. In a VLT™ shell, the outermost and innermost plies run vertically, rather than a traditionally horizontal configuration. The vertical grain places less tension on the shell, thus allowing it to vibrate more freely, resulting in a lower fundamental pitch. From VLT technology, 333 was born. This 9-ply VLT evolution also has no reinforcement hoops and produces a lower overall tone while still maintaining maximum resonance and attack. 333™ shells are available only in Collector's Series® Pure Maple."
@@TheeDrumWorkshop right, so they are indeed collector shells with hardware from Design/Performance series
I wonder if we'll see anyone running these with real cymbals. A lot of people are using samples for their kick/snare anyway, and it would make mic'ing the cymbals easier.
I've seen plenty of people using acoustic cymbals with other e-kits, so you're probably onto something there!
Great review of the kit and software. I’ve recently purchased the Soundworks software to use with my edrumin. I’m using a jobecky snare trigger and the one use I’m having is the snare seems jarringly loud on ghost notes. I’ve tried many different configurations with curves and gains. Any suggestions? I didn’t have this issue with ssd 5
Thank you! Have you found the Dynamic Response dial in the drop down cog menu? (Next to the Grooves tab.) I think it's set to 75% by default but I upped it to either 85 or 90 and it made ghost notes much quieter and more natural feeling. 100% felt quite nice in solo but the ghost notes effectively disappeared in context, so that was a bit too extreme for me.
@@TheeDrumWorkshop I did not know this option existed thank you will definitely give this a try. Thanks again for the awesome videos.
@@TheeDrumWorkshop one last question can I use one of your snare packs with the instrument builder inside the software? I do like how your snare sample packs sound.
Hi. I see you're using a mini pc? Specs? And what monitor are you using? Sorry but I kind of want to do something similar but with a touchscreen monitor.
For the maple mahogany clean, the one you use towards the end, did you do anything special for the hi hat? I’m having a hard time with mine. I don’t get them quite clean high pitched. It always sounds as though I’m hitting it sideways.
the hihat has been my biggest "issue" with it. I want to spend some time on the tuning as well, but the tips he gave in this about setting the midi-cc settings was GOLD. Really helped me dial in the pedal to my liking. I also want to spend some time on the mixer, I need to bring the hats and ride up a bit louder.
I didn't adjust anything on the preset kits for the demos, no. Just made sure my trigger settings were set up well for the dynamics of each pad.
The review is fantastic as always and the kit is amazing but lets be honest very few drummers if any will buy this kit to use as a dual functioning instrument.
Who in their right mind wants to switch components out constantly when you can buy an E kit and an acoustic kit separately to get the same results?
Quite frankly if I wanted a Roland kit I would not have sold it to get the DWe kit, two different animals for two entirely different purposes. If you want a Roland kit DON’T buy this.
Or just buy a Yamaha dtx 🕶
Don't get me wrong the DTX is a lovely piece of kit. But it doesn't compare in triggering, sensitivity, and nuance compared to Roland Td27 and above.
The Dtx sounds better than roland and the rack is superb, and you get more for your money. And I love TCS pads.
I've played them all😮
I own roland VAD 503. and i still want this DWe 🤩
i swear that's very similar to New Noise by Refused at the start
It's why I picked it! 😅
What did you use to wrap the roland digital snare? looks cool
Just a cheap vinyl wrap from eBay. I think it was called something like "cherry woodgrain". I have a video which goes into a bit more detail here - th-cam.com/video/S23Vhx4cRQk/w-d-xo.html
I coule only find adhesive wrap so I went to drumtec and they now offer Delmar wrap for the digital snare
What's the best way to get this kit in the uk. I want it.
Currently it's not available in the UK and I'm not sure when it's expected to be released here. Hopefully we'll know more about that soon.
If you connect to logic pro do you get a separate channel for each drum?
I don't have Logic but I presume so, yes. I can set up with however many channels/tracks I want if I run Soundworks as a VST in Reaper, or if I use their ReaRoute ASIO outputs to send the Soundworks standalone audio into Reaper.
Thank you for the fast response!!! You channel is excellent, sometime a bit more detail than I require but that is okay, MORE IS BETTER.
I own the 40th DW anniversary kit and wish I could just purchase the triggers and add them to my kit. I just can’t justify another 6,000$ on top of the 6,000$ I’ve already spent. Well, that’s an entirely different issue. Once again great job, very informative.
What Roland needs to do is to allow for these triggers to be used in any acoustic kit. Sell the triggers as a separate package so people can go wireless in some form.
They won’t do that, they will put it in their own drumpads in their next flagship
@@JustanEdrummer oh I know. But they should make the triggers available separately. I know they won't, but they should