Roland TD-50KV with KD-A22

86
| DECEMBER 2016 WWW.MUSICRADAR.COM/RHYTHM
GEAR REVIEW
J
apanese technology giant Roland has
been a front runner in the production
of electronic and digital instruments
since the early ’70s. Despite a host of
new e-instruments hitting the market
across 2016, including a saxophone and a
cajon, it’s the company’s new fl agship V-kit
that us drummers have been itching to get
our hands on. With an impressive list of new
features, the TD-50 promises big steps
forward from the previous TD-30 model.
Despite a non-stop schedule for the only kit
in the UK at the time of writing, we’ve
managed to get one into the
Rhythm testing
studio for a few days. Let’s take a look.
Build
For review we have the TD-50KV with the
brand new KD-A22 bass drum option.
Designed to replace the batter head of your
existing 22" bass drum, the Kick Drum
Attachment (KD-A) features a thick, dense pad
just above its centre which sits over a
triggered mesh head. The remaining surface
features a solid cover, giving it a rugged feel
that also protects the internal electronics.
Shipped as a one-up, two-down
confi guration, the KV is supplied with a 10"
rack tom pad and two 12" fl oor toms. It also
includes Roland’s brand new PD-140DS digital
snare pad, CY-18DR digital ride and VH-13
hi-hats. Rounding out the package is one
CY-14C crash and one CY-15R crash ride
cymbal pad (the latter was once used as
Roland’s top ride trigger) and, of course,
Roland’s steel rack system which has been
raised slightly to accommodate a 22" bass
equipped with the KD-A22. All of this will set
you back a wallet-wrenching £7,259. The KV is
also available with a KD-140-BC bass drum
£7,259 Exclusive hands-on with Roland’s
new fl agship V-drums rig, the TD-50
ROLAND TD-50KV
WITH KD-A22
WORDS: TOM BRADLEY
pad if the A22 isn’t your bag. The smaller (and
considerably more budget-friendly) standard
TD-50K set-up is supplied with a KD-120BK
pad, the new digital snare and ride, and then
three 10" tom pads, smaller 12" and 13"
cymbal pads and the smaller VH-11 hi-hats.
The TD-50 module is also available as a
standalone purchase for £2,279.
Probably the most noteworthy aspect of
the TD-50 launch is the brand new digital ride
and snare pads which now plug into the kit’s
module via USB. The 18" CY-18DR not only
feels more like a real ride cymbal thanks to its
size and weight, but is also designed to
respond more realistically thanks to multiple
sensors on its surface. The bell section is now
effectively a separate pad which enables it to
react to a much wider range of dynamic
levels. The cymbal is also mutable merely by
resting your hand on its bow. The 14"
PD-140DS snare pad uses the same digital
technology to perform much more
realistically than any previous model –
combining more typical piezo-electronic
sensors with new electrostatic technology.
The snare shell is actually made from steel
rather than plastic which gives it the essence
of a real drum. Not only does it look and feel
considerably more like a snare drum but it’s
possible to achieve a wealth of different
sounds depending on the positioning and the
velocity of each stick strike. It also has a clever
automatic cross-stick recognition feature, but
more on that when we get hands on.
The module itself plays host to 50 kit
presets which utilise Roland’s brand new
Prismatic Sound Modelling engine, leaving
room for another 50 custom user kits. Gone is
the old TD-30 processor; the new kit has been
treated to a more powerful, upgraded
HAVING A WIDER RANGE OF SOUNDS
AVAILABLE UNDER-STICK WITH NO
NOTICEABLE LATENCY THROUGH THE
MODULE MAKES MY TIME AT THE KIT AN
INCREDIBLY SATISFYING EXPERIENCE
processor which enables it to perform an
array of neat features. Namely, with the TD-50
it’s fi nally possible to import your own
samples via the in-built SD card slot. These
can be allocated as a primary sample,
triggered by a chosen pad, or blended with
other samples using the new ‘sub-instrument’
menu. How about adding more punch to your
fl oor toms with a subtle kick sample? Or
KICK DRUM
The KD-A22
attachment turns your
22" acoustic kick into
an electronic trigger.
Traditional e-kick
trigger pads are
also available
RHY262.gear_roland.indd 86 10/24/16 6:16 PM