sensitivity issues with Roland PD120 for snare

[dmitri]

It is exactly the same as in the schematic which I showed before in viewtopic.php?p=11911#p11911

[dschrammie]

Okay.
I wasn't trying to annoy or frustrate you, I was just trying to make sure that I'm understanding the schematic correctly and make sure that I wire the trimpots correctly since they will be installed prior to the jack instead of after the jack.
I tend to understand the visual representations of the equipment a little better than electrical schematics...I was pretty sure that what I drew was the same as your schematic, at least from an "over all circuit" point of view; but I wasn't positive so I just wanted to check/ask.

[dmitri]

No problem at all. I just wanted to point out that they are both the same to avoid any confusion for anyone in the future who might wonder why there are two different schematics in this thread when in fact it is the same thing.

[Ramsh]

It was mentioned in the thread that he tried a DDrum trigger. Dmitri do you think that a piezo without a cone works better with the megadrum?
I used Roland triggers on the kicks and always had problems with double triggering so I tried a spare piezos I had
http://www.drummachines.de/beatboxer/st ... igger2.jpg the 2nd last on the picture

Like on the picture I taped the bigger surface onto the head and I decreased threshold from 40 (Roland triggers) to 8 and still don't have any problems with crosstalk. Now fast doubebass rolls trigger faster and more accurate as ever before no matter which combo I used of acoustic or mesh heads and Roland modules.

Maybe you can give me a link to piezos which I could try because as it looks it's about the peizo if the pad is too hot or not.

PS: Too cool down a pad doesn't change the overall accuracy of a trigger right?

[dmitri]

It was mentioned in the thread that he tried a DDrum trigger. Dmitri do you think that a piezo without a cone works better with the megadrum?

I have not build mesh type pads myself but I understand that a cone is required for such pads.

I used Roland triggers on the kicks and always had problems with double triggering so I tried a spare piezos I had
http://www.drummachines.de/beatboxer/st ... igger2.jpg the 2nd last on the picture

Like on the picture I taped the bigger surface onto the head and I decreased threshold from 40 (Roland triggers) to 8 and still don't have any problems with crosstalk. Now fast doubebass rolls trigger faster and more accurate as ever before no matter which combo I used of acoustic or mesh heads and Roland modules.

Maybe you can give me a link to piezos which I could try because as it looks it's about the peizo if the pad is too hot or not.

It is a combination of things - size of a piezo, type of a cone, mesh tension.

PS: Too cool down a pad doesn't change the overall accuracy of a trigger right?

If it really TOO cool than it will start effect dynamic range.

[dschrammie]

I have 7 Pintech Visulite cymbals and, in the process of trying to get my settings dialed in for each input, it appears that all Pintech Visulite cymbals are way too hot. Strikes that I would consider medium velocity are registering MIDI levels of 127. And a little Roland PD-5 single zone pad that I'm using is also registering levels of 127. (All gains low is checked in MCT)
Since these are premanufactured cymbals, I really don't want to open them up to try to add resistors to "cool" them down...manufacturers tend to not honor warranties when you do that. I'm guessing that I'm going to have to cut open the cable to install a resistor...which is also a pain. Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions, or am I stuck with pulling out the soldering iron and opening up a cable?

Oh, and on another note, it seems that people have talked a lot about the size of the piezo having an effect on the sensitivity of the pad. I've heard several people say that 27mm piezos are better than 35mm because they're not as hot. Well, the one and only 35mm piezo that I have is the only one on my entire kit that is not too hot. All of the toms and the kick are using 27mm piezos and every one of them is going to require a resistor.

[dschrammie]

heh...looks like the thread I started about Pintech Visulites being too hot was moved here...
And I'd figured the answer was probably that I'd have to open either the cymbals or the cables and add a resistor...I had this glimmer of hope that I wouldn't have to...because it's a pain! Grrrr! ah well. If nothing else, I guess when I finally get this project 100% finished I should be a lot better at soldering!

[dschrammie]

Oh, and has anyone successfully installed a resistor in a TRS jack housing? Granted, resistors aren't that big, but it's still a pretty small area to try to solder something in.

[dschrammie]

Well, I haven't added resistors to the cymbals yet, but I did manage to at least get some 100K pots added to the toms and, lo and behold, strikes to the toms don't top out at 127 every time! And sure enough getting the settings dialed in is easier too.
Okay...well, enough talk I guess...time to cut open some cables and solder in some resistors.

[Thurston]

It is per piezo of course so in a dual piezo-piezo pad (if both piezos are too hot) you will need a voltage divider per piezo or a resistor in series with each piezo.

If I plan to insert the voltage divider for a piezo piezo pad within the megadrum itself, and I'm using a series resistor, could I insert a single resistor in the ground wire for that jack (i.e. the sleeve wire), or do I still need to solder one for each input (i.e. from the tip and ring for head and rim)?