The DTXplorer is Yamaha's entry level electronic kit and after playing on our demo model in the shop this past year I'm very impressed. It has very good playability and durability.

Although you can certainly play gigs with these electronic kits (and be able to turn down your volume) their main function is as a practice kit. (Note to beginners: throughout your life most of the hours you clock up behind the kit will be your daily practice sessions so a good practice kit is of paramount importance if you are to progress.) This is a serious musical instrument to be practised on every day and a million miles away from the tacky Alesis and Ion kits which are toys by comparison and aren’t going to inspire anyone to dedicate time to serious drum practice. The explorer is comparable with my DTX Version 2 (Silent session) which cost me over £2000 back in 1995. A good electronic kit like this can inspire a drummer to develop their talent and provide years of enjoyment.

The pads are all single zone, BUT the snare drum input will take a triple zone pad and both cymbal inputs can accommodate dual zone pads, if you want to upgrade!
The pads feel like your standard practice pad to play on. Which I think is no bad thing. The hi-hat control pedal is the same one as on the DTXpress 3 and the bass drum pad is familiar too. It’s the same bass drum pad as on the DTXtreme. These pads are big enough to accommodate a double pedal, but are prone to ware, perhaps stick a falam patch on it.

And the brain? Changing kits, songs and assigning voices are all very easy. Anyone with experience of DTX’s won’t need the manual. There are all the features of the DTXpress really, minus recording, with less sounds and kits and only single zone pads. For example, there are 40 snare drum sounds, rather than 120 odd on the DTXpress. BUT these can all be adjusted in their decay and pitch so you can really customise the sounds.
The “Jog Dial” (right in the middle of the controls) is a welcome feature for scrolling through kits and voices. It’s much less fiddly, than the tiny buttons on the DTXpress 2 or 3.

With play-alongs, an auxiliary input for your CD’s and the price, I expect this kit to be very popular for learners. The only big minus is no multiple zone snare pad or cymbal pad, but on a kit in this price range that’s to be expected and you can always upgrade your snare drum pad later.
The Roland competitor for this kit does not have a full set of pads, so they expect you to upgrade it. This kit, as an all-in package, will probably be the more popular of the two.

*****
Reviewed by James W.