Pearl Drum-X

Easy to get into... No manual, but simple enough once you start pressing buttons. One thing to keep in mind is the switch on the back that protects the settings. Basically, it works like the write protect tab on a floppy disk. Flip it one way to make changes, the other to prevent them.

Pretty barebones as these things go, but it does have individual outs for each trigger pad. That's always nice. It was a pro-level unit back in the day, and is obviously built for the road. A nice, rack-sized unit, which is unusual for any drum module, much less the older, analog-types.

This is a Japanese copy of the early Simmons modules, and sounds very similar to the SDS-V, at least as compared to the recorded examples I have. Think 5150-era Van Halen, Discipline-era Crimson, etc. There are 8 presets, but they all sound pretty similar. I have no idea if these are the factory kits or not. This thing has been around a while. For what it does, I like it. A lot.

This device is twenty years old and still works great. From my perspective, that says a lot.

Pearl has disowned this device, to the extent that they even went to the trouble of saying there was no backstock or even manuals available in Modern Drummer a few years ago.

I got this as part of a package deal, which included this module, five pads, an amp, and all hardware, so the price paid is a bit misleading. I think it was all well worth what I paid. Yes, it is a bit one dimensional, but if you love that old Simmons sound, this is a great example, and usually a bit cheaper than the SDS-V. Seems to be a lot harder to find though. The pads still work perfectly, and compare favorably with the newest Yamaha and Roland RUBBER pads. These are not V-Drums, but if, like me, you find mesh stuff to be overrated, these might be right up your alley. All in all, it does what I bought it to do, and captures the era very well.