Product: Simmons SDS-8
Price Paid: US $100 used
Submitted
09/15/2001
at
09:42am
by
Hermes
Email: hermes<at>limbiksys dot org
Ease of Use
:
10
If you dont understand how to use this thing...you probably shouldn't be making music. You will definately not need a manual.
Features
:
7
5 different percussion sounds, bass, snare, and 3 toms. Each has 9 knobs, and each is essentially exactly the same, i think the main snare VCO is pitched at one octave higher or so. The knobs are trigger sensitivity, filter, pitch, pitch bend, decay, noise/tone mix, click mix, pan, and level. Each also has a factory/user patch button...No midi, its all triggerable via anything you can manage to get to go trhough a 1/4" cable...microphone, drum pad, cv trigger...dosn't matter, they will all trigger it fine. It also has a 5-pin sequencer jack...not dyn or midi though. I think it was specifically designed to be used with the SDS 6 sequencer. No effects, no expansions. Just raw analog :)
Expressiveness/Sounds
:
7
This thing DOES sound really good, it's 100% analog. It also has a very clean smooth sound compared to the SDS's. My only complaint is that the 'sweet spots' are sometimes very small. You really gotta tweak it in fine increments to get that perfect pitch slap for a hard and tight sound. It can do some decent subsonic bass too, but not near as easily or as well as the SDS X00's series can. I used it for electronica based tech trance and hardcore, worked well, but I'm sure it's best home would be in the studio of an 80's pop-synth rock star:).
Reliability
:
9
The older Simmons gear were built like rocks...solid steel cases (which usually end up rusting some) with not too shabby knobs. All high quality components inside as well. I giged with it and it was great. Awesome live control.
Customer Support
:
1
Nada...best bet is to find a electric drum bulletin board and post a question.
Overall Rating
:
8
Overall very cool, and worth buying if you find one cheep, I personally prefer the similar tama models to the SDS 8, and the SDS X00's series (the 200/400/800's are dirtier and heavier.), but I like my music dark and heavy.
