Joystiq sticks-on: Final thoughts on the ION Drum Rocker
by Ross Miller 
{ Sep 14th 2008 at 3:00PM }
- The ability to adjust your hardware is a double-edged sword. Having the freedom to do so is nice, but you'll spend a lot of time readjusting everything to fit your needs, not to mention if something isn't screwed in tight enough, your whole set might fall apart during a Pixies' song, as ours did. Particularly, the main screw used to keep the cymbals on the hardware needs to be at least another 1-2 mm longer, as it screws in only slightly to the other side and can easily pop out, causing the whole cymbal to slide out.
- It probably goes without saying, but the Drum Rocker will take up a lot more room than your Rock Band set.
Instead of the included ends, use a basic washer with these cymbal clamps.
- As an addendum to our previous post where we complained about the cymbals, ION sent us a new drum brain and that seemed to fix the problem. After some work, we were finally able to incorporate their use into our playing. It took a lot of extra effort, however, and it certainly didn't help our scoring at all. They do work well and are as responsive as the pads. We can't shake the mindset that the cymbals are anything more than a (quite expensive) novelty. The four pads are still there and they still work great.
- Although we are being much less scientific here than with Kyle's experiment, with plastic-tip drum sticks the ION pads are indeed quieter than the Rock Band 1 set. It's worth noting that after about 10 songs with each play sessions, our wrists would start hurting, something that in the last year never happened with the RB1 set. The pads aren't as bouncy as the standard set but are much sturdier.
- The pedal is still far superior to the standard set. You can also buy it separately for $50 and get a 1/4"-to-1/8" converter to use it with the standard set. It is a bit noisier than the RB pedal.
- As a cheap electronic drum set, let's say this: Someone will find a way to make this work by plugging directly into a computer. Then again, that program will also likely work with the standard RB2 drum set ($90), which also has three cymbal ports and a second pedal port (something the ION set doesn't have without paying $40 for an expansion pedal). Although the cost of accessories are currently unknown, we're wagering the total would be much less than the $300 ION price tag. Alesis offers a drum module you can use for $360, but you'll also have to buy a second pedal for the hi-hat, rendering the total cost around $710.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mr Khan @ Sep 14th 2008 3:11PM
"Is it worth the $300"
If we're not talking about a console, i think the answer to that should be fairly obvious
Not that i mean to knock anyone. Those who are particularly passionate about their Rock Band 2 experience could find the value worth it, and everyone here has made some sort of unnecessary, costly purchase in further pursuit of our hobby (certainly there are former Neo Geo and 3DO owners among us who can validate that), and if you have the passion (and the disposable income) I bet its totally worth it
But come on, its $300
Connor @ Sep 14th 2008 3:26PM
I think this is a drummer that can hook up to your computer and acts like real drums on it... but still, you're right, $300 is a little much for it...
ScottG13 @ Sep 14th 2008 3:31PM
Just depends on your disposable income situation. Do you make six figures? If so, its probably not a big deal. If you're a poor college student, its probably not a great investment. Somewhere in between like most of us? At that point, its pretty subjective. $300 is alot of cash. So is $30k for a car or $500k for a house.
Mr Khan @ Sep 14th 2008 4:03PM
@ Scott, that's basically what i meant. If you have the money and the passion (or even more passion, and figure out a way to make the money thing work) then its not a bad product, but the concept of paying so much for one peripheral with a very limited usage hasn't come around since Steel Battallion
Jacksons @ Sep 14th 2008 4:05PM
500k for a house in this market? I'm glad I don't live where you do :)
Haggard (Free Mr.ESC!) @ Sep 14th 2008 4:08PM
If you're a student, Rock Band itself would be a bit of a dangerous investment. On the other hand, my house now has something people want to come over for.
Once I've bought that five foot, 4-hosed hookah and a robot barman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G9wuKPjqYg) there'll be no stopping me!
xGeneral DEATHx @ Sep 15th 2008 8:26AM
In agreement with Mr. Khan here...the only way I could personally justify paying $300 for this set is if I was going to use it as an electronic set for midi/recording purposes outside of Rock Band 2. All the same, if you have a six-figure income (I don't) and you don't have too many bills floating around to pay this much (I do) then hey, it's your money.
I suppose I could cut out a gun purchase once a year and get one of these, but guns are fun. :)
evan @ Sep 14th 2008 3:36PM
Does anyone know anything about the Mad Catz kit that was announced a few months back? it was supposed to be around $150 with two cymbals and a kickpedal, but I can't find any info on it.
Sora @ Sep 14th 2008 6:31PM
Dude, it's Mad Catz. If I were you, I wouldn't WANT to know more.
xGeneral DEATHx @ Sep 15th 2008 8:44AM
Dude, stay the fuck away from MadCatz...seriously.
Hoffer @ Sep 14th 2008 5:22PM
Seems like a big skip for me. Seeing the picture of it next to the standard drum, I have no room for that big thing. Plus, it looks like such a messy setup with all the wires.
I'm waiting for Guitar Hero: World Tour to see what is the best drums to get for both games.
Jakka(Free Mr.ESC!) @ Sep 14th 2008 3:57PM
Assuming I was into Electronic Drums, ION Drum Rocker would be the last thing I'd pick up regardless.
superklye @ Sep 14th 2008 4:01PM
That's really disappointing. :( I was dead-set on getting the kit, extra cymbal and getting the "full" experience (then transitioning over to real drums eventually) but after reading this...I think I'll just stick to the "regular" RB2 kit and buy a better real e-kit when I feel I've reached a level that'll make the purchase worthwhile.
jumpshot @ Sep 15th 2008 2:21PM
I'd encourage you to get an actual drum kit instead of paying extra for a fake one that looks similar. Enjoy Rockband for what it is, and an actual drumkit for what IT is. RB doesnt teach you drums, but if you feel you have rhythm, which RB can show you, then go for it!
Burritoclock @ Sep 14th 2008 4:50PM
Mines in the mail, if it just doesnt drop a damn note then I'll be happy. I am sick to death of missed notes and cracked kick pedals. If this set does neither then the purchase is freaking worth it.
For $300 it better not ever miss a note I hit.
Jdrm03 @ Sep 14th 2008 5:41PM
I am not gunna lie, this is buy for me. If you look at it from a gamers perspective 300 bucks for a drumkit might seem a lot...
If you look at it from a percussionist perspective, it is pretty damn cheap. Plus the fact that you can add a drum module to it and expand it further then just a drum kit for rock band 2 is very appealing to me. I have a 1,500 drumset but hardly get to use it cause the cops always get called on me. This is a pretty good alternative, especially for the price.
Spartacus @ Sep 14th 2008 11:45PM
If you're a percussionist with any experience on a real drumset whatsoever, you shouldn't be considering
Trust me, as a drummer with over 12 years of experience, including owning a $1500 Yamaha electric set and playing extensively on Roland, Hart and Alesis sets (entry and pro level), nothing but the Roland V-Pro series comes even close to emulating a good accoustic set. Even then, I'd take a $1000 accoustic set (maple shelled PDP for example) over a $4000 electric set (Roland V-Drums) any day of the week.
Save your money.
Jdrm03 @ Sep 15th 2008 1:14AM
Spartacus:
I know there is no comparison between the electric and acoustic...but like I said I have a 1500 dollar birch custom set that I can hardly use because I live in an apartment and the cops always come. I just see this as a cheap temporary alternative.
MrBazooka @ Sep 14th 2008 6:19PM
Well, I just bit the bullet and placed my order for the Drum Rocker. Reviews of its performance have been positive, the only major negatives so far being its price and the '65% cymbal accuracy' comment from Joystiq's initial impressions. I'm not a drummer (yet) but was a music major in college (until I switched to software engineering) and can play through most expert tracks in the RB series without problems, as I have played on an acoustic kit previously while playing in various (real) bands. My justifications for the purchase of the Drum Rocker:
1. The stock RB1 kit (and certainly the RB2 kit) are not durable enough to survive extended playing on expert level. My red, yellow, and blue pads are all cracked and the pedal has long since gone to plastic heaven. The Drum Rocker pads are the same as those used in the Medali kits and have been on the market for several years, and though this is far from a high-end e-kit, certainly are more durable than the stock kits. The RB2 kit is $90. I guarantee if I bought it that it would last ~3 months. I'll spend the extra dough, have a more playable 'instrument', and hopefully keep it alive for at least a year or two.
2. ION is a sister company to Alesis, whose products (Quadraverb, Midiverb, Quadrasynth) I have owned and enjoyed. Were MadCatz the company manufacturing it, there is no way I would spend this kind of money. Being part of an actual musical instrument manufacturing company, however, instills a bit of confidence in this peripheral.
3. Amazon is offering free shipping (although I went with the $13 next-day shipping), making owning this a BIT more reasonable.
4. I already own several MIDI synthesizers. Instead of the DM5, I'll pick up a trigger/MIDI interface, plug the pads and cymbals in, and transmit via channel 10 to my Korg Triton, gaining access to its synthesis and sampling capabilities. I will use the Drum Rocker for entering in percussion parts in my Logic Audio sequences, then edit for expression later.
I'm sure I'll be pleased and it will make my experience more fun- hopefully I'll pick up some skills that translate to playing an acoustic kit more proficiently. Now I just need to figure out how to get this kit, a bassist, guitarist, and singer all in my living room. Maybe I'll just move my couch to the front porch every time we get together!
BrianG @ Sep 14th 2008 10:28PM
I kind of assumed from the first story on this that you guys were actually going to say something about it as an electric drum set and midi controller.
Did you forget about that part?
Ross Miller @ Sep 15th 2008 4:32AM
It's not that we forgot but that it became unfeasible given time and our own monetary constraints on the matter. It was something we/I really wanted to provide, but it just became impossible.
NotASenator @ Sep 15th 2008 6:50AM
Thanks for the reply. I completely understand, and I'm anxious for my set to arrive so I can start playing around with it in that capacity.
windbar @ Sep 15th 2008 10:36AM
This is a tough one...I totally understand both sides of the issue, so that isnt the debate for me. Fortunately, Im in a financial position to purchase the drums BUT, regardless of my financial situation, I dont like wasting money on products that dont work properly. The only concern for me is the responsiveness of the cymbals. I read that the new brain fixes the the cymbal issues, but how difficult is it to get the new brain if I purchase the drums from amazon (free shipping as opposed to $58 from ion)? Thanks ahead of time for answers, and if anyone who bought the drums plays them, their feedback would be invaluable.
John Musco @ Sep 15th 2008 10:40AM
If you're going to spend the $710 to merge that kit with an Alesis drum module, you're better off just spending a little bit more money and getting a Roland V-Drums kit. V-Drums are zillion times better than anything Ion or Alesis could dream of putting out. They won't work with your console, but at least you'll be playing real drums for once.
Byte Arts @ Sep 15th 2008 12:38PM
I made a box which allows you to play any MIDI instrument (such as the V-Drums) in Rock Band. It's totally programmable and can even function as a drum set on its own. You read all about it at www.bytearts.com/midi. If you've already got a nice drum set this might be the way to go.
Shagittarius @ Sep 15th 2008 1:28PM
Byte Arts,
I am pretty interested but I need it for the xbox360. Are you planning on releasing a 360 version?
Ryan LN @ Sep 15th 2008 10:43AM
I'm not sure which one would provide greater incentive for my wife to kill me- the fact that the thing would take up more room in my house in addition to the set that I already own or the fact that it costs $300. My advice to all of you who are not married: buy it now. If you are lucky, eventually there will be someone in your life who will bitch about purchases like this later to make purchases like this *completely* not worth it. I can vicariously enjoy the experience through the rest of you. For those of you with understanding partners, well, you can go to hell.
Jeff @ Sep 16th 2008 1:02AM
Not sure what to think about the New rocker drum set. I personally am not a big drummer I favor the guitar or bass. I have tried the drums on serveral occasions and have failed to become a better drummer. So for me to go out and spend $300 on a set of drums i suck at reardless, ecspecially because the new set has additional peices that involve mastering the original set before moving on to a harder set. I think the price is kinda ridiculous but they know what people are willing to pay and there the ones deciding the price. I assume that if you are an avid rock band player it is worth the money to throw down on the new drum set. Regardless the price of this set is phenominal, but like everyone else has said it all depeneds on your level of incoem and wether or not you are able to afford it.
Mike @ Sep 15th 2008 1:44PM
I wonder if the brain that comes with the kit will make it so that my Roland set will work with Rock Band and GH.
JohnHeist @ Sep 15th 2008 5:23PM
Sorry, it's not really a variation on the Alesis DM5 Pro (though it IS made by Alesis, it's strange so bare with me)
It's a variation on the SIMMONS SD5K...variation in that it is the exact same kit.
The pedal is used by a LOT of drum kits. Simmons SD5K, SD7K, SD9K, Alesis DM5, DM5 Pro, and a few others.
Our information lists it as coming from Alesis though, which makes me think Alesis is making the Simmons drumkits (and this one) these days
If it IS the DM5 Pro; it sucks. End of the story. That kit is terrible, and the pads have no realistic bounce to them (they're plastic)
Conor @ Sep 16th 2008 3:04PM
This is cheap considering real v-drum sets cost a lot more.
I payed nearly 2 grand for mine,love it to bits though :P
soundzilla @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:51PM
The DM5 Pro Kit uses real drum heads, not plastic.
The reviewer missed some points:
• This kit with Rock Band 2 makes separate sounds for cymbals and toms despite having the same color rings so the cymbals aren't just a novelty.
• You can use this kit with your computer for about $150 using the Alesis Trigger IO.
• You can use this kit standalone with no computer or game console by using drum module (around $300).
dogroferifno @ Oct 3rd 2008 4:40PM
I have ordered my set, my problem is. I ordered my drum rocker the 18th of Sept, I finally got a confirmation email today, it is not going to arrive until the 6th of October. Now I know things take awhole to ship, but the site says "ships within two buisiness days" Obviously It didn't. Secondly I sent the email to info@drumrocker.com to find out the status of my order, still have not received an email ( my confirmation was from ups, not Ion). Third , I finally called twice and was told my set was on the dock shipping "within 24 hours" a week ago. Last, Ion is in Florida according to the website, my set is coming from Nevada. So needless to say their customer service sucks badly.