Open Box Simmons SD7PK Electronic Drum Set Level 1

I am an experienced drummer with over 20 years of playing experience. I needed something inexpensive and quiet for my apartment, so I settled on this set. Setup out of the box was quick and simple. If you are just learning or just need something simple to tool around on, this is perfect. My biggest complaints with the unit would be this; the "brain" doesn't have any extra ports, so you cannot add any more cymbals, toms, or other "voices" of any kind. Speaking of "voices", that brings me to my second argument. The brain is not intuitive on how to use, but to the best I can figure, there are fifty preset pre-loaded drum kits to choose from. Each kit gives every drum a different voice. Some of these kits are simple sound effects. In my estimation, there are only about 5 to 7 kits that I could seriously consider using in recording a rock song. I wish there were more of a wider range of realistic sounds to choose from. Having said that, this is a tremendous value. Just don't expect to play this and hear incredibly realistic drum sounds. They are passable, but you can tell it's electronic.

Well I've had the Simmons SD7PK long enough to have read the manual. There is, of course, a drum off toggle for the song function. It will switch off the drum track but still leave in the percussion. I am glad I couldn't talk myself out of this purchase. I use Ableton Live as DAW on my laptop. I can just move the set wherever I want, hook up a usb cable, set it to channel 10 and I'm off to recording in MIDI. Each time I play them I enjoy them just a little bit more. The action is like one of the old time, hard rubber practice pads so my doubles are unrealistically nice- in a good way. The pads are responsive and as a bonus, the SD7PK will take a double bass pedal I just read. They are not perfect but they sure as heck are worth the money.

I'm a dyed in the wool acoustic drum player. That being said I bought this electronic set of Simmons when the price got so low I couldn't talk myself out of it. This is not something that I would play on stage- that's what my Sonor Delites and HiLites are for. The fact that this had as many voices as it does, midi in and out, usb capability I couldn't pass it up for recording. I got tired of trying to get a crisp roll on a MPK25 pad. I unpacked it last night and to be honest have only played it about 30 minutes so I reserve the right to amend my review. My impressions so far is that it an efficient build. The clips for the wiring help keep things somewhat tidy although that's always been, at a minimum, 2nd or 3rd for me. It does not have the articulation of acoustic drums and I did not expect it too. The fact that I had it delivered to my door for about what I paid for a 10" Sonor HiLite tom was unbelievable. Everything worked out of the box. There is no mystery as to how to put it together, all the cables are cut correctly and labeled. I haven't really worked on getting it to sound exactly like I want but I know the functionality is there. I did get to mess with the songs some. If I had to put a con down it's that the songs still have a drum track. This could be because I haven't studied the manual yet, too much fun to play at 11:30pm with head phones on. Over the years I've watched the electronic drums tend towards the acoustic, analog, drums. They'll never replace them, in my opinion, but for quick recording without having to set 4-8 mics up, have no room noise except what I program in, it was, and is, a no-brainer.

I wanted a Roland HD-1 or Yamaha dtx like most people say you should invest in, but I simply couldnt find one for the price I got the Simmons. I went with it and dont regret my decision, however I have noticed some flaws that probably woulnt come with the other manufacturers. The sd7pk has a dual-zone snare (although I never use the rim really). Plain and simple, the snare sucks. only about a tennis ball size area in the center of the pad registers hits (even hitting this small area has a small chance of no hit-registering). I noticed its lack of sensitivity within minutes of play. I tried to swap a single-zone in for the snare, but when hit hard it creates a loud popping noise (I also read of the same complaint online)..So its not as simple as replacing the dual-zone with another pad, you must go buy another dual-zone. luckily, the customer service is great at GC. i emailed asking for a refund of the one pad rather than the whole kit. i initailly called GC and the guy said sorry, you must return the whole kit. i emailed the same question to customer service telling them i wanted a $35 refund for it, and they said they don't refund single items,BUT all i had to do was go to my local GC and they gave me the $ it took to buy a new dual-zone. Is that great or what??? Back to the kit itself...The single-zone pads are really great and responsive and seem to be build well. The frame is also well built. I've read complaints about the kickpad not working well but I have to problems with mine (and its used). The cymbals are alright. Kinda thumpy(i read that alot too online). For regular high-hat sounds, it doesnt respond to high-velocity hits very well. i'm considering replacing the highhat cymbal with a singlezone pad. For crash/ride they work just fine(and the thump isnt too noticable with crash/ride sounds as compared to a high-hat sound. The module has lots of different sounds(most of which are pretty useless) but i have found pretty good sounds to make a couple sets that sound good to me. in conclusion, I'm not sure how the Rolands or yamahas are, but except for the bad dual-zone snare, i think the Simmons SD7PK can stack up against its competitors just fine.

it is greaat i love it it has every thing i expeted

Started using the older model for my drum lessons and bought this to use at home to try to keep a little quieter. Hooking up to headphones or to an amp, this kit ROCKS! Lots of customized settings, easy setup, great feel. Highly recommend this set!