Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "temp1111" <temp1111@w...> wrote:
> Of course.  I didn't say live performers were the 'only' market.  
My point is, if they want to sell enough kits to keep making 
improvements, while at the same time maintaining a price point, then 
they can't afford to miss a market opportunity.
> 
> If they focus solely on the home user, who never take the kit to 
the end of its envelope, they will never improve and will eventually 
be pushed out of any opportunity to penetrate the semi-pro/pro market 
by companies who recognize and at least make some options available 
to that market.
> 
> As I said, nothing wrong with maintaining a certain level for the 
home user, but make premium options available for those who need/want 
them.

That's the point I was trying to register earlier about where to 
locate the DTXT in the market. Though certainly not a be-all-end-all 
product, the DTXT is hardly relegated simply to the home user. Just 
how much even the pro or semipro user needs the module to do, 
however, is a slightly open question, depending on context. Modules 
don't generally do as good a job with certain higher-end options as 
separate boxes do. No contest. Not a knock against modules at all, 
but sequencers, effects, tuned GM notes, et al. are arguably not the 
features that should get much of a high-end budget. It's not 
altogether inconceivable that an ultra high end module would dispense 
altogether with such bells and whistles and concentrate completely on 
sampling capability, sound quality, and comuputing power. It should 
have discrete output options for sending individual components to 
much more elaborate boards or recording facilities. To create an 
analogy with home audio, the better modules at this point are the 
equivalent of decent receivers, which locate many useful (and not so 
useful) functions in a single place. The better audio equipment has 
separate boxes for power supply, amp, preamp, and tuner sections.

As for the semipro and pro market for electronics increasing, I don't 
think that there's any question. But many acoustic drummers still 
have a prejudice, ignorance, etc. about electronics, some of it 
understandable given the limited dynamics and compromised sounds of 
the not too distant past. Ask the manager of the drum sections at 
your local GC to give you a good account of what electronics can do 
these days or to distinguish the market, and he'll probably default 
to the standard, vague line about Roland being the only legitimate 
option. Then ask him about sales. A lot of hip drummers integrate 
electronics into their kits to some extent, but rarely do they depend 
on the module to do all of their sound work. 

Vic's challenge is the kind of feedback that Yamaha needs, and 
presumably wants, to hear if they have any intention of putting 
together what a cross section of drummers would consider a completely 
pro module. I'll bet the answers will be varied for a long time to 
come.