Vintage Simmons Drums (UK) Users Group

I can attest that programming an SDS7 is not as fast as an SDS8, as it took me the better part of a day to re-program all of the 39 factory defined kits back into the memory of one of my SDS7s. Better sound? Well I guess that is subjective. They all have their strengths and weaknesses sonically. I also agree that programming a 7 can be tedious, but once you get the hang of it, it kind of becomes second nature, however, it is still time consuming. 

--- In Simmons_Drums@yahoogroups.com, Scott Gibbons <scott@...> wrote:
>
> > I'll let you know how reliable the SDS-8 still is, as I recently
> >purchased one, complete with pads, etc. This one may be the keeper for me
> >in the end.....
> 
> 
> Programming the SDS7 is not as fast as spinning the pots on an SDS8, but
> there are so many sounds that the 7 is capable of that the 8 can't touch.
> The 8 is completely analogue while the 7 is a hybrid. You can get close to
> the sound of the 8 with the analogue section of the 7, but not the other
> way around. Also, the analogue section of the SDS7 really does sound
> better than the SDS800 to my ears.
> 
> On the other hand, you can do live tweaking on the SDS8 that would be
> impossible on the 7, or on the similar Pearl Drum-X, like this:
> 
> http://soundcloud.com/red-noise/simmons-sds-800-1
> 
> I've had an 800 since the early 90's, and thought briefly about selling it
> when I got my 7. VERY briefly. As soon as I started digging into the 7 I
> realized I was going to need both of them :-P
> 
> all my best,
> - Scott
> 
> 
> ps - some more links to some SDS sounds I have on SoundCloud:
> 
> Using only the analogue section of the SDS7:
> http://soundcloud.com/red-noise/sds7
> 
> Using the digital and analogue sections of the SDS7:
> http://soundcloud.com/red-noise/simmons-sds7
> 
> Using the Run Generator on the SDS800:
> http://soundcloud.com/red-noise/simmons-sds-800
>