Hi guys!
Thought I'd introduce myself. I'm from NE missouri, have been a full time working drummer for years, retired, came out of retirement and started spending cash on all new gear.
How I came to be a strike owner? I didn't intend to. I listened to hours of Youtube video sound demonstrations of all the roland gear, Alesis gear, yamaha gear, even a little Simmons. I was SOLD on the Rolands, basically because I love their ringy snare drums. Watching the videos, one could almost forget it was electronic, because everything blended so nicely like a real drum set.
Dollars. Shit.
So I set out to save some money and convert my Pearl Traveller acoustic kit to pads, mesh heads triggers, etc. but I'd need a brain. I did deep research into all the Roland models, taking note especially that only certain models fit my criteria: Positional sensitivity on the snare, quality sounds, and more than stereo outputs. I'd used Alesis D4 and D5 units back in the day, along with being one of the original purchasers (first shipment) of the HR-16 drum machine. So I was used to the idea of Alesis, and their four outputs. But some modules had eight outputs! OH, yes. I send everything to the FOH anyway.
So I figured the dollars would drive the module. $600-ish ought to get a used module. OH, but I'd need hi-hats, ride cymbal, I had ONE crash already, I'd need at least one more, maybe two, cabling, oh, and cabling to run all those outputs to the FOH, etc.
My wifey/sound babe and I pencilled it out, and it was cheaper to pick up the phone and order a Strike Kit. And have brand new. So knowing it fit my criteria, I spur-of-the-moment picked up the phone, called Sweetwater, and it was done. The next morning, I called them back and upgraded it to the Strike Pro, and it was REALLY done!