Author Topic: Sample Pad Pro - Opinions?  (Read 2532 times)

Offline Dartanbeck

Sample Pad Pro - Opinions?
« on: March 01, 2018, 11:34:49 PM »
One of the upgrades I would love to make to my kit is to add a multipad - preferably something that can accept custom samples.

In truth, I love the Sample Pad Pro for
  • Price
  • Ability to use samples from SD card
  • Ability to send specific midi notes to the DM10 module
  • the way it looks - it would look great with my current Alesis DM10X Mesh (this being the least of my concerns)

My singer just picked one up and I was able to spend a short session with it, but was only able to check the preset kits and get a quick taste of maneuvering the menu system. I've read complaints about it and, according to most of those, I'm less worried about their talk - like the menu, for example. I had no troubles getting used to how it works and how to navigate the two additional menu options. All very straight-forward. Crosstalk didn't seem a huge issue either, although the upper left bar pad did like to trigger the rectangular pad just below it when hit just right - something it seemed the settings were unlikely to fix. It's more of a "get used to NOT hitting the pad a certain way" as the only way to correct for it - but it was only the one, and I was quickly able to adjust my playing style for that pad to make the correction. Switching from one kit to another really does have hesitation to it. To test it, I changed one of the footswitches to step up the kit number. I just wanted to see how smoothly I could switch from one kit to another mid-song - something I doubt I'd want to do due to this hesitation thing - but I could do this with the DM10, so that's actually another non-issue for me.

He had a couple keyboard footswitches hooked up to it and I liked how those worked with it. I also liked how, with the extra trigger inputs between this and my DM10, I'd have a bit more extra mileage pad-wise.

With the price being what it is, this thing really does have a lot going for it in my situation, which is looking for a way to add extra sounds - the kind of which I'd hate to have to dedicate part of my default DM10X mesh kit, which I kind of need to be drum kit sounds.
Alesis DM10X Mesh - Laurin Drums & Cymbals - Strike Module
Dartanbeck.com Digital Artist

Offline Dartanbeck

Re: Sample Pad Pro - Opinions?
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2018, 11:46:49 PM »
There's been some mention of the Yamaha M12 which, for a couple hundred bucks more, looks like a whopping dose more hi-end than the SPP. Yeah... it really does.

Where it might (?) lack in having much space for custom sample imports it makes up for with its own internal sounds, which are many, and they sound fantastic, it seems. It also has four more trigger pads as standard, and a whole arsenal of additional pad/footswitch inputs in the back.

One of my biggest issues I've been having in voting for this one is that, as soon as I start getting interested in it, info switches to how awesome the app is for it. Instead of coughing up an additional $Grand for an iPad, I'd rather add another kit (Command? MKII?) to my setup. Do these app options still exist without the app via the tiny menu system? I don't mind tiny menu systems - I really don't. I like to set all this stuff up so when I'm live I can just set/forget.

I thought to myself: There's no way they'd make it so these options are ONLY available via iPad. But then I saw their DTX 400 series drum module which has no screen - not even the tiny menu system. Either this one has no options at all or it requires the app.

But as for the M12, even though it's entirely capable of connecting to the extra midi notes of the DM10 module, it has a LOT of sounds within it's chassis. Really good ones.
Alesis DM10X Mesh - Laurin Drums & Cymbals - Strike Module
Dartanbeck.com Digital Artist

Offline Dartanbeck

Re: Sample Pad Pro - Opinions?
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2018, 11:53:44 PM »
While I'd likely opt for an extra whole kit addon over coughing up the extra for the Yamaha (but maybe not?), the Roland and Nord options are just over the top for what I'd want to spend on such a thing.

I keep mentioning "Adding another kit"
I really like the amazing value that comes from it - at least from Alesis. The rack systems are quite nice and would add on nicely to mine as would the plethora of extra triggers. I also love the idea of getting the extra pedals and cymbals.

I only mention that here because the extra rack options this gives make for many more options for mounting a multipad or two the way I want.

Sorry for that aside...

Any thoughts on any of this?
Alesis DM10X Mesh - Laurin Drums & Cymbals - Strike Module
Dartanbeck.com Digital Artist

Re: Sample Pad Pro - Opinions?
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2018, 02:10:01 AM »
I have both the Sample Pad Pro and the Yamaha DTXmulti 12 and they both work extremely well for me.
The Multi12 does have way more sounds and capabilities and is far superior to the Sample pad pro but the Sample pad pro looks like it will do what you want it to do and the price is far below the Yamaha.
The only problem that I have had with the Sample Pad Pro is noise/hum/hiss at the outputs.
I know they had this problem as well with the newer sample pad 4, http://community.alesis.com/alesis/topics/samplepad-4-noise-output.
Since I have all of my drums/pads etc. routed through a 24 channel mixer, I simply added a noise gate on the channel insert for the Sample Pad Pro which took care of the noise.
I have not had any crosstalk issues at all but I did upgrade to the latest firmware version, 1.0.19 as soon as I got it.
As far as the app. vs. the onboard tiny menus of the multi 12, you can do all things through the menu system but it can be tedious. One thing you can do with the app. that I don't think is available via the onboard menu is to set up various kits in the apps. memory and switch them on the fly, say during a performance. I've never tried this but I think I read somewhere that this was a big plus of the app.
Hope this helps you and of course, ymmv.

powerhouse
« Last Edit: March 02, 2018, 08:12:10 AM by powerhouse »

Offline Dartanbeck

Re: Sample Pad Pro - Opinions?
« Reply #4 on: March 04, 2018, 05:33:56 PM »
Thanks!
Alesis DM10X Mesh - Laurin Drums & Cymbals - Strike Module
Dartanbeck.com Digital Artist