Strike Amp 12 Needing a Mixer?

[OldSchool]

I wonder if anyone out there is experiencing a difference in sound from their headphones Vs. the Strike amp 12. Would a mixer help? I find that any snare drum I choose, it, well, doesn't sound like a snare drum through the speaker. Also the cymbal volume is down and the hi-hat is the worst.

[AlanK]

Hi Oldschool. That's definitely a thing for most of us. Its kind of like how images or videos can look totally different depending on the device you're viewing on. Headphones and speakers will reproduce the sound differently depending on a multitude of factors.. frequency response, whether the speakers are active or passive, if former they may have EQing built in so you could have them set up differently.. if your headphones are over ear you'll have a very different listening experience and depends on the quality of the headphones as well.. it's just the way it is with audio. I have a reasonable set of over ear monitoring headphones and some powered Mackie Thump speakers.. whether I'm using my Alesis drums through them both, or if I'm mixing on my Zoom Livetrak, the sound is always better (to me) in my headphones and the mixes sound so different when I play through the speakers so you really have to EQ your output to taste depending on which you are hearing through.

[OldSchool]

Thanks for the response, AlanK. Did you ever find a snare sound that sounded good through your speakers?

[AlanK]

Yes, but I've been using Addictive Drums for most of the time I've had my Alesis.. I was never really happy with the module voicings.

[OldSchool]

Yeah, for $1300. bucks for the DM10 MK11, the module leaves a lot to be desired. I will look into Addictive drums 2. However I have never set up anything like that before. I have a 9 pc. acoustic set that I have built and the electronic set is pretty new to me. Got this set mostly for practice.

[drum_cas]

Hello Oldschool,
I like having a mixer so I can dial in with EQoptions. Now the strike offers a direct output for the snare and it really benefits from the separate EQ. And when playing through headphones, it really differs from my speaker, so I have to dial that in differently.
And than I?m not even talking about different rooms??(home/practiceroon/venue)

Greetz, Cas

[OldSchool]

Just kicking around Google I found a great video on YouTube about drum amps. Justin of 65 Drums has the video here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UkTjNlSOGg  That addresses my Strike amp 12. He mentions going into the Utility of the module of your electric kit, mine being the DM10 MKII Pro, and selecting "Master Effect" and then "Master EQ" and then change the EQ there. It worked for me. I now have much better sound out of the Strike amp to include, finally, a snare sound. Alesis seems to bypass any instructions in their manuals pertaining to this. Being new to electronic drums, I need all the help I can get. Like Justin says in the video, "Don't throw your amp away and spend another $400 or $500 on a new one until you try this". Hope this helps a fellow drummer out there.

[Joker47]

Did that also change the sound in your headphones and/or recording?

Did you have to readjust everything again with the EQ changes in the Utility to make up for the amp?

Thanks,
J

[Joker47]

Just kicking around Google I found a great video on YouTube about drum amps. Justin of 65 Drums has the video here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UkTjNlSOGg  That addresses my Strike amp 12. He mentions going into the Utility of the module of your electric kit, mine being the DM10 MKII Pro, and selecting "Master Effect" and then "Master EQ" and then change the EQ there. It worked for me. I now have much better sound out of the Strike amp to include, finally, a snare sound. Alesis seems to bypass any instructions in their manuals pertaining to this. Being new to electronic drums, I need all the help I can get. Like Justin says in the video, "Don't throw your amp away and spend another $400 or $500 on a new one until you try this". Hope this helps a fellow drummer out there.

Do you happen to know what the Strike Mosule equivalent of those settings would be?

[Chaser]

Just kicking around Google I found a great video on YouTube about drum amps. Justin of 65 Drums has the video here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UkTjNlSOGg  That addresses my Strike amp 12. He mentions going into the Utility of the module of your electric kit, mine being the DM10 MKII Pro, and selecting "Master Effect" and then "Master EQ" and then change the EQ there. It worked for me. I now have much better sound out of the Strike amp to include, finally, a snare sound. Alesis seems to bypass any instructions in their manuals pertaining to this. Being new to electronic drums, I need all the help I can get. Like Justin says in the video, "Don't throw your amp away and spend another $400 or $500 on a new one until you try this". Hope this helps a fellow drummer out there.

Do you happen to know what the Strike Mosule equivalent of those settings would be?

The STRIKE and DM10 MKII Pro have different EQ's and ranges...

The DM10 MKII Pro has a 3 Band "Master" KIT EQ + Middle Q for the overall Kit EQ.

KIT EQ

Low Frequency: 0.03 kHz 2.00 kHz (30Hz - 2kHz)
Middle Frequency: 0.08 kHz - 16.00 kHz (80Hz - 16kHz)
Middle Q: 0.1 -  12
High Frequency: 0.5 kHz -  18.00 kHz (500Hz - 18kHz)

There is also 3 Bands EQ Gain (+3 Bands MID) for the Voices

VOICE EQ

Low Gain  -24  ~ +24dB   (Low gain)
Med1 Gain -24 ~ +24dB   (Middle1 gain)
Med2 Gain -24 ~ +24dB   (Middle2 gain)
Med3 Gain -24 ~ +24dB   (Middle3 gain)
High Gain -24 ~ +24dB    (High gain)

The STRIKE Module has a 2 Band "Master" EQ for the overall Kit EQ.
LF Freq:  20 Hz - 18.5 kHz
HF Freq:  20 Hz - 18.5 kHz

The STRIKE and DM10 MKII Pro Modules actually lets you adjust both the Frequency and the Gain Independently...
The Majority of Modules (Example..Alesis Nitro/Surge (Medeli DD512).. Crimson/II,Command,DM10 MKII Studio,Forge (Medeli DD650) EQ's the Frequency adjust is combined with Amplitude/Gain..

A lot of people get Gain/Volume confused...the difference between Gain and Volume is Gain affects the Input signal..Volume the Output Signal.

The DM10 MKII Pro has separate Compressors for the Kit and Voices.
You can setup "Parallel Compression"

KIT COMPRESSOR

Threshold: -64 ~ 0     (Threshold value)
Attack: 1 ~ 400ms      (Attack time)
Release: 5 ~ 680 ms   (Release time)
Low PreGain: 0~512    (Pre gain value for low frequency)
Middle PreGain: 0~512 (Pre gain value middle frequency)
High PreGain: 0~512   (Pre gain value high frequency)

VOICE COMPRESSOR(S)

Compressor Type: Bypass, Standard, Limiter, Attack
Threshold: -48 ~ 0 dB (Threshold value)
Attack: 1 ~ 400ms     (Attack time)
Ratio: 1.0 ~ 20         (Compress ratio)
PreGain:  0~512       (Pre gain value)

The STRIKE only has a Kit Compressor...No Voices Comp

THRESHOLD
This determines the volume at which compression will be applied to the sound.
In other words, when the volume of your playing reaches or exceeds this volume level, it will
trigger the compressor.-90 to 00dB

OUTPUT
This determines the volume of the compressed signal. 20 Hz ? 18.5 kHz

Here are some Individual EQ "Cheats" for those without a lot of Mixing experience..

KICK
60-100Hz: Thump
100-250Hz: Roundness
400-600Hz: Boxiness
2-6kHz: Attack
4-8kHz: Click

SNARE
100-150Hz: Warmth
150-250Hz: Fatness
800-1000Hz: Boxiness
2.5kHz: Slap
3-5kHz: Attack
8-10kHz: Crispness

RACK TOM
240-500Hz: Fullness
600-1000Hz: Boxiness
5-7kHz: Attack

FLOOR TOM
80-120Hz: Fullness
400-800Hz: Boxiness
2.5-5kHz: Attack

CYMBALS / HI HATS
100-300Hz: Clang
4-7kHz: Crispness
8-12kHz: Sizzle
12kHz and up: Sheen

OVERHEADS
50-250Hz: Muddiness
400-1000Hz: Boxiness
7.5kHz and up: Shimmer

The DM10 MKII Pro is a Re-Brand of the Medeli DD680.
The Module is more advanced than given credit for including the (Medeli A5 Processor same as STRIKE Multipad) and wasn't promoted very well.
Out of the box the sounds weren't as good (Typical) as they could have been and inexperienced users , especially 1st time e-kit purchaser had No training videos etc so not as popular/successful as it could have been.
I have all the MIDI Implementation but due to the lack of Interest in the Forum,never provided for an Editor and didn't want to dedicate all the time like Lesser Chance did with the Samplepad Pro/Rack editor.
I think the STRIKE Module would have benefited with some of the FX Features.
The DM10 MKII Pro has "Group FX"..but no Group outs.
The STRIKE has Group Outs (Direct Audio Out) , but Dry.. no Group FX.

You won't find a DD680 download link anywhere including the Medeli Site...

I provided a download for the DD680 Manual

[Joker47]

That?s awesome Chaser, thanks. 👍🏽

Are those EQ settings for the Strike ?global?, or can they be saved for each individual kit I have saved?

J

[Chaser]

That?s awesome Chaser, thanks. 👍🏽

Are those EQ settings for the Strike ?global?, or can they be saved for each individual kit I have saved?

J

Per Kit...

Load a Kit...look at the Kit FX ..EQ etc...then switch/load a different Kit..look at FX EQ etc..there will all be different.
You may find you'll like different Reverbs..Compressor settings etc for your existing kit..just change/scroll through the Presets.
After the changes/saved it will become a User kit..

[Joker47]

Thank you sir. That?s a huge help. 👍🏽

[Chaser]

Thank you sir. That?s a huge help. 👍🏽

Don't forget to go under a Voice and the Sends..and see if set to Zero.Reverb or FX wont change when you switch Presets if they are at Zero.
For example the Big Bird Kit Reverb is at Zero..
Then go back into Kit FX and scroll through the Presets..then back to the Voice and adjust the sends...combinations are endless.