The Roland KDA22: Four Years Later

[@65Drums]

Update: I snapped that tiny wire. So my KDA22 is broken until i repaired that

[@rogerwhitsettdrummer2922]

E Drum center sells those foam replacement pads for $50.00 each!! I brought 2 pads from Eric!!

[@1000PlaneRaid]

Came here to say this, Erik is a lifesaver!

[@romichjordan]

drumtec sell it also:)

[@jwc3104]

I DIY made a knock off KD-A20 (My kick drum is 20") using the same concept. I got a Neoprene foam cheap, cut into a disk. Glued it to a steel disc. 3D printed the plastic rings, and clips. It feels and looks just like the roland one. Works great. Because I have tons of leftover foam, I can replace the foam for nothing. This is a great design. Fairly easy to DIY.

[@jngarr]

Extremely well researched and thorough, especially the comparisons of options!

[@lonkirschner7448]

I just got this from Sweetwater. It was an open box but basically brand new and it saved a few bucks. Out of stock everywhere else. I think it is great. Is it actually like an acoustic drum? NO, but let's face it, nothing is just like an acoustic drum, but it is very close. For me, the volume of an acoustic kit was a big issue so giving up some "real" feel was not a problem. I have seen videos where people try to DYI this and it ends up costing several hundred dollars and hours of time and in the end, all the conclusions are "it isn't as good". If you want a good e-kit conversion it does require an investment and if you play all the time it is worth it. For someone who plays a lot, this is a great piece of equipment. It is confidence inspiring. I tried a really good mesh head and trigger. It cost half of this and in a few months it was gone. Wish I had bought this first. Thanks for the review and the update. Always good stuff.

[@1977eliasfigueroa]

I'm more impressed with your single foot triplets on the kick drum!!! 😁 Great Informational Vid as always Justin!!!

[@reubenk7331]

Really cool to see the real world usage and durability of this unit.

[@DeathswingKettlebell]

Great update video, Justin. Definitely been thinking of buying this. My UFO trigger bridge isn't so bad though. Its held up after a good 2 years so far. Still feels the same. Never had to adjust anything at all since then.

[@jamesarmenti8876]

Love the ufo bass trigger. It gets beat on by multiple drummers and still triggers great. I have the entire a2e kit. Rock solid!

[@geirsellevoll1390]

I installed a kd-9 inside a 20 inch kick drum and put a drumtec meshead over....works good and looks good :). Nice review!!

[@jeremypaul7]

I can't believe literally no one is talking about how satisfying Nice tutorials voice softs.

[@charliesdrumshed9328]

I’ve had mine for at least a year I think it’s absolutely perfect

[@fVNzO]

On my KD-200 there are no clips and it's all just integrated into the hoop clamps. So they definitely improved on that design for the new kits.

[@dr.shinephd]

Im loving my DIY kick. 3D printed mounts and Cnc machined aluminum cover.

[@johndef5075]

Im getting great results using a Roland rt10k on top of my 20" bass drum conversion. Silentstroke head with 2 pillows inside and a ported front head. Evans eq patch. Ive tried all the Rolands up to the kd140 and mine feels better to me. And very quiet. About the same as my mesh toms.

[@kenkamman7536]

love mine…have been punishing it for 2 years with a double pedal and it works amazingly well. it’s a sure fire option that is fool proof!

[@brad_neal]

UFU for three years and no regrets - it’s consistently good. And I have beat the sh*t out of this thing!

[@Isaacvorobyov]

Man I love your videos

[@Dadedrums]

Great review and update!

[@mtrow23]

Great update Justin, thanks for the info. I'm actually in the process of converting a KD-A22 to fit a 20" bass drum head by removing the sensor assembly from the 22" head and putting it into a 20" head. I was going to build a 20" version of the batter board, but now I am questioning if that is even needed. Does the batter board serve any functional purpose other than a solid surface to hold the 1/4" jack connection assembly? I'm thinking I can just mount that into my bass drum shell and do away with the batter board.

[@Rythyms]

If you have mechanical/technical skills that is the way to go. Mount the connector into the shell so it's more rigid and solid.

[@RobDuggan]

Ok wow..... Something here in stock in Australia that is actually far cheaper to buy than in the US.... those replacement cushions (genuine Roland) are half that price in AUD, which is even cheaper in USD.... interesting. I have been using my own DIY version for the last few years, I made it out of a KD-10 and modified the sensor housing so it was just like the KDA22. And apart from the foam going soft, it's still good, but I did last week bite the bullet and actually buy a KDA22, mainly as I wanted the Logo front head and a better pedal placement using the supplied hoop. But I have also have recently started using my old "tennis ball" foam beaters again on the kick to help alleviate some of the wear. All I needed to do was up the sensitivity a few points and good to go.... added bonus is it is a LOT quieter too.

[@netsurfr1]

Thanks for the video. Are you still happy with this? Seems like having to replace that mesh & foam head every few years is a bit of a weak design?

[@biekanez1]

Great review Justin😎👍

[@grumpy-g5s]

i cut a hole in the front head and fitted a kick port ,besides confusing every one who looks at it , the feel is very acoustic i feel like i am playing my acoustic kick

[@EthanRMus]

🙏 Always super helpful

[@seanwalsh999]

Excellent information, if I was going for the acoustic look I would go with KDA22, but I am strictly mesh pad, due to space limitations so the Roland KD 10 has served me well, just make sure you have a decent kick pedal. I had a Mapex but found that my cheaper Donner pedal gave better results.

[@drummindog]

I guess this is a latest tech issue. I still love my KD120. That’s not as current or cool, but still plays nice.

[@ryderbond472]

I was considering a possible "upgrade". After watching this...I still love my KD120 as well.

[@jadonchacon]

Gonna be honest that triple flam thing you can do with the kick still impresses me to this day

[@edrumsense]

ok... this is really a LOOOOOOOOOOONNN TERM review

[@StephanNoens]

Hello Justin, thanks again for this video. I hope you or the other viewers can help me out. I have triggering issues with my kda22... When playing my gigs, i have about 2 kicks per song that don't trigger. That's really annoying... I checked the hardware and the settings in my td50, but for now nothing works. I have another kda22 and i have the same issue with this head as well, which makes me think it's more a module-problem...?

[@crazyclownstudioaudio3122]

great video !

[@bigsquatchsasfoot1964]

I really appreciate the review and time you put into this Justin thanks ? I can’t believe how expensive it is ! Good or bad it’s a savage amount of money for not much …and I don’t really see any difference from playing a pad you are still playing a pad , the only difference is the shell size which is insignificant really because it’s cosmetic ! But on the other hand I suppose we all buy stuff with our eyes because we think it looks nice so I get it 🤣

[@bongo042]

Just opened my brand new KD-A22, the manual sucks as do all Roland manuals, the youtube videos the manuals refer to are wrong, once you find it there is no audio and like Justin experienced that foam cushion for the striking surface is a joke and was made that poorly on purpose, so roland can sell replacement parts. I own at least 10K worth of Roland stuff, this could be the last dime they'll ever get from me. As always great vid Justin>>>>

[@foreverunsaved6661]

I wouldnt take a Roland set if it was free..Electronic drums, and especially triggered drums (In my opinion) are for guys that want to play fast, but are too lazy too put in the hard work to do it naturally. If you have ever watched The attitude era WWE wrestling, and you know who the Rock is - you should have a pretty good idea of what I tell people they can do with Roland Drums.

[@dr.shinephd]

Hello Justin, Whats worth having for roland module upgrades? Sound pack from Drumtec/vexpressions? Or EzDrummer 3/superior Drummer?

[@demonocusmetalocus3558]

Main reason i never went with this kick is because the play area is too small. I use trick dominator pedals and the left beater sits off center so it would not hit the play area on this kick, same with my old axis pedals.

[@987654bc]

Have you checked into on trigger. If so what do you think about them.

[@philippjanisch5147]

Whats the most realistic e Bass Drum in your opinion @65Drums?

[@lukaskbrown]

I once converted a 16" floor tom into a BD trigger using a mesh head and a trigger mounted on the rim. Being a hard hitter, I quickly found that the beater made a considerable indentation on the mesh head. I tried adding a sticker patch to the striking area (Remo or Evans, i don't remember) but the pad wouldn't stick properly to the mesh head. Now I want to convert a 22" bass drum. Does anyone know another way to reinforce a mesh head to be able to withstand a heavy beating long term? I would have gone for the KD-A22 but they are hard to come by these days and I don't trust Roland to have spare parts available if I ever need them in the future. BTW a KD-220 is out of the question - the price is insane and I am not paying that kind of money even if I can afford it.

[@fVNzO]

I believe drum tec sell new foam for the trigger, to basically make it feel like new again.

[@apollostudiolondon8071]

I just got this used on eBay. Bought it to get the most realistic feel compared to an acoustic kick then I heard you say it’s doesn’t feel realistic 🤦‍♂️ What is the most realistic Ekit kick head setup? Thanks

[@richardowennn]

Can you try the Lemon T950 Drums. It looks really good with acoustic looks for under $1000 on Alibaba.

[@Procyon58]

What about the noise? You compared mesh head plus a trigger to this one over the price. Which solution would be more quiet?

[@markratnam9607]

Is it necessary to paste a kick patch on the head of the KDA22? Especially for a double pedal.

[@mickwade9499]

So, a "no-risk", lower-cost solution that works just as well as the KDA-22? Roland Powerply mesh head with a Roland RT-30K trigger. Have a good day.

[@davidspurlock1111]

i WOULD LIKE TO SEE A 24" VARIANT

[@sharkuel]

Ah yes, good ol'Roland, selling a bass drum head with a circular cut out, a piece of foam and a piezo wired to a TS jack for 400€.

[@jamesarmenti8876]

As is tradition🤣

[@PanicMachine423]

😂😂😂

[@360.Tapestry]

@@jamesarmenti8876 yup. and the thing with tradition is... people continue to participate

[@patrickgrant9502]

Give me the Pearl Tru Trac bass drum trigger/pad over this any day.

[@gpaull2]

I slowed down the video and still don’t see how you are doing the double beat. Are you doing the first hit with your heal and the second one with the ball of your foot?!?! Damn it’s fast. Thanks for your videos. I don’t play the drums (yet)…just dreaming that I do! 😜

[@Bassquake76]

Wondering that too. Maybe he's using a drum trigger or something 🤔

[@65Drums]

I learned how to do that fast double when I was a teenager, it's like the one kick drum trick I know. It's mostly heel down, just playing two beats quick

[@Bassquake76]

@@65Drums Cool. Does it require a longer footpedal as I dont see it working with one I have. Heel rests on hard flat back part.

[@jamesarmenti8876]

@@Bassquake76 you don't need a long pedal. Heel toe technique doesn't actually mean having to use your heel. Its more using your leg downward motion to hit the pedal once and flicking your foot forward using ”your toe” for the 2nd hit. Most times it looks like the ball of your foot is doing it all.

[@richo8767]

I bought the KD200MS and have had nothing but problems with triggers getting cancelled out by the TD-50 during simultaneous hits. I tried every setting adjustment in the book and have had no luck. It even started cancelling out the snare drum when played simultaneous with the kick. Roland had no answers for me other than to send it in, which I can already assume will result in them finding nothing wrong with it. I switched back to my KD120 and have not had a single problem. I have thought about a mesh head and trigger system how long before the beater burns through the mesh head?

[@johndef5075]

Use a patch. Way cheaper than replacing mesh heads.

[@TheUnderground56]

I think it's a lot of work to put together. When you can buy a easier way to make your kit sound amazing with 2 pieces and it sounds great.

[@mauriceming3445]

How much for your drum set

[@RC-gf8cs]

Like ur videos .but please ...drum amps n speakers if u can review .i like 2 upgrade..hav mdr50 2 sat speakers..thku

[@Tom-sd2vi]

The KDA22 conversion kit is great but the mounting clamps look to terrible. Roland should find a better solution for that.

[@Goalie135]

Is the Roland TD11KV still available?

[@MM-ig1iv]

google it.. or look on ebay. yes!

[@Goalie135]

Thanks

[@nttad990]

Just use a mesh head and a pedaltrigger! I'ts a about 200€ with the best mesh head you can get and also the most realistic feel and most quiet sound at the same time...

[@Yakuo]

☮🙏💙

[@360.Tapestry]

i've decided to go out of my way to not give any money to roland. i'll buy aftermarket if i really need to

[@MM-ig1iv]

Still $1300 brand new! no thank you.. might as well use a kd-9 and buy a used TD50! lol the kd-9 is all you need! nothing wrong with it at all.. "that is if your a practice drummer and trying to conserve space and money!, I've got a TD-11 and a TD-25 chained together.. and it's awesome! all mesh pads two 6's , two 8's and 2 10's. a pd125bk 12" snare. pearl dominator double kick pedal. vh-11 hi hat. 7 cybals 2 cy-13 2 cy-12. I've added a few things over time. but basically wasn't happy with the td-11.. so ended up keeping it and getting the td-25.

[@davidspurlock1111]

NOW THEY ARE LIKE $500

[@soundwithoutsoundbutwithso7884]

$50 trigger on an acoustic kick drum with a mesh head. Done.

[@bushidowarrior4917]

How much does the bass drum weigh with all of this stuff on it ???? Extremely impractical for carrying up and down stair cases etc at venues… No Thanks, I’d rather simply use a small acoustic kit …

[@nickfowler8031]

that head is a little loud too me

[@purevanillacookie9977]

Early

[@ianmclean5541]

Viciously overpriced

[@philliph2118]

Just play real drums, problem solved

[@65Drums]

So brave

[@stephenhughes5156]

For many of us that just isn't an option unfortunately.

[@johndef5075]

​@@65Drums some people will never get it. And they will miss out on all the fun😅