Yamaha Announces New DTX Series E-Drums

Drummer’s Review

Yamaha has announced today three brand new e-drum kits with great feel, great sounds, and new control features with the introduction of the DTX6 Series.

The new DTX6 series continues this tradition with incredibly powerful new features and new sounds. Yamaha has years of experience developing high-end musical instruments and professional audio equipment, as well as producing some of the best acoustic drum kits to be found on stages and in studios all around the globe. Harnessing additional know-how from the fields of studio monitoring and professional mixing consoles, the new DTX6 series models feature brand new high-resolution drum sounds. It also has intuitive sound creation controls, legendary Yamaha effects, and comprehensive connectivity with computers and mobile devices, which make the DTX6 more than just a new e-drum kit.

Lifelike drum sounds for stunning performances

The Yamaha DTX6 series features acoustic drum sounds recorded in some of the world’s top studios – in high resolution and with greater dynamics. Particular attention was focused on accurately capturing the important attack and release phases for each individual drum to achieve a realistic, natural sound. Since acoustic drums will only sound as good as the room they are in, the studio room sounds were also recorded to incorporate them into the sonic architecture. Some of Yamaha’s top artists worked with the audio engineers to ensure the resulting DTX6 audio image would resemble the original acoustic drum kits at all dynamic levels and all playing styles. Apart from the individually adjustable room sound, the natural drum sounds can also be enhanced with high-quality Yamaha effects and are entirely controllable.

Yamaha Kit Modifier – instant sound adjustment

The Kit Modifiers are a perfect example of the intuitive control philosophy that characterises Yamaha devices: the artist’s individual sonic requirements can be quickly realized with just three knobs – easily and without interrupting the creative flow. The Ambience Modifier knob controls the amount of sampled real room sound that is applied to the drum kit sound, but it can also be used to add additional Yamaha digital reverb algorithms. The Comp Modifier adds compression to the whole kit to add ‘sonic glue’ when introduced subtly, or give the kit a more aggressive character when turned up. The Effect Modifier can control the audio sends and returns from the two built-in processors. The user can easily choose which pads are sent to which processors for full control. The Kit Modifiers for the DTX6 make sound adjustments fast and easy. All this is in addition to the Compression, Transient Adjustment, and EQ to be found on every single drum or cymbal channel.

Newly developed pads for realistic playing feel

As a leading manufacturer of acoustic drums, Yamaha has always worked with professional drummers from all over the world to get the DTX pads to feel realistic. The playing surface of the DTX6 snare pad is made from TCS (Textured Cellular Silicone). A silicone cushion underneath the surface contains countless small air pockets to absorb the blow of the stick and create a realistic rebound while going easy on the drummer’s wrists. The special mounting absorbs vibrations, which in conjunction with the air pocket design reduces noise and improves the trigger accuracy.

Ultra-precise expression

The pads for snare and ride as well as the crash pad (except DTX6K-X) are equipped with three zones to enable triggering realistic sound variations depending on where the pad is hit. The snare can be played with three articulations – head, rimshot, or sidestick – while the cymbals offer bell, bow, and edge triggering as well as choke. The ride pad also features positional sensing – reacting to hits in different areas –, faithfully recreating the audio response of a real ride cymbal through elaborate audio processing. With its unique, multi-layered head material, the new KP90 kick pad also guarantees outstandingly authentic response at both quiet and loud levels. With a diameter of 7.5 inches, the pad can easily be played with double pedals and the solid feet with spikes make sure the KP90 stays in place.

Versatile training options and powerful headphone amplifier

Practice makes perfect – especially with the support the new Yamaha DTX6 e-drum kit provides. A programmable metronome, versatile recording possibilities, and ten exercise programs along with more than 35 practice songs from different genres are all included to perfect the artist’s groove. The new sounds and greater dynamics demand absolute clarity so the DTX6 features a new high-quality headphone amplifier to replicate the feeling of playing an acoustic drum kit when using the DTX6 with headphones.

Comprehensive connectivity via USB and Rec’n’Share

For full integration, the Yamaha DTX6 is equipped with MIDI and USB, along with the audio outputs. The USB port can transfer audio data directly to a DAW – Steinberg Cubase AI is included – as well as transmitting the artist’s performance as MIDI data to control other sound modules, plug-ins, or to be edited externally. Audio recordings can also be made directly to a USB drive for convenience. Up to 14 pads can be connected directly, allowing for more sophisticated setups. The free Yamaha Rec’n’Share app makes interacting with the digital world easier than ever: connect the DTX6 via USB to a compatible iOS or Android device and record drum performances as audio or video. Rec’n’Share provides extensive audio editing features such as time-stretching the audio recordings and changing the mix of video recordings. It also affords the option to directly upload videos to social media platforms – all from the comfort of the drum seat.

Maximum flexibility

The newly designed RS6 rack system makes setting up the DTX6 particularly easy and flexible. The left side of the rack is open, allowing for easy positioning of hi-hat stands and double pedals. Wide-ranging adjustments allow for perfecting the setup for optimal performance. The L-shaped rack combines the classic design of acoustic drum sets with the stability required for long-lasting and reliable use.

Prices and availability

The Yamaha DTX6 e-drum kit is available from November 2020.

Model SRP (INC VAT)

DTX6K-XUX £1128.00

DTX6K2-XUK £1692.00

DTX6K3-XUK £1974.00

Check back on the official Yamaha Web Page and Yamaha Drums channels for more info and videos: