Roland DrumLink First Impressions
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- These aren't out yet, but I got a change to try out a Wireless Conversion system for electronic drums called the Roland DrumLink. It uses WT-10 boxes to send the signals of any pad plugged into them, the DH-10 Hub receives the signals and sends that as MIDI to whatever module you connect to it. It's it's a great concept and works with up to 30 pads and a year of battery life. The downside is that Roland digital pads can't connect to it, and you still need cables to plug into the system, just shorter ones. Overall, a very interesting idea.
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Hey Justin, I'm very chuffed you've included me playing in this video! It was great to finally meet you in person after so many years of just being aware of each other in the virtual world. As you know, I'm a Mimic, Drum-Tec and ATV guy. I thought this DWe kit was awesome and it certainly played beautifully. There was no discernible latency even when playing super fast chops, the pads felt great under the stick, the sounds were very good and obviously the kit looks absolutely stunning. It all felt very natural to me. I think the wireless technology is a great step forward and Roland should be applauded for continuing to push the boundaries. Anyway, it's wild that you included me in your video, Justin - thank you!
I subscribe to you @jouxplan - love your drumming and the kits you have! You inspired me to buy a Pearl Mimic Pro :)
It was great meeting you too Alex! Drum-Tec is still one of those companies I haven't played yet. I have triggers and heads from them, but never played one of their full kits, it's on the bucket list. Hope to see you again at one of these events!
@@Acoustic2Electronic Hey, that's awesome to hear, thank you! This is the first time I've logged back in to UA-cam in a couple of years (I even had trouble recovering my account!), and it amazes me that people are still watching and commenting on my videos :) Love that I inspired you to get a Mimic, you are the second person to tell me that in the past week. Brilliant. I've got two of them and I'm still gigging with them all the time. Anyway, thank you much, I am humbled.
@@65Drums I've been using my Drum-Tec Pro Series 1 shells now for 7 years - gigging regularly with them, and they still play perfectly. I love 'em. But I have to say that the high end EF Note, Roland and DWe pads are very, very good too. I've got my eyes on the newer Pro 3 Drum-Tec shells of course - that would be sweet..........!!!! Yes, hope to bump into you again one of these days, my friend 😊
The benefits do not outweigh the cost in my opinion. As a gigging drummer, I have an acoustic to electronic kit using a TD-30 with drum software. I have absolutely zero issues running cables. If I have an issue with a cable, it's a $7 quick, cheap, and easy fix. It's cool technology, but has more cons than pros.
Thanks for leaving an honest review (one with pros AND cons). So many review videos on YT are just the pros, and no deep dive.
Nice job, Justin. It was fun running into you in the Roland room with my friend Alex Warwick - featured in this video at @4:16. This is MisterE.
Hey John it was great meeting you! It was a long way to travel, I hope you enjoyed NAMM as much as I did :)
I think you nailed it at the end. It's for someone who has the DW kit but hates the cymbals. It's also a stopgap. I spoke to a guy at NAMM who said they are working towards wireless built into the cymbals. I think system makes sense for a church kit. It won't get packed up, just maybe moved around the stage, and slightly rearranged for different drummers. Sadly, it's too expensive for most churches, and many church drummers hate edrums.
Another use case for this is if you're predominantly a support act and need to be able to quickly clear the stage this will be a lot quicker to move backstage without having to unplug everything
It could also make things easier if all the other instruments are wireless to keep all the receivers in one rack and then you don't need to worry about running cables (audio or power) to where you have your drums setup
This is the one and only reason I’m genuinely considering this or some DWe stuff. It would be amazing to be able to throw a pad or two into a backline kit with out having to route wires
Awesome vid Justin. When the DWe kit came out it had my brain going on ideas. I actually tested out the theory of using a guitar transmitter for wireless drums and it worked good.
Getting that kinda latency wireless is pretty amazing! Price is reasonable and only getting gonna get lower. Nice job Roland!
\It was a pleasure to meet you and talk at Namm man.
Hey Greg! Dude it was great meeting you, I seriously could have talked to you all day. You do so many interesting things, really inspiring on what's possible out there. Have a good one!
@ Thanks man, you are too kind! Would be good to chat again some time 😁
would love to get a sneak peak at roland's strategy blueprint to establish where they're heading with this concept. on the surface it seems like a product nobody was screaming for.
I knew you'd come up with the goods for these, there is so little information out there. Thanks muchly!
One VERY important use case you forgot to mention -- the receiver converts the hits to MIDI, meaning for any artist who plays live into a laptop / VSTi, they can completely skip having a module entirely. Considering what a TD-50 costs these days, you could MAKE a ton of money by switching to the wireless approach and selling the module. This is what's most interesting to me about these, just have the laptop in a rack off to stage right and the receiver permanently installed in there with the MIDI out going into your interface.
Yes!!! THIS!!!! As a producer I dont like the Roland samples. I have sounds and vsti’s I prefer. Previously I needed to get a TD to then convert to midi. Being wireless, I can send midi from drum room to studio without cables and I can use my preferred sounds…. without buying a TD. Saves me money and hassle.
I’d like to see this suggestion explored!
Yes, thinking the same. Only sad part is loosing the digital pads... I guess EfNote would be the best replacements for hats and ride?
Another great video from 65 drums, the edrum video go to guy.
Thanks for the thoughtful analysis. As an owner of a Roland TD-30KV, I was at first really excited about this innovation because I really hate cables and routing them and plugging them in and the look of them. But then as I watched your video and thought this through, I am not sure that converting my kit would buy me that much. At least not enough to justify the cost and justify dealing with more hardware (the WT-10 boxes and hub). I'll wait for Roland to offer a wireless kit that was designed from scratch with pre-integrated wireless electronics.
They need to somehow incorporate the wireless tech INSIDE the drums and cymbals (new drum kit) which would alleviate the cords and possible travel damage altogether.
This is so intriguing to me. Such a cool option. It’ll be great to see how the technology advances.
That conclusion - the tech nerd vs. practicality is exactly my feelings. It's an immensely cool idea but with very limited practical use.
Also I think the reason they couldn't make it much smaller is the tech inside is more complex than those simple guitar transmitters. Those actually mostly work in 2.4GHz range (same as your Wifi and microwave) and are thus very prone to interference. When you want a low latency, reliable digital wireless transmission, you need a bit more circuitry than just an antenna.
Cool tech. The sounds of that DW kit are really nice, and some of the playing was 👌
This is one of those cases where the technology is cool, but in practice I’m not sure how practical they are going to be. The thing is you need a cable to connect into the transmitter and another into the computer / module. It would be ideal if you could plug directly into the transmitter without the need of a 1 or 2ft cable. Also if you hard wire it you wouldn’t have to worry about your drums’ batteries dying mid-set.
Great news. I run SD3 to utilize my Roland cymbals along with DWe drums. Unfortunate to lose digital cymbals/snare, but now I can use either software exclusively with quiet cymbals.
This a weird problem to solve albeit, as you said, niche in terms of who the actual audience is on it. Always good to have options.
"Neat" is an accurate description. Doesn't seem useful for a full kit but if you are playing hybrid and have for example a pad for a side 808 snare and a kick trigger. WAY easier to plug into that clip on wireless pack and then give the receiver to your keyboard player or front of house person and MIDI trigger whatever samples you need song by song.
For a full kit feel like a low-tech solution like hollow boom arms and a hollow drum rack would be cleaner cable management than swapping the 2' cable from my left crash to my module with a 1' cable to a clip on wireless pack and then either buying another pack or running the cable from the next cymbal down and across and back up again.
All of these companies make and sell their own hardware with their ekits but none of them have gone after the easy wins of running cables inside the cymbal arms and/or drilling holes in the rack bars so you can run internal cables like a carbon road bike.
Thanks for the impressions!
Meh... Wires from the pads to the TX, wires from the RX to the module. You might just as well keep the current wiring from the pads to the module. They just released the V71 module! Why didn't they integrate a wireless receiver on it and released it along with a line of pads and cymbals with integrated transmitters? Would've made much more sense!
The DWe BT adapter works great with the TD71, but you have to sacrifice one USB port, which is fine since DW snare works flawlessly.
These adapters not having capability yet for the Roland digital pads, however, is a deal breaker for me: if you are going to have cables at all, then the whole idea seems a waste in my book.
I would think that they’ll get there soon.
They still need to improve the DWe cymbals as well, so I imagine the future is not yet written.
I could see this being somewhat useful in something like a church setting where the drums are frequently moved but not exactly taken down, but I'm not convinced it's a big enough benefit to justify the cost.
You can use these to trigger a VST without a roland module, kinda like an edrumin
The problem is that is not worth it.
Cool review Justin!! I think like you said if it would of been like the adapter for guitars they would be better. Maybe someday!!
Hey Justin, I’ve been waiting to see if you went to NAMM ?
Anywho…
This product I feel the same as you do.
My drums don’t move,so I don’t care that much if I see wires, but it’s cool to see a new product.
Yeah, they seem bigger than they should be, like the guitar wireless systems you brought up.
I have 3 different guitar wireless systems from expensive to the cheapest pieces of junk on the market,and they’re all actually really good.
Near zero latency.
I thought of plugging them into my drums to see if they work….lol
I think I definitely will now !!!
I don’t know if it’d be dual zone but I guess I’ll see.
In that case, any of these companies can just slap Edrum on them and there ya go…lol
I think the cheapos I have were around 20 bucks.
I doubt I’d keep them on because you have to charge them, and I’ll imagine that’s where the taller price is going in the new Roland product there.
Great review !!!!!
Hope you went to NAMM and yer working on the video !!!!
Totally waiting for it to pop up on my feed !
Have a great day !!!
:-)
Ps.
I’d never downgrade my digital, snare, hi-hat or ride to have wireless.
I’d rather play with the core wrapped around my NECK then switch those out !!!!!
Hahahahahahahahaha
When the triggers and wireless is built in the drums and cymbals it might be worth it.
me when i saw the video: wow i can make my drumset wireless!
me 3 second later: wait a second, what for? i literally never move them further than to the next room once a year tops.
Very interesting video… the idea of using that to make an electronic kit wireless is awwsome… That idea you talk of using a receiver/transmites of guitar can be possible?? You knew anybody use it? Its viable?.. its a great idea
I agree it’s an interesting development but owning a TD 27 I would save my money an invest in more SDX’s for SD3 or pad upgrades for that kinda of money . The money would be better spent elsewhere but that’s just me.
Looks like a solution looking for a problem. My cables run through my rack so aren’t messy anyway. They are certainly more discrete than those ugly boxes clamped to the stand.
For that sort of money, I would prefer to put it towards an Efnote Pro module and hi hat to use with my existing Roland triggers.
Now we just wait until some open source hero reverse engineers the thing and offers up DIY guides. I could see the future of it be smaller units for cymbals and A2E pads with small diy transmitters inside them, and a edrumin style module replacement device with the reciever built in!
I would just love to have a kit where toms + cymbals are wireless from the get go and you can play them all via a laptop or module and can plug in as many instruments as you want.
that's exactly DWe
I would look into it but I just don’t see point 🤷🏾♂️ I mean you can still make your cables neat with the straps that come with the e kit but I do like the idea 👍🏾
My take away is that the DWe cymbal pads are just way too loud. This fixes the problem I had with DWe vs VAD.
That's a good point
FINALLY! I happened to see something about these the other day and i was like "umm...what are those???"
It would be really cool for them to release a Digital adapter, one meant strictly for the ride/snare/hihat for people who are using a module without digital inputs. For those of us who have spent a lot of time and money into building our kits and want to have the advantage of digital without having to buy a whole new module
4:11 Fun Factiod: There's 1,000 microseconds in a millisecond. That's the only thing I can remember about the metric system 😂.
How about a DWe set with Roland cymbals & hi-hat that incorporates the DWe wireless within those cymbals & hi-hat.
Problem solved & would make the DWe so much more marketable & in-demand. And, bring the price down about $1,500 bucks or so.
that's exactly what you can do now.
I agree this seems like a stop gap. I am thinking more an more edums will be wireless but with that capability built directly into the kit, not as an addon. Still, fail to see this as solving any major problems.
It would be cool if they built the transmitters directly into the stands.
Why not in the cymbals themselves?
Do you see a chance that Roland will come up with an interface for the digital pads, whether it is still wired? I'm using the edrumin with Superior Drummer. It would be great to have the possibility to use the digital pads. I wouldn't buy a Roland module just for the digital pads. It's too expensive if you only use it as a trigger-to-midi interface.
Did you go to NAMM? Got a NAMM montage coming up?
I shot this video at NAMM bro lol. But yes a montage video is also coming, I got sick from the trip so all the videos I've shot are taking longer than expected to get done.
The USB capable version is, I´m pretty sure, already ready. It'll come out next year. This is just to test the waters.
Who knows, could be. But none of the Roland guys I talked to gave any indication of that being in the works
I love my TD 17... hate the cable snake, and would like more outputs. But alas, the wireless needs midi-IN which only comes on TD-27 and above... so it doesn't help me any. And by the time u buy a 27 module and the drumlink, you could just buy a TD 71 and a few cables to get everything available in electronic drums... so the cost wouldn't make sense for me.
im interested to see if this will work with my ancient mapex nfuzd set. Those use a 3.5mm connector to the hub, If possibly getting converts would work with this.
I'm wondering if alesis debuted a new flagship acoustic style kit at NAMM?
I can't see this being much of a sell at least in its current form to the gigging drummer. Thing is as well is that transmitters on guitar make sense because a guitarist moves around a stage. Drums are a static instrument (for the most part, unless you're Tommy Lee). I think if the housing was metal and therefore able to endure life in a hardware case this would be more interesting but yeah there's no way it would survive in its current form. I think you're right though that this is the first step on a road that will eventually lead to wireless cymbals.
I’m up for wireless drumming but this looks so cumbersome and a complete waste of time I’d sooner just plug a few cables in quicker and neater and as for the pricing 😂
but why not just make bluetooth internal triggers ?
but then you would have a power daisy chain between triggers ....so ? a power daisy chain is made of parallel connections, where a MIDI daisy chain requires circuitry.
OR those 9 volt battery compartments, like you find on the back of active guitars, could start showing up in drum shells.
Great video, I feel the exact same way. I was looking at this tech as a solution to not use DWe metal cymbals but still have a wireless kit. That went out the window with the USB support as I wouldn't want to downgrade my VH-14 nor my CY-18 for, lets face it, inferior pads for this particular function just to be wireless. I understand the limitations of USB and why Roland couldn't due it but it left this product sort of half baked as a solution for cymbals setup with a DWe and also for a full wireless solution for a VAD Roland kit so not sure it solves anything at the end of the day....
Can't they just make a specific version of this transmitter that allows to plugin all 3 digital things that runs of regular power (like the drum module does), then you can have those wireless a while still having enough power for it all but then again you do no power at that point so could also just run it off the drum module
Would love to hear your thoughts on the new Yamaha DTX6K5-M, and would you rather get that or the Strata Core?
I plan on making a video on it
I can see the benefit in that the cables will all be short. Therefore, no goddamn spaghetti anymore. But carrying around, setting up, and tearing down 9 little boxes I could see might be annoying also. I bet the use case is exactly what they demo'd: using with DWe.
I'd be interested in finding out if I could plug the hub into my FANTOM synth. I would like record drums directly into my synth workstation without the need for a module. And, if it works with pads and cymbals not Roland (like my ATV kit), I'd buy this in a heartbeat.
I think that’s the idea. You could even use the hub with 5-pin MIDI to get the triggered drums inside your Fantom. It’s the nicest feature, in my opinion, that you can use the hub to trigger samples in a computer such as the DWe and have much better sample libraries at your disposal. And that can be paired with any e-kit, not even restricted to Roland/DW.
Gotta make it for the whole set or it’s not worth it! 
Are you able to connect the receiver to a v71 via midi? I have a v71 and would like to expand my kit with some more triggers ie splash, stacks, possible e bans but, don’t want to lose my digital triggers. So, if you could connect to one of the flagship modules via midi without losing your digital pads, this may be a good solution for those wanting to create a monster kit while using just one module.
You'll still have 14 inputs regardless.
I mean... If I were to use a converted kit with only vsts and instead of buying a module or a edrum midi interface, this would be something I'd consider if my kit wouldn't need more than 5 transmitters.
So, if i'm understanding this right. i could buy just the DWe shell pack and use my old roland cymbals. I would save $2500.00 by NOT buying the DWe metal cymbal pack everyone hates. That's excellent.
I don’t hate them
But if you use this with dwe, you still need a Roland module or will it just link up with the dw one to the laptop
No module needed. It would just seamlessly integrate with your DWe setup
Curious whether a TD-50 with the software upgrade to TD-50X would qualify for USB connection?
Yes indeed
Just rubs the scab I got when they released the V71 before they worked wireless into the flagship kit. I would have gladly waited another year to update my Roland kit just to get some of the new tech from DW. V71 is still limited in inputs which is a big deal to me. Heck, I would have been happy with the digital inputs being usable along with the corresponding analog inputs but it's just a repackaged TD50. Still waiting for a true flagship update.
Can you use it on a different module than roland?
From what they were saying, yes
It is neat and cool tech. Just not 100 on it.
I'm confused. Is the transmiter supposed to connect to the module to send all triggers, or is the transmitter supposed to be connected to each individual pad?
You need a transmitter for every two drums or cymbals (except a ride or hihat). The RECEIVER is what connects to the module.
Transmit -->receive.
@482jpsquared what, here i thought the wireless midi link was between the dumkit and the daw for like superior drummer
Why would anyone want this? And if there isn’t noticeable latency, why do we need wired headphones?
It's not bluetooth. It's a completely different wireless protocol which transmits in microseconds, not milliseconds. Microseconds. That's 1000 times faster than milliseconds. There's no latency, and the transmission is faster than wired MIDI signals. Truly.
@@482jpsquaredsounds great thanks. What protocol is it?
A millionth of a second is impressive
Remember that these are not transmitting audio - only a few bits of data. Wireless headphones need to receive a LOT more data, continuously. With error correction etc., that's quite a lot more communication going on, which means greater latency. And yes, there are wireless headphone technologies out there with much less latency, but Bluetooth is not what you want if you want real-time wireless audio.
To me this only makes sense with the DWe drums and rubber cymbals.
just put transmitters in each drum....that would be truly wireless
Good ? Where is Roland going with this ? Just a hunch, create an Electronic Drum set where you turn on the Module, and each Pad/Cymbal has an on-off button, turn them all on and its all synced to the Module. Yay, Just like we do with a lot of the BT stuff we use. Shouldn't be long before all these bulky electronics gets miniaturized. PS: Didn't realize cabling was such a big issue. I'm quite happy with my cabled electronics. Its not like we're guitar players or singers needing to move around a stage🤪. Jus sayin
Hey Justin! Knew this was coming soon!
So is there no usb out on the receiver to go direct to a computer like the dwe hub? If so, maybe worth it. If not, boo. Just let us buy the dwe tech without the 10 grand drums.
In 2025, why aren't these rechargeable? Also, I agree, a smaller device that connected directly into each pad, thereby getting rid of the cable, would be a much better solution. But wouldn't make Roland as much money. And I think you're right. This is a stop gap. Roland is obviously planning on going fully wireless in the future. Which is very cool. But I'm sure the first decade of fully wireless kits will be VERY expensive. After all, it's Roland. 😂
This feels like the kind of tech that's about 6 - 7 years away from actually reaching its potential. A little too undercooked for now I feel.
I'm not exactly sure why this is necessary other than the organizational thing. I get when guitarist go wireless and allows them to ander on stage but you can't really walk around with your drums.
Why they bought into DW, to get this technology, they obviously highly impressed Roland so they had to have it
i still see wires :)
Big question is, has the battery issues seen on the Dwe been sorted out?
You haven’t to go namm 2025????
1 microsecond =
0.001 millisecond.
jesus christ, i know roland is the only one making wireless drums but those prices are overkill, i thought its gonna be half of that. Probably it will go down in price with time.
The amount of wireless interference this could introduce for equipment that doesn't move doesn't make sense to me. Also, why would you want to have to manage batteries on each of your drums? Playing with musicians that have professional wireless gear, not to mention our IEM system, the amount of headaches that can arise during a show due to a battery dying or congested wireless channels really makes this seem like a bad idea for the drummer. This really feels like a solution looking for a problem. I could be wrong, but we'll have to wait and see
Also, how do you adjust trigger settings such as curve and sensitivity, especially when using the MIDI in mode? If it was transmitting raw trigger values (piezo/switch data) I could see doing that on the module as always, but if it is MIDI, that means it is already processing the triggers.
Wating for the dtx6k5-m review!
Yup. Yamaha is quite underrated. In my honest opinion, apart from appearance and fluffy stuff like wireless the competitors provide, Yamaha is the king as for sound and feel. People usually complain about Yammi's "super expensive pads" but don't complain about paying twice as much for competitor's synth textureless sounds lol.
@@NeCtRiCkS Yeah, I’m dying to try out their 20 year old hihat…
So..... this is why Roland bought DW?
While the idea seems interesting, I feel like it's adding more points of failure for electronic drums..
This product doesn’t make any sense to me. Just use a guitar wireless system that uses auxiliary from edrum module to wherever. 😵💫
I see no real benefit for my using a VAD716. The transparent cables are less bulky than these transmitters.Maybe its made for DWe Users to use Roland Cymbals at their DWe Kit because the original DWe Cymbals suck.
How is this practical? 🤔
Seems kinda pointless, and expensive, honestly…looks like more trouble to set up than a simple cable…
Hey Justin
Someone is using you video is his channel (ua-cam.com/video/GZS3jVKQtG8/v-deo.htmlsi=ipHbXkIDhR-RQs9O)
Hey thanks for the heads up man! I checked it out, and yes he's using a ton of my video. However, because it's for a Spanish speaking audience, it probably makes sense to leave the video up. I don't have a large audience in South America, so maybe it can slightly help spread awareness of the channel in Non-English speaking areas.
This is utterly pointless
Hah first thought I had after the first few minutes in
isn‘t this just more work for more money? 😂
Do you work for free?
waste of money for me. it is probably more suited to those people that would stand in a queue for the latest iphone on release day
Can't really come up with a good reason for this.
Really? AA batteries in 2025 junk
So you can swap them out immediately and not be stuck with a fully-wired ekit that can be kinda wireless for a little bit.
You must have never played a gig with wireless in-ears then. They use disposable batteries too, mostly because you can switch them out if something goes wrong.
Justin Bieber 😂😂😂
Yeahhhh ill wait for v2 or v3 when theyre the size of guitar transmitters. I dont see much sense in spending almost $2k just to replace my cables with shorter cables 🫤