Logitech PS3/PS2 Wireless Drum Controller

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The first set I got had a lot of trouble with double hits on the cymbals and the occasional cross talk, but I got a replacement shipped to me from Logitech and after playing for a couple of weeks it shows no signs of developing the same problem. Since my set now works well, I've changed my rating from 2 stars to 4 stars.

Pros:

Easy initial setup, takes about 15 minutes.

Adjustable.

Doesn't take up a huge amount of space and can be folded.

Full 5 note lanes in Guitar Hero.

Pads seem pretty durable.

Wireless.

Cons:

Cymbals don't have any vibration dampers like felt, it is hard plastic resting on hard plastic. I've verified using the music studio that I occasionally get double hits and even cross talk (hit the yellow cymbal and the orange goes off as well).

Cymbals have a fixed set of angles, which simplifies setup but limits adjustability.

Louder than Ion Drum Rocker, probably about the same as Guitar Hero World Tour set.

While it is adjustable the compact size limits pad placement. There is only about a extra inch of space between the pads for them to moved side to side. The cymbals have to be in the center, there is not enough space on the bar to move even one cymbal outside the drum pads.

The connecting wires are thinner than I would like, probably not a problem for the pads and cymbals, but might be for the foot pedal, which can easily be dragged when moving the drums.

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Okay. I've been waiting a few days to write this review. When I first played these drums, the first thought that crossed my mind within 10 mins was I think I will need to return them / sell them on eBay. Let me explain why : A MAJOR consideration for me (and for many prospective customers esp apt dwellers) will be the noise factor. I agree with a lot of things buruburu commented on (he gave it a 4.5). They were exactly the points I wanted to comment on too. So let me get down to it.

Just so that you're clear, I do like the set. I would not have bought it otherwise. However, it has some issues I think people need to be aware of.

Positives :

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+ Very good build quality of the base / stand

+ Very good quality of Rubber material on the drum heads are not really quiet prob close to the stock GH here

+ Cymbals look like they can take a beating. Caps wont fly off like the GH set

+ Cymbal height can be adjusted and so can the pads (both swivel).

Negatives :

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Overpriced

Compared to the official Guitar Hero official kit, this kit is NOT quiet. In fact, I think its not even quieter

than my RB1 kit (with rubber Pelican silencers).

The pads are not AS SOFT as the silicone on the GH kit. Its the sound

you'll get striking a plastic-rubber composite.

The cymbals are very rigid. They do not flex at all like the GH kit. These are noisy too.

The cymbals are really very difficult to remove. You have to shake them and twist or use pliers.

The worst part of this kit IMO is the pedal. Can get noisy as hell.

The pedal needs a little elaboration. Yes it does come reinforced. However, it works using a piezo sensor. It has to be struck all the way down to register. Doing that makes the 2 contact points strike the surface and that's where the pedal noise comes in. The spring below has a +/tensioner. Its difference was not very significant to me. In fact, I found that it became tougher to register notes at times. Now my issue with this is again noise. It's not like I'm slamming it. But you have to hit the bottom to register the note. People below you will feel you're hitting the floor with a rubber mallet/stomping on it, depending on the intensity of the bass notes coming up. I even put a thick rubber mat below the pedal to no avail. This is esp true if you play on Expert like I do. I tried to put some damping just where the 2 contact points of the pedal strike the lower surface. This cheap mod works with RB pedals since they work on a different principle with the bass pedal they just have an on/off switch go past that and it registers the hit. With the stock RB pedal, putting cushioning near those 2 contact points does not affect it. With this pedal, it stops registering the pedal notes altogether when this is done. I put 2 small foam inserts approx 1/3rd of an inch thick and while it reduced the noise a lot, the notes would not register. The pedal also moves on the floor as it cannot be fixed to the stand like the RB set.

I have purchased an Omega Twin rocker adapter primarily to use my Rockband Rock pedal (drum pedal used in actual drumsets Rock Band Drum Pedal Rock Pedal PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, Rock Band 1 & 2, ION Drum Rocker) to fix this. That ADAPTER has cost me the same amt as the rebate I got back from Amazon. Yes it will allow dual bass pedals. However, my reason to get it was just to use a RB pedal and mitigate noise. With the Rockpedal, the set is now really every enjoyable.

I came back to update my post and confirm that the Twin Rocker RB-GH pedal adapter worked FLAWLESSLY with this kit. It was a real pleasure "compared" to the Logitech pedal. Well in all fairness, the Logitech pedal is better built than the GH plastic pedal. The logitech pedal prob performs just as bad IMO, and that is by design I suppose. I am not trying to compare RB v/s GH be clear on that. Its just that the GH pedal sucks sorry. Oh yeah the dual pedal works flawlessly too. I held either of the pedals down and the other pedal would register. I will say this. Not sure if holding the Rockpedal down completely closed the circuit. But I hit both rapidly and it worked that way too without incident. Using the 2 at the ame time the Logitech GH pedal squeaked and pattered while the noiseless Rockpedal was a dream.

The pads are very close to each other like the RB & GH sets. So though you can adjust them, you can only move the pads fwd/backward but not sideways to create some distance between the pads. The pad rods when fitted are all in the 6 oClock position. The rods cannot be swiveled/have their angle changed away from 6 o'Clock. You can swivel the pads fixed to the rods to either side ie. east-west. However, this brings them close to each other. Which is a good thing in a way for inexperienced drummers. Just letting you know that you cant move it like the Ion seems to do. The cymbals rod supports also only move up/down and the cymbal pads can be swiveled sideways. A nice thing is the ability to lower the toms. This is where it differs from the standard kit. A real drum set has the tom lowered a bit. This also prevents hitting the rim, though they recessed them.

The drum sticks are not strong and seem like they will splinter. While the set does not have a stick holder, you can place the sticks on either 2 of the 3 rods that hold the 3 pads. Works well for me.

Contrary to the other Logitech claim, it's not that easy to fold the set. Unless you are going to do this very infrequently. There is a hand tightened bolt for each pad. Loosening it allows you to collapse the drums. However, since its the same bolt that clamps it to the base as well as to the hole, the pad rod can slide out. So its not like the ease of a folding futon or things like that. These 2 points have nothing to do with my rating. I'm just mentioning them as an FYI. I also wish the drum brain was positioned more forward so you would not have to stretch out to reach them. Not enough to matter again.

This set does play Rockband 2 without any issues. I tried it briefly and it worked fine no beats missed. One should calibrate the game before testing it if they sense a problem. Of course the orange pad is not used then. Also, I think it will work with Rockband 1 if you import those songs into RB2 (Harmonix charges you for this). Another comment by deafdani to one of the reviews here in response to my idea confirmed it does work. The PS3 controller will not work on a 360 and vice-versa.

In terms of the fun factor, its no different than the regular GH standard kit which you can get at Amazon for 1/2 the price of this set with a game to boot. You should buy this set if you are willing to pay for better quality and reliability that has yet to be proven (with THIS product). Yes Logitech does make good products.

Other than the caveats I mentioned above, yes the set is great fun to play. Its not fun to play at all if you are conscious about the noise. If noise is not a concern for you, you find the pedal acceptable and the price acceptable (it should not be more than max IMO), then its a good buy.

XPOS 360 owners Sorry you have to wait. It really is a great drumset and the feel is way better than playing the RB setup. I have both Xbox versions and get the RROD on both.. I got the RROD on the 360 and decided I would not buy the Xbox version of this drumset. If you have a choice, you might want to think for which controller you want to buy this for. I like both consoles. I just dont trust my 360 that just came back today from repair.

I recommend it with the above reservations. Oh, and I apologize for the really loooong review :-)

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program These drums are very nice and solid, but $230 for a peripheral that cost almost as much as the console itself is REALLY tough to justify. I had no problems with miss-hits and I was able to play Rock Band 2 and after a little adjustment to the placement of the 4th drum it was very nice. The drums don't break down for storage as easily as I hoped, it still take a good 5 mins to setup and tear down when you're done. They do fold up into a relatively small package but it's a lot of tightening and loosening of clamps and rotating to get it ready for storage. I was lucky enough to get both a Xbox 360 and PS3 "brain" for my drum set. The small controller portion of the drumset is really the only thing that is different between the various console versions. It's a shame that Logitech doesn't sell these publicly for those of use that have multiple consoles. In the end I prefer using it on the Xbox360 due to the lack of a USB receiver dongle. The dongle for the PS3 is just lame. I have the PS3 slim and it only has 2 front USB ports and I don't want to have this dongle hanging out the front. They should have made the PS3 brain use bluetooth and abandoned support for the PS2. The Xbox version is 100% wireless like you would expect. As others have mentioned this does not work with Rock Band 1, but at these point most fans have probably moved to Rock Band 2 and imported their tracks from 1. Overall I really enjoy these drums, but at the price they are asking you'd better REALLY love playing drums on your console to make that investment.

Pros:

Solid construction, lots of metal

Responsive and precise

Quiet to play (well unless your go Animal on them)

Relatively small package to store away

Cons:

Crazy $$$

USB dongle on the PS3 version is ridiculous.

Still tedious to setup and store.

Box and packaging is wasteful, many trees died

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Without a doubt, the Logitech drum controller is a high quality piece of hardware. Supported by a sturdy aluminum frame, this kit is designed to stand up to drumming abuse and survive many rounds of gameplay. The poles supporting the drums and cymbals are also made of metal, and the hitting surfaces are made of a thick rubbery material. The foot pedal is sturdy, springy, and metal-plated for added durability and easier cleaning. Batteries are included, so everything you need is in the box. Unboxing and setup took about 15 minutes. The instructions are pictures with arrows and no words (for international marketing), though some text might've also been helpful.

The USB dongle for connecting to the PS2/PS3 is very small (about the size of a thumb). Controls are responsive, with no lag, although you'll get best results by hitting each drum or cymbal in the middle. I tested playing a guitar with Guitar Hero World Tour at the same time and there was no issue at all with lag or interference from the dongles right next to each other.

One potentially big issue is the noise from the drums. "Silent" and "barely makes a sound" are not accurate. The controller will make a lot of noise when you beat on them, making a dull thumping sound. They were easily audible from the room directly upstairs from where I was playing. You may wish to buy some Drum Silencers or avoid playing late at night to avoid disturbing family members or neighbors. Logitech claims a "lively feel" to the drum heads, but it does not feel springy like hitting a real drum, although the feel is better than Rock Band's drums when I played on my friend's XBOX 360.

Another problem I discovered is with the twist tops of the cymbals. They are screw caps and aligning them into the groove is sometimes a challenge. I discovered that after playing a few songs, the beating caused the caps to get wedged very tightly, becoming impossible to untwist by hand. I had to use a pair of pliers to twist them loose again. To avoid this problem, I suggest twisting them only 85% of the way in.

Lastly are the twist knobs that secure the cymbals and drums. They have to be loosened to pivot the drums up or down, then tightened again to lock them in place. This is a cumbersome design as each knob requires several full revolutions before being able to adjust angles. Folding and unfolding will take a minute or two from all the twisting, not seconds as Logitech claims. Then you can fold the legs in and slide the controller under your bed.

All in all, a very good and solid peripheral, although the specialized nature of it (being compatible with only a few games) and the high price may scare away many gamers. If you have a lot of friends over often and will get a lot of use out of this controller, then this is a fun peripheral to add to your experience.

UPDATE: 10/26/2009: After further use of this product, I am downgrading the rating. It is VERY LOUD and can be quite grating on the nerves. A friend was playing this as I tried to write another Amazon review. The thumping was quite distracting and I was worried about disturbing people in other parts of the house.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program These drums work very well, although at this price level, it's not unreasonable to expect perfection. There are a couple of things that could have been better.

First, the good points. The whole thing is very sturdy, especially the foot pedal, which is heavy and solid. I haven't noticed any missed notes. Also, once the pads are tightened properly, they don't move. The angle of each pad is adjustable with no form of tightening, but they remained firm during play. They stayed in place even through game sessions lasting over 3 hours. The D-pad and controller buttons on the transmitter were a nice useful touch. I had a lot of fun playing these.

There are a few things that could have been better. The most important is the set's very limited adjustability -it's not wide enough to move the pads much at all. You can't slide them more than a centimeter or so apart from each other. There's a little more play in the cymbals, but still not a lot, and you can forget trying to mount them outside the pads. (You can see what I mean by looking at the photos.) Also, while the leg height is adjustable, it doesn't go very high. I am exactly 6 feet tall and at maximum height, the pads were just high enough to be comfortable. If you're much taller than that, you might want to try before you buy. (For what it's worth, I don't know whether the other available drum kits can be raised any higher than this one.)

The other negatives don't really affect play. First, folding and unfolding the set is NOT a job measured in "seconds." It'll take a few minutes, and to really make it "flat" you'll need to remove the cymbals entirely. Not a huge issue, but the manufacturer's claim is misleading. On a related note, the rotating legs have no lock -they just swing freely. I didn't experience any shifting during play, but if someone were to bump into the side of the set, it could very easily fall over. Just something to be careful of, especially if you have small children running around. Another annoyance is the USB dongle -for this kind of money, why no bluetooth? (I've heard that the bluetooth system is simply not capable of the exact timing required for music games, but I can't say for sure. If true, then that's certainly a reasonable excuse.) As for the wires that connect the pads and pedal to the transmitter, they are plenty long enough, but they're also extremely thin. I'm a little afraid that it I were to pick up the set without remembering to also pick up the pedal, the weight of the pedal could damage its wire. Something else to watch out for if little kids are in the house.

One more thing to bear in mind is that while the pads don't make a ton of noise, they aren't exactly quiet. You'll want to turn up the game volume fairly high to drown them out. I was able to play them without waking sleeping people in another room, but if you live in a very small place or if you have downstairs neighbors, you may be limited in terms of when you can play.

Overall, the good definitely outweighs the bad and I recommend this set if it fits your budget. I'll finish by commenting on its compatibility with the games that I tried:

* Guitar Hero 5 -Worked perfectly

* Rock Band 2 -Worked perfectly

* Rock Revolution -Worked perfectly, with the game options set to 5-pad mode instead of 7-pad mode

* Rock Band 1 -Did not work -was recognized as a microphone by the game (for $5 you can download the songs to Rock Band 2, which I expect would make them playable)

* Rock Band AC/DC Track Pack -Did not work -was recognized as a microphone, as with RB1 (you can download the songs into RB1 or RB2 for free, and I expect that the songs would work in RB2)