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The entire V-Drums series is immensely versatile, but few are as purpose-built for quiet drumming as the Roland VQD106 pad kit; these pads from the legendary manufacturer's Quiet Design range are ideal for practising in even the most sound-sensitive living spaces. The innovative VQD pads combine classic mesh heads with a honeycomb rubber layer, resulting in a major reduction of their actual impact sound compared to standard electronic drumkits. On top of that, padded rack feet and special isolation plates for the pedals help attenuate the transfer of physical vibrations through the floor. The set here comes without a sound module; it's flexibly compatible with Roland's TD-07, TD-17, TD-27, TD-50X and V71 modules. The VQD106 is also available as a fully-functional drumkit bundled with the TD-07 sound module.
The Roland VQD106 pad kit comprises the same elements as a classic acoustic setup, with a standalone kick pad, a snare, three toms, two cymbals, and a hi-hat with a controller pedal. The drum pads on this compact kit are all 8" in size, with the snare pad offering two zones – head and rim – unlike the tom pads, which are all single-zone. The 12" cymbal pads both feature two playing zones for bow and edge, plus a choke function, though there is no separate bell zone. One standout feature on the VQD pads is that the cymbals, exactly like the drums, have a playable surface made from Roland's proprietary combo of a mesh head and a rubber layer underneath. Finally, the mounts are designed to make sure that the cymbals don't rotate while playing, however hard they are hit.
The Roland VQD106 will hit the sweet spot for any drummer who wants to keep things quiet without having to change too much about the way they play. The set is aimed at everyone from advanced amateurs, who will be blown away by the variety of sounds the set is capable of, to pros looking to set up a high-quality practice option at home, who will love the authentic playing feel. Now, whether the neighbours are bothered by a sticksmith really going to town on a set of electronic pads depends on a number of factors – and even the VQD106 can't promise absolute silence: Stick noise is stick noise, after all. But one thing's for sure: It doesn’t get much quieter than Roland's Quiet Design V-Drums.
Roland was founded in 1972 in Osaka, Japan, and has been designing and building electronic musical instruments ever since. During its successful history, Roland has launched many ground-breaking instruments, from legendary drum machines such as the TR-808 and the TR-909 to synthesizer classics like Jupiter-8, SH-101 and the iconic TB-303. Besides synthesizers, Roland's workstations and electric pianos are also very popular. Equally well-known is Roland’s subsidiary Boss, under whose brand name it designs and sells principally guitar pedals and effects units. Under the Roland Professional A/V label, the company additionally develops and distributes professional equipment for virtually every branch of audio and video production – from home studios through to commercial applications.
The Roland VQD106 pad set is, as already noted, sold here without a dedicated sound module, but it is widely compatible with many of the manufacturer's other modules: Officially supported units include the TD-07, TD-17, TD-27, TD-50X and V71. The TD-07 is perhaps the best match, and is also sold together with the pads as the VQD106 Drumkit; the TD-17, the next step up, is also a good partner. Using the higher-end Roland sound modules with the ultra-quiet VQDs here might mean missing out on some of the things their more advanced digital pads are capable of – especially the premium pad sets from the TD-27 upwards – but it can still be a smart move in certain setups. That's especially true for anyone who already owns one of the compatible sound modules and is interested in a low-noise kit specifically for practicing at home: Then, the VQD106 pad kit is perfect.