Hands (and feet) on with ION's Drum Rocker Rock Band Premium Drum Set

Rock Band 2 might not be out yet, but ION was kind enough to send us the new Drum Rocker Premium Drum Set a couple weeks early. Built like a tank, this thing makes the original Rock Band drum set look like the toy it is -- we're talking aluminum tube construction that apes traditional electronic rack kits, soft trigger surfaces that register velocity, and quarter-inch connections that'll make modding a dream. Of course, all that heft means that set-up took over an hour and it eats up just about twice as much living room space as the original with no easy way to take it down, but if you're a hardcore fake rocker and you don't have the DIY chops to roll your own, this is $300 you're gonna want to spend. A couple more quick impressions after the break, and tons of pictures in the gallery.

Update: Joystiq also got a chance to check this bad boy out, they didn't like it quite as much as we did. Take a peek here.

Gallery: ION Drum Rocker Premium Drum Set Hands on

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• The kick drum pedal is fairly beefy, and while it's not quite some monster DW rig, it's pretty nice for what it is -- it's certainly going to stand up to abuse better than the Harmonix unit. The action is fairly light, but you'll have to get used to it.
• The pads are way nicer than the original kit's, but they still don't feel like drums, more like really nice practice pads. It'll be interesting to see how they work when used with a game that registers pressure-sensitivity.
• The cymbals are just duplicate pads -- you can actually pick which color you want to double. That led to some odd patterns in Rock Band since the game doesn't know about cymbals, but we'd bet that Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero: World Tour have it sorted.
• We definitely had to re-calibrate Rock Band to make this rig playable, so don't expect to be able easily to swap between kits or anything.
• Sadly, it doesn't register as a regular MIDI controller when plugged into a computer -- hackers, get on it!

[waiownsyou @ Aug 25th 2008 1:38PM]

Video games are owning us. We're racing cars in virtually without driving in real life. We're playing music instruments or dancing instead of doing it with other people... what's next? Stealing cars and getting hookers on a video game instead of real life?

DAMN IT.

[Jake Tobak @ Aug 25th 2008 1:54PM]

Some of what you say is true, but I just have to ask... what's up with your first example? Who cares about racing?
/me waits for NASCAR fans
/me ignores NASCAR fans

[computer.dude.28 @ Aug 25th 2008 1:55PM]

I take it you've never played Grand Theft Auto..

[CraigJ @ Aug 25th 2008 2:00PM]

At least driving games have a measure of skill that translates to the real thing. Rock Bank and GH have nothing to do with playing music.

[Matt @ Aug 25th 2008 2:09PM]

I understand racing video games and other simulators, and I even love Rock Band and GH because they cost way less than getting kitted out with real instruments and you can pretend you know how to play. What I don't get is spending almost as much or more than the price of your console to buy a fake instrument that can only be used as a peripheral for one or two games.

[jsn @ Aug 25th 2008 2:14PM]

Matt: The drums can be connected to a drum brain and used as real E-drums, which is what they are.

[El Taco @ Aug 25th 2008 2:25PM]

@Matt

And they don't have stuff like that for racing games?

[CraigJ @ Aug 25th 2008 2:28PM]

Apparent I hurt the feelings of some of you Simon players who think you are musicians.

Don't get me wrong, I've played these games and I enjoy them. Apologies in advance for the damage your self image, being the best drummer on Rock Band does not make you Neil Peart.

[Jevanzz @ Aug 25th 2008 2:45PM]

@ CraigJ

And being the best at GT5:P does not make you the next Michael Schumacher.

[Mike @ Aug 25th 2008 2:58PM]

Video games are all about immersion and fantasy, man. It's always been this way, it's just that now we have the technology to take it a step further. The possibilities now and in the future are exciting!

[CraigJ @ Aug 25th 2008 4:16PM]

Of course not. The point is that in driving game you are, generally, simulating driving (and killing the occasional hooker).

[jsn @ Aug 25th 2008 4:55PM]

what's your point craigj? If you play the drums in the game, you're gaining REAL drumming skills. Don't be such a bitter little twat.

[CraigJ @ Aug 25th 2008 5:19PM]

Real drumming skills... right.

[Matt @ Aug 25th 2008 10:38PM]

They have stuff like that for racing games, sure, but it's cost effective compared to getting in a car and hurtling around a track at 200 miles an hour. I don't see the draw of laying down 300 bills on a mediocre e-drum set to play Rock Band, which is what this is marketed as.

[Waffle Slayer @ Aug 28th 2008 3:13AM]

@computer.dude.28: I take it you've never played Sarcasm.

[Nicknin10do @ Aug 25th 2008 1:39PM]

I lold at the "EMPTY BOX A"

[OneLove @ Aug 25th 2008 1:42PM]

out of control

[Michael Scrip @ Aug 25th 2008 1:44PM]

Are these drums also a standalone drum set? Or are they just for the game?

[TVGenius @ Aug 25th 2008 1:55PM]

You buy a 'brain' that handles that part. Another $360.

https://www.drumrocker.com/preorder/index.php

[Ryan Trevisol @ Aug 25th 2008 1:56PM]

Ostensibly they are only for the game, but I'm guessing they could easily be hooked up to the "brain" of a "real" electronic drum set. They look pretty high quality. It might be a cheap alternative to more expensive roland set or something.

[thesimplicity @ Aug 25th 2008 1:59PM]

The brain is $360? That's ridiculous since (according to Game Informer) this thing only has three different levels of velocity. They should just make a cheap MIDI-In box so you can use any electronic kit with it.

[jsn @ Aug 25th 2008 2:23PM]

You can get a midi converter to connect it to a pc for about $100 and then use a variety of midi drum synths to become your "brain" for about $80.

The kit has more than three velocity levels, rock band 2 only registers three.

This kit is basically a Simmons SD5 and several other kits (medali makes them) with a custom box made to interface it with the console. you can find plenty of videos of the kit in action. It's a solid, entry level e-drum kit. You're paying a premium for the box that lets you use it in the game.

[Andrew @ Aug 25th 2008 2:48PM]

the kit works with any e-drum brain out there. you can find some cheapo one for as low as 150 but those brains of course only have basic sounds.

[Jesse S @ Aug 25th 2008 1:45PM]

Those speakers look depressingly crappy.

[darley @ Aug 25th 2008 1:46PM]

I thought this would be usable with the GH:WT game as well. Correct?

Also, any word on if they will have these in store for purchase or is it online only?

[Adamwho @ Aug 25th 2008 1:48PM]

Why pretend when you are more than half way to the real thing?

[ZT @ Aug 25th 2008 3:11PM]

I agree. Just get some real drums! Start a band with some real people! Get real chicks!

[Goatee Man @ Aug 25th 2008 11:54PM]

You'd be surprised how many real chicks Rock Band skills can get you.

[prioret @ Aug 25th 2008 1:58PM]

Seriously, WTF? just learn to play the real drums. You can get a set of Digi Drums cheaper then this and the console.

[Jethris @ Aug 25th 2008 2:18PM]

Shut it already. We've heard this way too many times.

Why buy madden? Learn to play football.
Why buy Call of Duty. Learn to shoot.
Why buy .....

[Kinger @ Aug 25th 2008 2:22PM]

ya, sort of.

But then it wouldn't be a fun game.

[ddub @ Aug 25th 2008 4:04PM]

Yeah, but if you get a real electronic drum kit and the rockband drum, you can easily use the real drum kit to play rockband, plus you still have a real drum kit.

[MichaelD @ Aug 25th 2008 4:21PM]

Well, playing madden is very little like actually playing football...even playing Guitar Hero is little like a guitar...

Drums is different with a rig like this. I know any drummers on this site will tell me this is nothing like real drums, but you have to admit it is close. For this much money and space you could invest in learning actual drums. The normal Rock Band set makes sense--just simple pads. But this seems a little much.

[monkfishbandana @ Aug 25th 2008 6:26PM]

I live in the UK and my friend imported Rock Band from the US (he has a US PS3 too). He has never played an instrument in his life, his brother sings and plays a little bit of guitar and his sister plays a bit of piano. He played Rock Band a lot and found he was really good at the drums, acing the majority of songs on Expert mode after a few months of non-stop rocking. We drop by his house a lot to play it with him (I rock at the guitar, both real life and on the game, but that's not important [/shameless ego petting]) and we told him that he was really good at it - although the other instruments can't compare to their real life counterparts, the drums can help you to detect when someone has really good co-ordination and stamina.

Anyway, to cut a very long story short, he asked for a drum kit for his birthday - he's been solidly playing it for 4 weeks and he is really good at them.

The way I see it, if games like these help people discover something that they're really good at, then what harm are they doing?



TL;DR: Boy played Rock Band drums. Became very good. Boy bought real drum kit and played them. Was very good.

[Bob S @ Sep 11th 2008 9:31AM]

@prioret
Seriously, WTF? just talk to people IRL. You can use your voice cheaper than buying a computer and internet service.

[Dave Zatz @ Aug 25th 2008 2:01PM]

Is that an IKEA rug? Sweet! Oh yeah, that drum kit looks massive. I'm going to have to move to support my gadget fetish.

[whowhatme @ Aug 25th 2008 1:53PM]

no second bass drum pedal?

[TVGenius @ Aug 25th 2008 1:56PM]

Also available as a $40 addon...

https://www.drumrocker.com/preorder/index.php

[Neeko @ Aug 25th 2008 1:56PM]

Wow $300 these...Hmm might have to go halfsies with my roommate on this. the Geek in me says i need 2 waste more $$ on video controllers.

[Neeko @ Aug 25th 2008 1:59PM]

*video game controllers.....I FAIL

[T @ Aug 25th 2008 1:59PM]

Could you all post a pic of the headset jack? On orig. drum kit, you couldn't plug in normal headset. I had to use chat pad headset. Has Ion fixed this issue?

[Zak @ Aug 25th 2008 1:59PM]

Awesome. Assuming I can buy the brain by itself, I'll just hook my V-Drums set up to it and save a lot of space and redundancy.

[craig#2 @ Aug 25th 2008 2:02PM]

Sadly, it doesn't register as a regular MIDI controller when plugged into a computer

WHAT THE FUCK!?

NEED I SAY MORE?

SERIOUSLY! WHAT THE FUCK!

[Kinger @ Aug 25th 2008 2:29PM]

That won't take long though.

I'm sure our mutual friend Andrew Rudson (http://andrewrudson.com/drummachine/main.php) will have that fixed up in a jiffy!

[Totoro @ Aug 30th 2008 9:20AM]

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PEOPLE PLEASE DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE POSTING THAT IT CAN'T DO SOMETHING IN ALL CAPS! Read the FAQ on their web site.

You CAN use this with a PC using one of these: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TriggerIO

You CAN play it standalone with one of these: http://www.midi-store.com/product.php?productid=16937

Also, the kit in the picture isn't put together right. It's supposed to curve around the player, not in a straight line.

[eric @ Aug 25th 2008 2:02PM]

Ion REALLLLLLLY needs to release the device that takes the quarter inch in and sends out the game signals- there are so so many of us that want to use our existing 'real' electronic drum sets to play rockband. It's a huge market that they could open themselves up to.

Please, ion?
PRETTY Please?

[jsn @ Aug 25th 2008 2:20PM]

in their faq they say they plan to do just that.

[somekindarobit @ Aug 25th 2008 2:23PM]

I'm one of those people right here. I've never played Guitar Hero or Rock Band since I own real instruments. But if I could use my Roland kit to play said games then I could rock with my non-musician friends who feel left out sometimes.

[somekindarobit @ Aug 25th 2008 2:32PM]

@jsn

Q: If I want just the brain without the rest of the drums, will that be available for purchase separately? If so, when and how much?
A: We have not finalized plans to sell the Drum Rocker controller module separately, but expect that we will do so later in the year. However, it’s important to note that we intend to do so to allow Drum Rocker users who own multiple consoles to use a single Drum Rocker kit with all of their systems, not for people to use the controller module with other electronic drum and cymbal pads.

Looks like it won't work well or at all...

[dmb_fan @ Sep 4th 2008 2:26PM]

Wanna use your exiting electronic drum kit with Rock Band? You can! Check this out:

http://www.rockband.com/rockers_blog/sethmeisterg