MusicRadar

The new TD-4K rack is a great feature. It allows plenty of set-up flexibility, is very stable and looks spot-on

1 of 4 » View in gallery

• Review

Fizzy drinks, miracle age-repair make-up – everything is sold today with the promise of it being the 'best ever recipe'. Most of this stuff is so boring that, really, who cares? But when electronic drum makers make similar claims for their new products, it's a rather different kettle of fish.

This happens on a regular basis, of course – in fact every time a new kit is launched. But the posturing is justified more often than not where digital drums are concerned.

The simple fact is that technology continues to move on at such a pace that, even now, improvements in tone and responsiveness are coming in leaps and bounds. Roland has, of course, set a shining example of how to refine a product line over the last 10 years, so you'll be wanting to know if the new TD-4K continues this...

Build

"Even if you never switched on the Coach Mode, you'd still be spoiled by what is an array of exemplary, all-new, on-board sounds"

Before we get into the tonal developments that the TD-4 module presents, the rack on which it (and the now familiar array of pads) is secured is worthy of a quick once-over.

Those well-versed in V-Drum evolution will notice that the black metalwork sports an extra couple of legs as compared to the simpler, flatter TD-3K rack. It's a feature that brings the TD-4 set-up into line with the pricier TD-9K rig, and to our minds, makes for a rather more rewarding physical interaction with the kit.

It's a simple thing, but having the two 'proper' extra rack bars to your left and right adds a higher end feel to the TD-4K. The TD-6K and TD-3K may have perfectly sturdy sections for hi-hat and 'floor tom', but we're all for the new legged look.

The kit wraps around you in snug fashion now too and, as with the whole V-Drum range, once you've got everything locked down, there are absolutely no concerns in terms of rigidity.

So, we love the rack. But there is one issue that raises its head, and that's the 'official' placement of the TD-4 brain itself. Where all previous Roland kits (with the exception of the diminutive HD-1 set) have their brains located on the left hand side of the rack, here the company suggestion is to secure the TD-4 bang in the middle, beneath the two toms.

It's a compact little unit (see the above image), but our initial feeling was that this was possibly the least suitable place to stick the 'control centre'.

It's not so much a fear of it being damaged (even unwieldy technique is unlikely to see a misplaced stroke hit the brain), it's more a case of only the screen being visible between the pads – the ends of the unit are obscured by the toms.

This may be a situation unique to set-up preferences. But we're inclined to think that we won't be alone in preferring the TD-4 positioned elsewhere. Which is easy enough to do, even if it does require a little bit of rack deconstruction.