Vintage Simmons Pads with Yamaha DTX Multi 12: Weak signal from pads requires external gain boost

luca9583

Junior Member
Hi guys.

I've got a set of vintage 80s Simmons pads hooked up
to the rear trigger inputs of a Yamaha DTX Multi 12 with XLR to jack cables.

The pads seem to give a really weak signal even with the
Yamaha's input gain on max for each trigger.

I then ran one of the Simmons pads through a guitar stompbox that has a
20db boost on it..and now the response is absolutely perfect!

Is this normal? I know that vintage Simmons brains have strange
XLR wiring but do the XLR outs of the pads have anything to
do with the weak signal?

Seems like i would need a multi channel preamp to boost
each pad!!!!
 
Hi,

Some of the older electronic drum pads with XLR connectors may have be sending the signal at mic level which is much lower than current pads which use line level.

Hope this helps,

DTX Product Specialist
 
Thanks for the reply. That makes sense..in which case
i'm assuming it's safe to use stompboxes or preamps to boost
the pads' signals before they hit the DTX?
 
Hi,

The DI box won't bring the pad to line level since most DI boxes work in reverse to bring Hi-Z or line level signal down to mic level so it can be run through XLR cables. Then a mic preamp is used to gain up the signal to a desired level.

Hope this helps,

DTX Product Specialist
 
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