Review of Multiple Double Pedals

Up2Speed

Senior Member
Three years ago I stared playing after 20 plus years off. I did not play double bass back then so I had no experience. I have been playing a Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide double pedal on my Roland kit and a Pearl Demon Drive on my acoustic kit. I really like both pedals but I could not quite get the feel I want from either one. I decided it was time to test some other pedals so I ordered several of the top pedals from a large online retailer knowing I could return what I did not like. I tried the Ludwig Atlas Pro, Tama Speed Cobra, The updated DW 9002 and the Pearl Demon Chain.

The Iron Cobra hits hard and gives great tactile response. It is very smooth but it is a bit heavy feeling to me. The Power Glide cam gives it the power but makes it a little harder to initiate the stroke. It is a great pedal and I could live with it just fine but I just wanted a slightly different feel.

The Demon drive is a fantastic pedal and the engineering that went into the design is amazing. All of the adjustments can be made with the pedal on the drum which is very convenient. The clamp system is the best I have seen. The bass drum hoop is protected by rubber pads on the base of the pedal where the drum sits and also on the clamp. The pedal docks to the drum easier than any other brand I have tried. Another feature I liked and I think it is probably something that goes unnoticed is that each beater is offset from the center of the head equally. The other brands all center the beater of the main pedal with the slave pedal beater being offset. I could never get used to the feel of this pedal because it is just too light feeling. This has been a complaint of direct drive pedals, you either like them or you don’t. It took some time to adjust it to where I ended up setting it. Towards the end I had the spring tension as high as it could be set and switched back to the short board setting.

I looked forward to trying the Ludwig Atlas Pro as much or more than any of the other pedals. It didn’t take long to decide that it was not the one. It is smooth and hits very hard but it was a bit heavy and clumsy. Several of the adjustments require using an allen wrench which was included but does not mount to the pedal so it has to be stored elsewhere. The clamp system is crude with no padding to protect the drum. Not acceptable at this price point.
Next up was the Speed Cobra. I really liked this pedal. It is smooth, hits hard and it easy to play fast. They are longboards and they seem to be larger than most other footboards on the market. What finally made my decision not to keep them is that I could not get the footboard height set at a comfortable position. They are at a lower angle than any other pedals I have played. I had the settings at the maximum according to the markings on the pedal and they still felt too flat to the floor for me. Tama also needs to put some padding on the clamp. There is a thin piece of rubber where the drum sits but nothing on the clamp.

The Demon Chain was next. This is an amazing pedal. I was afraid that it would feel too much like the Demon Drive but it definitely feels different. It hits harder than the Demon Drive and gives the tactile response the Demon Drive lacks. I can play this pedal much longer and faster. It has all of the great features that the Demon Drive has but with a more traditional feel. The concentric cam gives it a smooth, even feel throughout the stroke. I didn’t have to make any adjustments to it to get the feel I want.
Last was the DW 9002. This is also an amazing pedal. The first thing I noticed was how hard it hit with so little effort. It is very smooth and feels great. It is surprising how fast this pedal is considering how hard it hits and how heavy the beaters are. The clamp system is great now with the updated pads. I tested it with the cam in the full power position. I was pressed for time so I did not try it with the cam in the light or concentric position. I did not have to make adjustments to this pedal either. I mentioned how hard this pedal hit. I had a Kickport installed in the reso head. It blew it out of the head which broke the head. I was not playing hard, the pedal did the work. I have never broken a reso head. Incredible power but very smooth and responsive. It would be interesting to try it with the new flyweight DW beaters. Don’t let the broken head issue deter you. I think it was probably a fluke that head broke.

In the end I chose the Demon Chain. The DW was a very close second but it was just a bit heavier but maybe if I had tried the cam in other settings I would have chosen it. The Demon Chain is amazing. Try one out if you get the chance. I am surprised that Pearl is not putting more marketing efforts behind this pedal like they did with the Demon Drive.
 
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Not to hi-jack your thread, but I just did a similar comparison. I spent about 2 hours at a local drum shop trying out pedals. I tried out Iron Cobras, Demon Drives and DW 9002. I agree with you on almost every point, and would like to add a few of my own.

The Iron Cobras are built like tanks, and they play like they are built. They are solid and fast and loud and have an amazing attack. The slave pedal felt a little slow and I felt myself trying to compensate for that perceived lag.

The Demon Drive was unlike any other pedal I ever remember playing. The footboard was so low and the response so light it was like I wasn't playing anything at all. I can see why a metal drummer would love this pedal. The slave was like playing a separate pedal or a double bass kit, the response was immediate and as smooth as the primary pedal.My biggest complaint is that I play some heel/toe and it was almost impossible to do with this pedal.

Finally the DW 9002 (which is the pedal I bought) was perfect in every area. They are like driving a Ferrari, fast, smooth and built to perform. The slave is effortless and plays with no perceivable lag. I love the footboard height, and quick feel of the cam. Since buying it I have moved the chain back and actually slowed the pedal throw a bit.
 
The Demon Drive was unlike any other pedal I ever remember playing. The footboard was so low and the response so light it was like I wasn't playing anything at all. I can see why a metal drummer would love this pedal. The slave was like playing a separate pedal or a double bass kit, the response was immediate and as smooth as the primary pedal.My biggest complaint is that I play some heel/toe and it was almost impossible to do with this pedal.
I actually found heel-toe to be a lot easier with the Demons (direct drive) BUT there's a definite lack of "feel" with these pedals which I still can't get used to (did you try them in longboard config)?
I've been thinking about switching back to chain driven and both your reviews of the Demon (chain) and DW9002 seem to back it up. Just need to decide which one would be best for me (going into a store and trying them out is no longer an option for me unfortunately)!
 
Nice write up but IMO you should break it up to paragraphs, easier on the eyes than a wall of text.
 
Nice write up but IMO you should break it up to paragraphs, easier on the eyes than a wall of text.


I agree. Now it should look better. The copy/paste did not keep the paragraphs separated correctly for some reason.
 
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