Group Test: Roland SPD Percussion Pads

Roland extracts some DNA from the SPD-SX to create four new little batterypowered solo performance pads, but which one would be the right addition to your setup? There can be only one… or perhaps two?

Straight out of the blocks, it’s quick to see that the Wav Pad is the odd one out in the SPD::ONE range. Instead of an effects section, we are treated to differing mix levels. Both the Phones and Master knobs are pretty self-explanatory, while the Mix rotary allows you to dial in the level for the click track, which will only affect the level in the headphone mix. There are 12 sample slots where you can store either one-shots, loops or even full backing tracks, with a total of 4GB of space. Sample playback controls are dealt with within a text file, which is located in one of the 12 preset folders. Via USB, simply pop in your 16-bit, 44.1kHz stereo, or mono wavs into the Master folder and your own click track in the Click folder, leaving you just to fill in the appropriate details in the text file, and you’re ready to go. You can select varying playback modes, sample layers (three in total) and velocity fades. It doesn’t end there, as the Wav Pad has one more trick up its sleeve: MIDI over USB – featured across the entire range. www.roland.com

VERDICT 8.9

Both the Percussion and Electro pads share a common theme of featuring pitch, reverb and delay effects, the latter an analogue tape-style that both increases in feedback and intensity as the dial is turned to the right. Turning the dial to the left from the zero position adds reverb, ranging from a smattering of depth to a huge cavernous expanse. The onboard sounds include your standard percussive fair of both stick and hand-struck instruments. They are all superb in quality and some of the presets include accents at greater velocities, which is a nice touch. A sensitivity control features across the whole range and can be adjusted to accommodate playing by hand or foot. Dialling the sensitivity all the way to maximum and the whole unit itself becomes the trigger from the lightest of touches. www.roland.com

VERDICT 8.1

Although the Kick might sound like a one-trick pony, it serves up more sonic capabilities than the name suggests. There’s a blend of acoustic and electronic kicks available, obviously the 808 and 909 are both represented, in albeit ‘modified’ forms. They are joined by ankle chimes, bells, cymbals, a pedal hi hat, cabasa sounds and even a guiro. The Kick slightly mixes things up in the effects department, which, more appropriately, offers up distortion rather than delay. It ranges from subtle warmth to all-out raspy crunch and combined with the pitch effect can draw out some really low-down dirty growls from within. www.roland.com

VERDICT 8.5

The onboard sounds in the Electro (and to some extent the Kick and Percussion) are in no way groundbreaking. Far from it, in fact what you’re getting are some classic Roland/Boss electronic tones and effects alongside very good quality samples. Before you think that 12 presets doesn’t sound compelling, there are, actually, 22 onboard sounds courtesy of an instrument variant switch. All bar the Wav Pad include one extra user slot for mono samples no longer than five seconds long, which can be fed through the onboard effects.. www.roland.com

VERDICT 8.1