Pros
- Reliable and durable beginner electric drum kit
- Responsive rubber heads with good rebound
- Seamless integration with drum software
- Chokeable cymbals
Cons
- Older release that still uses rubber pads
- Single-zone snare
The Yamaha DTX402K was released in 2018 and while not quite as popular as the newer Alesis electronic drum sets (likely due to being priced higher than them) it has been well received by those who bought it.
This is one of the entry-level descendants of the beginner e drum set I currently have at home, the DTXpress 1 launched in the year 2000. And it has what’s expected from a good Yamaha electric drum kit. It has rubber heads that are responsive and durable – a no-frills solution to triggering.
They don’t feel like real acoustic drums, but in this case, they don’t have to. Because they are good enough for novice to intermediate-level drumming. I even use the pads with the module turned off, the rebound is nice enough to get a late-night drum workout. While this kit is aimed at students, even experienced drummers like myself still find good use with this kit.
It lacks a dual-zone snare but partly makes up for that with chokeable cymbals – a feature beginners are more likely to use. The rubber pads can be a deal-breaker for those who prefer the feel of mesh heads.
Another good feature of this kit is its seamless integration with drum software like Superior Drummer. Being able to edit and create your own kits on the drum module (using the DTX402 Touch App) gives this more tweakability than some of the cheaper options.
An old photo of my Yamaha DTXpress 1 that features similar rubber pads. Apart from the slightly louder sound I’ve never had a problem with the feel.
If you want a bit more flexibility with your electronic drum kit setup, and you don’t mind the rubber pads, this is a solid option from a reputable company.
Features
- 1 x 8″ Single Zone Snare Pad
- 3 x 8″ Single Zone Tom Pad
- 2 x 10″ Cymbal Pads With Choke
- 10″ Hi-Hat Pad
- Hi-Hat Pedal
- Kick Button Pedal
- DTX 402 Drum Module With 10 Customizable Preset Kits
- 415 Percussion Sounds
- 9 Reverb Types
- 10 Play-Along Songs
- 10 Training Functions
- USB-MIDI Output
- 1/4″ stereo out for Headphones
- 1/8″ Aux Input
- iOS and Android app for training features and customization
- iOS only Rec’n Share App for recording and publishing YouTube videos
| Website | Source | *Rating Value |
| Beat It | Editor | 90/100 |