Enjoy Trying Out Instruments at the Sound House Onagawa Showroom! Electronic Drums ＆ Electronic Percussion Edition

What is the Sound House Onagawa Showroom?

The Sound House Onagawa Showroom located in Onagawa Town, Miyagi Prefecture, is a place where you can actually try out the instruments, check the sound, and feel music with your own hands.

The charm of the showroom is that you can fully experience things that cannot be understood from online reviews or specifications alone, such as how the response feels when hitting it, pad rebound, cymbal response, cable routing, and volume balance.

Electronic drums and electronic percussion vary significantly depending on the model in terms of quietness, features, portability, and other characteristics. If you find your favorite at the Onagawa Showroom, the selection process will go very smoothly afterward.

Here, I will introduce some models that deserve particular attention at the showroom. I hope this will be useful for your preliminary research before visiting in person.

Featured Model Introduction

The following models are electronic drums/electronic percussion instruments that anyone can try out at the Onagawa Showroom. By grasping each model’s features in advance and understanding the functions necessary for your own playing environment, you can clearly determine what aspects to focus on during the trial.
Be sure to check them out!

1. PLAYTECH / PDS-750

Overview / Configuration

The PDS-750 is an electronic drum set by PLAYTECH that features mesh heads on all drums including the snare, toms, floor tom, and bass drum. It includes three cymbals (2 crashes and 1 ride), hi-hat, a mesh kick pad, and a hi-hat controller. The cymbals support choke techniques, and the mesh head tension is adjustable.
The mesh pads offer excellent quietness and feel, making this model ideal for drum practice.

Sound Module and Features

The sound module includes 431 types of voices and comes with 20 preset drum kits. It also has practice-friendly features like a tempo function, metronome, and recording function.
You can practice rhythm perfectly while listening to a click track.
Not only can you intuitively adjust volume using faders, but it also includes headphone and line output jacks, making it possible to connect to a PA or external speakers.

Points to Check During Trial Play

1. Feel of the mesh heads: Rebound and response when changing tension
2. Cymbal response: Expressiveness at the bell, bow, and edge on crashes and ride, and playability when choking
3. Hi-hat open & close: Not only the feel but also the controllability of half-open positions
4. Usability of the module: Operability of the module, including sound playback and recording functions
5. Feel of the rack: Whether pad height and layout can be adjusted to your personal preference

2. PLAYTECH / PSD200

Overview / Features

The PSD200 is a sampling pad (digital percussion), and rather than offering snare, tom, or kit sounds, it is specialized for use as a pad to load and trigger sounds.
By hitting the surface pads, you can trigger sampled or built-in sounds, making it highly expandable for live performances or percussion use.
The layout is easy to use even for students and beginners, making it recommended for those who want to casually add percussion-like sounds to their setup.

Points to Check During Trial Play

1. Feel of the pads: Texture, hardness, and rebound sensation
2. Built-in sound sources: Is there enough variety and range of tones? Can it be customized to suit your preferences?
3. Latency (delay): When triggering sounds through software installed on your own PC, is there any noticeable delay?

3. PLAYTECH / PSD400

Overview / Features

The PSD400 is a percussion pad with more extensive built-in sounds than the PSD200 that’s recommended for those who want to perform using a wider range of tones.
It offers a rich variety of internal sounds, expressive capabilities, sound quality, and functionality, all of which make it suitable for live performance use.

Points to Check During Trial Play

Whether you can feel the difference compared to the PSD200

1. Does it have the variation of internal sounds you’re looking for?
2. Do the pad playability and shape match your playing style?
3. Ease of operation on the module: Are sound selection and switching operations smooth?

4. PLAYTECH / PRD100

Overview / Features

The PRD100 is a “roll-up drum” type electronic drum. It features soft, rollable silicone pads and thin drum surfaces, making it highly portable, easy to store, and ideal for casual playing.
With a built-in speaker, it can be played anytime, anywhere, which is one of its main attractions. It's perfect for beginners, travel, hotel performances, or practicing at home where you want to keep the volume down.

Points to Check During Trial Play

1. Rebound and feel of the silicone pad: How does it feel and respond when struck?
2. Volume and sound quality: Is the actual volume when playing sufficient? Does it allow for proper volume adjustment?
3. Ease of setup and positioning: As the pad is thin and flexible, is it suitable for your desired setup space? Check the overall size.
4. Storability: What is the size and how well can it be stored when folded?

Bonus Section: A Wide Range of Instruments Beyond Electronic Drums

The Sound House Onagawa Showroom features a wide variety of instruments beyond electronic drums of which are all available for hands-on trial. We have a diverse lineup of instruments that people of all ages can enjoy, so please feel free to stop by during our showroom hours.

As a special bonus, we would like to recommend an instrument that even preschool children can enjoy.

PLAYTECH / DJK-10 (Kids-Size Drum Set)

Overview / Target Users

The DJK-10 is a compact drum set designed for children. It includes drumsticks and a throne (seat), making it an all-in-one package that's ready to play right out of the box.
This kids’ drum set is recommended for small-bodied drummers such as preschoolers. As an entry-level option for experiencing the fun of drumming, it’s an excellent choice for children.
If you're visiting Onagawa with a young child, we definitely encourage you to let them try out this drum set!