ddrum has added an electronic percussion pad to its product line-up.
The new NIO Electronic Percussion Pad is billed as having “the capabilities of a fully functioning electronic drum kit”.
It has nine isolated rubber pads and comes pre-loaded with 30 preset kits, including five ddrum kits; 20 user kits; and hundreds of built-in sounds. Additionally, you have the option to utilise 512 MB of storage for loading your own sample drum kits, sounds, or loops via USB (Type-B) output.
The NIO also has two built-in inputs for external drum triggers or pads.
The front panel controls on the NIO are simple and streamlined. Two dials, one on each side of the panel, allow for volume control as well as fast toggling through kits and sounds. A central digital screen shows menu options with adjacent toggle and selection buttons. Click and Record buttons allow users to practise with a metronome and save their own creations.
A quarter-inch headphone output enables private practice while quarter-inch stereo outputs L/R with volume control connect to an external speaker or PA system. Additionally, the 1/8-i nch stereo Aux input allows audio in, so you can play along to your favourite tunes.
If the NIO looks vaguely familiar, besides the stylish red pads, that’s because readers will have seen it before – badged as the nPad, Avatar PD705 and Gear4Music DD90 (see: http://digitaldrummermag.com/Latest/Entries/2020/6/a-tale-of-three-multipads.html)
The new pad as a recommended retail price of $399.