Zildjian has slashed $1,000 off the price of its mid-range ALECHEM-E Gold kit and $500 off the base Bronze EX kit, which are now priced at $3,999 and $2,999, respectively.
The price reduction comes in the wake of a major software update that consists of new firmware and new sound samples.
Enhancements include a note chase feature for trigger tweaking, auto-save for trigger settings and a new mask time setting.
Zildjian claims to have improved the response for hi-hat open/close and foot chick as well as bow triggering on the cymbals.
There are also general improvements to navigation and screen transitions and various bug fixes.
The update also delivers new factory content in the form of five new kits (Bright Pop, Deep Roots, Dry Vintage, Latin Flare and Primal Custom), and new Tama and Pearl snare, kick and tom samples.
The ALCHEM-E series was launched last May as Zildjian’s first foray into engineering and manufacturing full drum kits, following up on its 2010 Gen-16 electronic cymbal launch.
The ALCHEM-E line was the result of the company’s purchase of BAC Audio, according to Zildjian owner Craigie Zildjian. “BAC Audio is a team of master electronic instrument engineers established by Ikuo Kakehashi, the son of the Roland Corporation (and ATV) founder, Ikutaro Kakehashi.”
As an aside, Mike Snyder, a former associate of Kakehashi at ATV, who was instrumental in the ALCHEM-E line and demonstrated the kit at the recent Europe Drum Show in Germany (below), has left the company. No details of the departure have been released by either side.
