Mad Catz Double Cymbal Expansion Kit – Xbox 360 Product Review
When Harmonix announced that the new wireless drum kit for Rock Band 2 would allow cymbals to be added, it really caught my interest. The drum kit is nice but without cymbals it just loses some of the realistic feeling. I then saw that Mad Catz would be making the cymbals for the drums and I have to be honest I had some doubts. It wasn’t because Mad Catz makes bad stuff. It was more thinking the maker of the drum kit should make the cymbals. I have tested the Mad Catz Double Expansion kit and I am really impressed. Read the full review to see why if you own a Rock Band 2 drum kit, you should think about adding these to your own kit.
First Impressions
Mad Catz was smart in making the cymbal kits universal meaning they fit the Xbox 360, Wii and PS3 drum Kits for Rock Band 2. The box comes with everything you need, simple instructions and no tools are needed. Inside the box are two full-size single zone cymbals, extension rods, cables and brackets. You also get the colored rings that fit on top of each cymbal. On the Rock Band 2 drum kit you’ll see three colored jacks blue, yellow and green. The colors represent what effect you’ll hear: crash, ride and high-hat.
Assembly takes about 5-10 minutes. Just makes sure to watch your fingers when snapping the brackets into the locked position. Each rod can be extended to fit your own style. Please keep in mind that if you buy a double kit, you won’t be able to add a single cymbal later. Each kit has special brackets so if you want to use all three jacks and effects, get the triple kit right away. The double kit costs $29.99 and is well made. I was impressed by the cymbals and rods they included. Also keep in mind after a few times playing, you may want to adjust the cymbal kit to finalize the right feeling and reach.
Impressions While Playing Rock Band 2
Each cymbal has a triangle area. This is the area meant to be hit by the sticks. All electronic pads have a zone area that registers a hit. Also note these are single zone cymbals so you won’t be able to choke them (in other words, place your hand on the cymbal to stop the sound). The rubber cymbals are sturdy and made to take plenty of hits. This does not mean that you can beat the heck out of them and abuse them. They are made to be used and should last a long time. Most people adding a kit will adjust easier to two cymbals than three, but in time you will learn how to use them with the regular pads of the drum kit.
You can see in the pictures that the cymbals sit at the right angle for use and with a little practice you’ll find them a big added feature. I have not had any trouble with the cymbals not registering or causing another pad to register when hitting the cymbals. I have mine set a bit loose and titled just slightly. I recommend that you do not over tighten the top screw, because the cymbals need a little room to ride on their resting pegs. I thought at first that I would have to retighten the screws of the brackets after a few sessions of playing, but they stay secure. I really think Mad Catz brought out an affordable cymbal kit that works great. Pricing starts at $19.99 for the single kit and the triple kit is $39.99. The universal fit is also an added bonus for those who may have more than one system and can easily swap them out if need be. While looks is not a huge deal to me, I will admit with the cymbal kit added, the drum kit looks and feels more realistic.
Overall Score: 9.6/10.0
Bottom Line
Mac Catz really has shown they thought out their Rock Band accessories line for quality and price. Do you need to add cymbals to the Rock Band 2 drum Kit? Of course not, but for those who enjoy drumming, once you have them you’ll wonder why Rock Band 1 did not have them. Overall easy to set-up, nice quality and great response make this a real must-have accessory for the drummer in your family. I highly recommend them and I am certain anyone who tries them will agree for the price you can’t beat them.
Links
Filed under: Reviews • Xbox 360
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
Get the double. The release date for the triple was slated for 10/31, but has been pushed all the way back to 12/5.
The double is already out. The triple you will need to wait another month for (as long as you can get it after Black Friday)
@ Anon,
Yes the triple kit was pushed back the double is out but Mad Catz has assured me they are going to try push up the date. They also are pushing up the amount of kits for sale.
I assume there is no way to tell in the game if you should hit the cymbal or a pad, right?
@ Anon,
You can either hit the pad or the correct colred cymbal there is no way to set the game to play cymbal and pad notes only. There is not right or wrong way. I use the cymblas most when in the ending solos or in the fill ins to set off over drive but that is my style.