Today I went to the drum shop to try out the eagerly awaited Direct Drive Pearl pedal.
I was notified by Walt from the drum shop upon their arrival, and headed in to have a look on my day off (today).
I racked up a seat to the practice pad with said pedals attached and started kicking away
These pedals, in all honestly are the best pedals I have ever played. The response is smooth, even for a pair of connected pedals, and the "straight out of the box" configuration didn't even require much playing around with to suit your playing style. What really amazed me is the comparison of the slave pedal to the master. The master and slave felt exactly the same and there was no lack of synchronization (like many double pedal sets).
The bearings in the pedal also were really smooth running and surprisingly responsive. They are ninja bearings (yes we all know this) like the ones in skateboards for extra speedz.
In terms of breaking into the direct drive pedal market, Pearl has done extremely well at making a pedal at a competitive price ($1300 including carry bag). Also i think that it outperforms Axis and Trick due to the fact parts are more readily available, its cheaper and it does a better job (IMO). Also Pearl is a trusted hardware brand.
A lot of metal drummers would by this stage have worn into their Axis and Trick pedals and would be used to playing a direct drive pedal and not want to go back or just stay with their pedal. So its all a matter of personal preference with feel.
I'd seriously suggest trying them out, best pedal I've ever played anyway. I found them a lot responsive and lighter then tricks/axis and for the price i feel that it is worth investing in.
And definitely a good upgrade from Eliminators
I'll be getting mine shortly
- Tom