Roland V-Pad VH-14D Digital Hi-hat Controller Review:
What To Expect from This Electronic Hi Hat
Quality
The Roland VH-14D is the highest-quality hi-hat pad on the market. While the sounds are purely determined by what module you’re using, the potential of those sounds is established by this hi-hat pad.
You’ll get the most realistic playing experience when using this digital pad with Roland’s top modules, as it’s designed to feel close to real hi-hats as possible.
The pad is also highly durable. It’s designed to take many beatings without wearing out or developing scuff marks, which is often what you get with cheaper hi-hat pads over time.
Construction
The biggest construction aspect that gives the VH-14D such good playability is the fact that it has separate triggers for the edge and the bow.
You get a trigger for the edge that senses everything you play when hitting the shoulder. Then you get a trigger for the surface that senses everything you play on the top of the pad. These triggers work together to give you more responsiveness than any other hi-hat pad on the market.
The 14-inch size is also fantastic, as it matches the common size for acoustic hi-hats. Most other hi-hat pads are a bit smaller, so it’s a great feeling to play the usual size on an electronic set.
Performance
The VH-14D has four main performance features. The first is the smoothness you get when playing the pad open or closed. With so many sensors, you get different sounds depending on how loose your foot is on the pedal. This is a huge step up from other pads that have two distinct sounds for open and closed playing. The pad offers an excellent foot splash mechanic. Again, it’s incredibly realistic compared to other hi-hat pads.
The bow and edge playability is the big performance feature that most drummers love this pad for. Whether you like playing on the edge or surface of your hats, you’ll love this pad. Lastly, the choking mechanism of this pad is extremely tight and clean. The sensors on the edge are so articulate that you can even play expressive swing patterns while opening and closing the hats and choking them with your hand.
Price Value Ratio
The price is the huge downside of the VH-14D. It cost over $1000, which is an extremely high price. You could get a decent entire electronic drum kit for less than that.
So, this isn’t a pad that most drummers will fancy buying, especially if they don’t already have a kit with a TD-27 or TD-50 drum module.
However, it’s a good purchase for people who want the best available hi-hat pad on the market. If you already have Roland’s digital snare drum and ride cymbal pads, you’ll most likely be prepared to pay the high price for this.