Roland VH-14D Review

The biggest surprise was how much better every kit sounded purely from upgrading the hi-hat triggering. Even with sub-par stock TD-50 samples, the hi-hat held the kit back, not the samples.

The biggest surprise was how much better every kit sounded just from upgrading the hi-hat triggering. Six-stroke rolls between the edge and the bow sounded dramatically more realistic than they did on the VH-10.

Even with the sub-par stock samples on the TD-50, each kit sounded better. When I used the VH-10, the hi-hat was the one thing holding the TD-50 kit back. I assumed it was the samples, or that I was just playing poorly that day. It turned out to be the triggering. Upgrading the hat alone made the whole module sound better.

The case for the VH-14D: flawless triggering, traditional hi-hat feel, and accurate articulation from tight to fully open. Foot splashes are consistent, fixing the VH-10's cut-outs. Back to back, it is night and day.

This is where the VH-14D justifies its price tag. The triggering is flawless. The pads do not feel too heavy or too light, they feel just like a set of traditional hi-hat cymbals. Grooving on a basic eighth-note beat feels far better and more realistic than it ever did on the VH-10.

I can open the hat a tiny bit for softer accents or open it entirely for a splashier sound, and the level of detail is unmatched by any other electronic hi-hat I have played. In a standard groove I can play the hats tight, closed, barely open, half open, and fully open, and the sensors track all of it. Foot splashes are no issue either. On the VH-10 the splash sound would sometimes cut off randomly. With the VH-14D it works consistently every time.

I tested every articulation using 16th notes on the bow and 8th notes on the edge. The open-to-closed transitions from zone to zone are seamless. Tested back to back with the VH-10, the comparison is night and day. Honestly, I never want to play the VH-10 again.

Both pieces are firm and robust at a realistic 14 inches, a big upgrade in feel over the VH-10. Packaging is above par, though plastic stuck to the bottom unit's cabling.

Coming from the VH-10, the first thing that struck me was the size. A realistically sized 14-inch hi-hat is a huge plus and a massive upgrade in feel. Both pieces are firm and robust. The bell is larger and the top cymbal is a bit thinner overall than the VH-10.

Unboxing was simple. The box is not too large or heavy, and inside are the two pieces, cables, a memory clamp, and a manual. The box and protective wrap are above par in typical Roland fashion, though I had to be careful unwrapping the plastic because it stuck to the cabling on the bottom hi-hat piece.

Digital USB, only working with Roland modules that have a digital input (TD-50X, TD-50 on 1.09, TD-27 on 1.11). My TD-50 needed updating from 1.07; after that it worked flawlessly without calibration.

The VH-14D uses a digital USB connection, and from what I can tell it works with any Roland module that has a digital input. In practice that means the TD-50X, the TD-50 (which needs firmware 1.09), and the TD-27 (which needs firmware 1.11).

Assembly was straightforward. I added the memory clamp to my hi-hat stand first. Because I run a DW 9000, I needed the L-sized clamp. The clamp keeps the cymbals from spinning on the stand. The bottom cymbal goes on with the Roland logo facing front so you can read it, which matters for orientation. The top pad has two TRS cables that go into the A and B connectors on the bottom cymbal, both clearly labeled. That is the bulk of the physical setup.

The one snag was firmware. My TD-50 was on 1.07, which does not support the VH-14D, so I had to update it. Once updated, the TD-50 prompted me to calibrate the hat. I hit the wrong button and took myself out of calibration, but it did not matter, because it worked flawlessly right out of the box without it.

At $1,149.99 it is far too expensive for most drummers to add on top of a costly e-kit. Worth every penny if you can swing it within the Roland ecosystem; a newer TD-27 drummer benefits far less.

The elephant in the room is the price. The VH-14D retails at $1,149.99, which is far too expensive for most drummers to add on top of an already costly electronic kit. It is out of most budgets. That said, it is 100 percent worth every penny if you can swing it.

I would only make this jump if the triggering of your current hi-hat is affecting your playing and practice, you have the budget, you play professionally, or you simply want the best possible playing experience. A newer drummer learning on a TD-27 kit will benefit far less than a professional using an e-kit for practice or stage. It is worth checking your kit too, because some recent Roland sets already include the new hats, so the cost may already be built into the price.

For the record, I have not used the VH-13, so I cannot say how much of an upgrade it is over those. I only owned and played the VH-10.

Verdict

The VH-10 was a solid instrument, but Roland has set the bar high again. We are about 95 percent of the way to emulating an acoustic hi-hat electronically.

The VH-14D, while expensive, offers the best hi-hat experience available. The triggering, articulations, and feel are flawless. Within the Roland ecosystem, and if the budget works, I can confidently recommend it. The experience genuinely blew me away.