BeatIt Test: Dixon PP-K900 bass drum pedal

As a lot of beatit.tv viewers already know, some time ago, we locked ourselves up at Perlazza Studio (based in Poznań, Poland) under the sonic supervision of renowned Polish musician, sound engineer, award-winning producer and, first and foremost, an utter drum maniac, Przemysław Wejmann. There, we tested a number of Dixon snare drums (Gregg Bissonette Signature, PDS7554CPH-DN, PDS7554EB-DN) and whole lot of hardware and drum accessories from Dixon Drums. To be more precise, it was drummer Tomasz Mądzielewski, who tested all the gear while the beatit.tv team played the role of camera operators and the sound engineer took care of the sonic side of things. After the the snare drums mentioned above, the Dixon PAMF 1621 snare drum muffler, the Dixon PAKE-IVBR-BP drum key and the Dixon PX-AH-HP stick holder, it is time to take a closer look at the Dixon PP-K900 bass drum pedal. We received it (together with the snare drums and a bunch of other equipment) courtesy of the official Polish Dixon distributor – the SoundTrade company.

Tomasz Mądzielewski, as an offical Dixon endorser in Poland, a great drummer, who has collaborated with a host of popular acts in Poland, such as Grażyna Łobaszewska, Pilichowski Band, Mrozu, Anna Karwan, Lion Shepherd, Mela Koteluk, Monika Borzym, Honorata “Honey” Skarbek, Kasia Klich, Sidney Polak, Filip Sojka, Marek Raduli, Leszek Cichoński, Donatan i Cleo, the Sound’n‘Grace choir, was perfect for the role of ’lab tester’. Needless to say, he was more than eager and happy to do the job.

We are testing the Dixon PP-K900 Bass Drum Pedal

1. The design

The mere look of the Dixon PP-K900 single bass drum pedal (there is also a double version called PP-K900D) already suggests this is no budget segment of the company’s product range and that the manufacturer means business. Its silver colour brings to mind the famous Speed Cobra from a renowned Japanese competitor. The design and look are truly modern and tasteful.

2. The product

The Dixon PP-K900 single bass drum pedal is larded with all kinds of technical solutions, most of which are patented. The first one that draws the attention of anybody who has ever attempted to mount a foot pedal to a bass drum hoop on a poorly lit stage, and with dispatch (just about every drummer and drum tech). It is the so-called click pole, which is a screw with a wing nut located on top of the pedal mechanism – a truly innovative solution that makes the operation much easier and reduces the time it takes. The dual-faced beater has been equipped with two of the options that have become standard in hi-end mechanisms, i. e. bass drum beater positioning block (adjusts the beater to any angle and gives the spring pull the player needs) and bass drum beater balancer (adjusts the individual feel of the beater, which makes playing fast more comfortable). A platform with built-in spurs guarantees the pedal’s stability while playing, and a double chain cam drive system certainly does not discredit Dixon in comparison to the best products from the most renowned competitors. The pedal responds quite swiftly. Obviously, it does not guarantee competitive sport results the way Czarcie Kopyto or Axis do, but it does allow for some fast playing. The bearings work the way they are supposed to, which means the mechanism operates quietly and fluently while the drummer feels something more than just air under his or her foot. The pedal comes with a soft bag and a drum key.

3. Basic product specs

Brand: Dixon
Model: PP-K900 (single bass drum pedal)
Colour: silver
Double chain cam drive
Click pole – easily accessible bass drum hoop mounting system
Beater balancer
Beater positioning block
Dual-faced beater
Stable platform with spurs.

4. Summary

The convenience of the system for mounting the pedal to a bass drum hoop is quite impressive. The stability of the mechanism when playing is more than satisfactory, while the solutions personalising the adjustments are in no way lesser than those offered by other brands. The price is the equivalent of more or less EUR 115, £ 105 and USD 140. Taking all the technical solutions and options we mentioned above into consideration, we dare say the quality price ratio is fairly favourable.

The gear used for the purposes of making the test: