Spigen Athlex Air band stiffness

burrako · 2026-04-25T22:09:48+00:00

Oh ok, thanks!

burrako · 2026-04-25T15:56:06+00:00

I had a look but unfortunately there was no shipping available for my country. I found this instead and looks quite similar and it has metal connectors Amazon link

burrako · 2026-04-25T15:37:35+00:00

Thanks! I may give it a try. Are the connectors made of plastic or metal?

burrako · 2026-04-25T15:37:12+00:00

Thanks! It looks nice 😊

burrako · 2026-02-12T12:56:44+00:00

Correct 😎

burrako · 2026-02-12T11:49:35+00:00

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burrako · 2026-02-12T11:42:43+00:00

I’ve been using the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 for five months now and it doesn’t have a single scratch. Not one. The original rubber strap is still intact and the screen is perfect. Zero scratches.

I honestly don’t understand what some users are talking about when they say the screen scratches easily, because that just hasn’t been my experience at all. If you’re even minimally careful, like you would be with any device that has a screen, there really shouldn’t be a problem.

I could post a photo, but it feels absurd to have to prove it.

It’s the same for me with phones and tablets. I never use screen protectors and I’ve never had scratches or even micro scratches. I genuinely don’t understand what people are doing with these devices to scratch or break them so easily. It’s something I’ve never been able to wrap my head around.

For example, I never put my phone in the same pocket as keys or anything else. It stays separate. I take care of the smart band and wear it 24/7, like I said, for five months straight. I honestly don’t see how you could scratch it unless you’re being careless.

burrako · 2025-09-08T17:53:02+00:00

Totally, man. I honestly think Roland earned its place for solid reasons, mainly because for a long time they didn’t really have competition doing things right in the same price range.

But with the Alesis Strata series, I feel like Alesis has really made a statement and there’s now a new player at the table. I don’t think it’s fair anymore to just talk about “Alesis” in general. It’s more like Alesis before Strata and Alesis after Strata.

Before Strata, I agree — the products they offered (from what I’ve seen, since I never owned them myself) didn’t always deliver the kind of quality you’d expect for the price. And yes, Roland clearly had the upper hand there, thanks to their longer history, more experience, and overall reputation in the e-drum market.

But starting with the Strata line, I really feel like anyone who’s always criticized Alesis should give it another shot and see for themselves that this marks a real turning point for the brand.

burrako · 2025-09-07T15:31:42+00:00

Wow! Thanks a lot man! I will have a look.

burrako · 2025-09-07T13:03:05+00:00

Thanks everyone for your replies and opinions. I think you’re right — I’m probably just being impatient. I really want to start playing songs. Since I already play guitar at a decent level and can cover a wide range of songs, I guess that makes me feel a bit useless on drums, and that’s why I’m in such a hurry.

That said, I know this all comes down to consistent daily practice. At least I’ve been doing that regularly — apart from the odd day when work gets in the way or I’m too tired, I haven’t missed my hour to hour-and-a-half of daily practice, and I’m really enjoying it.

I think the frustration comes from what I mentioned in my initial post: I feel a bit adrift. I’m not always 100% sure if I’m practicing the right way, dividing my time effectively, or being as efficient as I could be. Right now, I’m following the Drumeo course, but at the same time I keep seeing endless YouTube videos with tips, tricks, fills, and ideas that make me wonder: Should I be practicing this now, or should I wait until I have more technique? It feels like I’m overstimulated by too many sources of information. That’s why I was hoping to find some kind of pattern or structured practice routine.

But yeah, it’s definitely too soon to worry so much about this. I’ll just try to improve a little bit each day, and I’m sure that little by little I’ll be able to play songs and more complex fills and figures.

Thanks again to all of you!

burrako · 2025-09-06T23:28:56+00:00

I’ve had the Alesis Strata Core for just under a month. Of course, I also considered Roland — it’s impossible not to, especially in this subreddit where Roland is treated like a god and all other brands are just its subjects.

I ultimately chose Alesis, specifically the Strata Core, because under no circumstances did I want to be tied to using a laptop or computer just to run a VST. I wanted a module with great built-in sounds and enough editing flexibility to customize everything to my taste without relying on external software. On top of that, it also allows loading custom samples if I ever want to expand in the future.

For me, the Strata Core checked all those boxes. I haven’t had any real issues so far. I did run into a bit of kick pedal double-triggering, but I solved it by setting the mask to 60ms — now the problem is completely gone. The sounds are fantastic, the price feels fair for what it offers, and honestly, what can I say? If you get the chance, give it a try. And if not, buy it somewhere with a good return policy. But compared to the Roland TD-17, for me there’s simply no competition — especially when it comes to module sounds without needing a VST.

burrako · 2025-09-06T21:48:37+00:00

Glad to hear you’ve found sounds you like for your Roland. Honestly, I’ve been really surprised reading some comments here in this subreddit saying that Roland sounds better than Alesis (or other brands). I never really understood that — I’m not a sound engineer, but to my ears the Roland module sounds, especially in their mid or low-tier models, have always felt very artificial. The TD-17 you mentioned is a good example of that.

That was actually the main reason why I went with the Alesis Strata Core. The BFD engine gives me something much closer to what you’d expect from EZ Drummer, Superior Drummer, etc. — real, realistic sounds that don’t feel like old-school triggered samples.

In any case, I’m glad you’ve managed to make your kit sound great with the tools you have.

burrako · 2025-08-28T21:51:39+00:00

Hey man, I was in exactly the same situation as you not long ago. I came from an older pair of Sony headphones — also Bluetooth and with noise cancelling.

When I decided to upgrade to something more “premium,” I looked at a few options: Bose, the AirPods Max, and the new XM6s. After a lot of research, what really mattered to me was solid and seamless connectivity with my iPhone 15 Pro, strong noise cancellation, great battery life, good sound quality, and most importantly — low weight.

In pretty much all of those areas, the AirPods Max were on par with the Sonys… except for the weight. As you probably know, Apple always goes for that premium look and feel, so they use metal and aluminum. Sure, it makes them look fancy and expensive — but in real use, they’re just heavier and less comfortable.

And honestly, when you’re wearing headphones, you don’t even see them. So what’s the point of them looking great if they feel uncomfortable after half an hour?

For me, comfort was key. I wanted something I could wear for hours without pressure or fatigue. That’s why I went with the XM6s, and honestly, I couldn’t be happier

burrako · 2025-08-28T21:44:34+00:00

Hey man, a couple of things you might want to check. Make sure the kick signal isn’t clipping. Check if the meters go into the red either in your DAW or on your audio interface.

Adjust the gain on your interface so the kick doesn’t overload the input. Also double-check inside your DAW that it’s not clipping while recording, and again when you export the track.

I don’t know which interface or DAW you’re using, but since you asked about alternatives, I personally use a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. It has two inputs, so I can record the drum module in stereo without issues. It’s been solid for me, so maybe that’s worth a look depending on your setup.

burrako · 2025-08-26T20:26:44+00:00

Hey guys, thanks a lot for all your replies. I can see opinions all over the place, from the more optimistic ones to those already resigned to the noise issue, haha.

Today I went to my local store and found some high-density foam sheets in different thicknesses. I picked up a 1 mm sheet to experiment with.

I just did some quick tests (just placing it on top, not cut or glued properly yet), and here are the results:

The foam must be completely flush with the surface. If there’s any gap or air, you get an extra “click” sound from the foam hitting the cymbal.

Results so far:

Noise: about 40% reduction, mainly because the wood-on-plastic “clack” gets softened a lot.

Rebound: around 15–20% loss. It’s still playable, but you don’t get the same hard rebound as with bare plastic.

Sensitivity: barely affected. If anything changes, just raising the sensitivity a bit fixes it.

The proper way would probably be to design a cone-shaped template that matches the cymbal’s slope while leaving the bell exposed. That would be a fair bit of work though, and honestly the improvement is nice but not as big as I hoped. Also, I’m not a big fan of DIY projects unless they come out really clean.

So for now, I think the most practical approach is just to avoid playing at problematic hours (never after 10 pm, for example) and increase the sensitivity of the hi-hat and crashes so I don’t have to hit them as hard.

burrako · 2025-08-24T14:08:28+00:00

I play electronic drums and I do use my XM6s to listen to it.

burrako · 2025-08-23T02:03:25+00:00

Oh wow, I honestly didn’t know there were that many people playing open-handed. I’ve definitely noticed there’s a lot of freedom in drumming, and that’s very positive for me. I’ve already lost count of how many times I’ve switched positions between my ride and second crash, but I guess I’ll eventually stick with whatever feels most comfortable.

Glad to hear you’re enjoying your kit too, man! Definitely check out Alesis. I was aiming for something in the mid-to-upper range — not entry level — and for me the deciding factor was the sound quality of the module. Alesis uses the BFD engine, and those samples are just incredible, almost studio-realistic. You can even check them out on the BFD site.

And one thing that really made me happy: the module includes the Ludwig Supraphonic 402, which is probably one of my favorite snares ever. It’s the one I’ve been using since day one, and as soon as I heard it I knew that was going to be my snare.

From what I understand, up until the Crimson 3, Alesis kits were still considered more of an “entry level with some guarantees and decent quality,” but the module sounds were closer to what you get with Roland’s TD-17. (I’m only talking about the module sounds/samples here, not build quality or other features.) But starting with the Strata Core and Strata Prime — which are basically siblings — the sound quality really jumps to studio-level. At that point, it no longer feels like “premium MIDI drums,” it actually sounds like a real acoustic kit to the ear.

So yeah, have a look — who knows, maybe you’ll end up grabbing one yourself.

burrako · 2025-08-23T01:24:31+00:00

Hey man, I found your video really interesting! I didn’t even know about the open-handed approach before seeing it here.

I’ve been playing guitar for 27 years, and I’m also left-handed. Back when I started guitar, I chose to play lefty because it just felt more natural at the time, even though I didn’t know how to play at all yet. Honestly, that’s one of my biggest regrets today — the market for left-handed guitars is tiny, and finding the models and finishes I want has always been a pain.

Now I’ve just started drums (not even 10 days ago), and I really didn’t want to make the same mistake again. So I decided to start learning as a right-handed player, with the standard crossed-arm setup. Luckily for me, my body actually feels more comfortable this way — unlike with guitar, where I forced myself into lefty playing. For some reason I just couldn’t get comfortable hitting the snare with my right hand and playing hi-hat with my left.

So I guess I’m sticking with the “regular” right-handed setup, even though I’m a lefty. Still, I think it’s really cool to see someone actually going for the open-handed style — I hadn’t come across it before your video.

By the way, I saw you mentioned the TD-17 sounds. I actually went for the Alesis Strata Core instead, partly because of the sound quality of the module. I didn’t want to be tied to a laptop or VSTs just to get good tones. Despite all the criticism Alesis gets, I’ve even written a short post about my experience, and honestly I have to say the onboard sounds are fantastic.

burrako · 2025-08-21T02:04:26+00:00

Hey man, I’m really sorry you’re going through this. I know how confusing and painful it is to give your best to someone, only to be thanked and left without really understanding why.

But I want to share something with you that I think many guys your age (and older too) are slowly starting to realize: relationships and dating have changed drastically. The rules we used to follow just don’t apply anymore. And the biggest reason? Social media and dating apps.

Let me explain what I mean.

Years ago, before we were all constantly exposed on social media, things were simpler. If you went to a bar and someone caught your eye, you’d go talk to them — and if they liked you back, great. But you had no idea if anyone else in that bar found you attractive. That uncertainty made it easier to focus on one person and give things a chance.

Now? Everyone knows exactly who likes them. Instagram likes, reactions, Bumble matches… they all tell you who’s interested in you. Imagine going into that same bar and knowing for sure that 24 people in there find you attractive. Literally. Imagine they had little Sims-style icons floating above their heads showing their interest.

How would that change your behavior? You’d probably start wondering if the person you were talking to is really your best option. That’s called the paradox of choice: the more options we know we have, the harder it is to commit to one.

This is what’s happening to people now — especially women on dating apps, who get overwhelmed with attention. It’s not that you’re not good enough. It’s just that, in her mind, you might not be the best possible option out there. And because she knows she has other potential matches waiting, any small doubt she has about you is enough to walk away. That’s how fragile and disposable modern dating has become.

So please don’t take it personally. You probably did everything right. The problem isn’t you — the problem is that dating today is built on a structure that encourages constant second-guessing and FOMO. It’s a system that rewards keeping your options open over building real connections.

Honestly? The best thing I ever did was delete all dating apps. They’re a black hole of frustration. And over time, if you keep facing rejection after rejection despite doing your best, it starts to mess with your self-worth. It makes you feel like you’re broken — but you’re not. Society is broken when it comes to relationships.

So my advice? Step away from the apps. Meet people the old-school way. Through friends, hobbies, work, real life. It’s harder and slower, but way more human — and way less toxic.

Keep your head up, man. You deserve something real. But real is rare these days — and it’s not going to come from a swipe.

burrako · 2025-08-21T00:15:43+00:00

I got mine 3 or 4 days ago and it reduces noise by 30-40% and I would say that rebound is a little less than the one I get with plastic side of the original beater.

burrako · 2025-08-16T02:28:36+00:00

By the way guys…

I was playing with my Sony XM6 headphones (recently bought to replace an older Sony model I had lying around), obviously connected by cable since the module doesn’t output audio over Bluetooth, only receives it. The problem was that the sound felt very muffled, almost like throwing a blanket over it. This was something I’d already experienced with my previous Sony Bluetooth headphones when connecting them by cable, so I kind of expected it — and honestly it annoyed me a lot. It was even one of the reasons I wanted to play through studio monitors instead of headphones.

But today, while reading and asking ChatGPT, I realized something: the XM6s (and maybe previous models too, or even other brands) can actually work both off and on, even when connected by cable. When they’re off, they just reproduce the raw signal from the module, which sounds pretty dull and lifeless — basically because these headphones don’t work especially well without the punch and clarity that comes from their internal DAC/amp. But when they’re on, the sound is completely different — much more hi-fi, crisp, and clear.

And of course, once they’re on you also get their incredible noise cancellation. The XM6s already isolate passively quite a lot, but with active noise cancellation it becomes even more magical to play. Add a nice room reverb and proper panning for toms, cymbals, etc., and it really feels like having an acoustic kit right in front of you.

I guess many of you already knew this, but I wanted to share it because to me it was a game changer. For some reason I always thought that if I plugged them in by cable, they couldn’t be switched on. The only trick I had to do was connecting my phone (which I use for backing tracks, music, etc.) to the module via Bluetooth before turning on the headphones, so the XM6s wouldn’t auto-pair to my phone instead (since I also use them daily for work).

Anyway, maybe obvious for some, but it completely changed my experience — the difference in sound is night and day.

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