DIY: finally, 3-ply+hotspotless+positional sensing

[stringerbell]

any updates? this looks very interesting, do you still use it?

How did you decide on the distance from the 3 side triggers from the outer rim?

[nemo]

Yes, I still use it. Tried few other ones, but always returned to this one after one or two days.
The distance - no rocket science here. I just wanted them to be as close to the rim as possible, so technical aspects were the only limitation.

[stringerbell]

cool thanks! In the AKA wayne thread you initially had 1 center piezo it seems, and now it's 3. What changed? as you already reported success there. Was this to do with the 3ply?

[nemo]

Yes, 3ply plus reliable tuning/settings to avoid hotspot, ability to tune using pots.

[stringerbell]

ok so from what i've read so far, the adjustable cone height and the pots were a big part in making this succesful. As for the parts used, are there any other critical factors in which the choice matters a lot in your experience? (e.g. certain types of piezos, foam etc)

[stringerbell]

also, how important do you think it is (with the adjustability if you setup) that the foam is cone-shaped?

[stringerbell]

and for the pots, once you found the right settings, do you ever still touch them at all? (If not I will consider putting mine on the bottom of the drum for instance, out of sight)

so many questions, hope you don't mind

[nemo]

I don't know for sure, but I think the foam and height can be adjusted/compensated by pots.
Regarding shape, I have experience with cones only, so I simply don't know. I have no intuition whatsoever and I do not want to mislead you.

[nemo]

Pots - once set I did not need to change.
Asking questions is ok, otherwise I wouldn't publish my "success"

[stringerbell]

awesome, ok, then I'll just keep asking here as it might be useful for others in the future.

I've been looking at the wiring schedule. From my undestanding, in the end all head sensors send out a combined / single signal over the sleeve+tip and the whole group is behind a single variable resistance pot.
Since they are both in the middle and on the edge, I'm surprised that positional sensing works well with this layout:
I would expect that when you start hitting in the middle and gradually away from the middle sensors, first the signal gets weaker (so the edrumin notices you move away from the center with a center pad setting), but once you are halfway out it becomes stronger again because you are getting closer to the outer sensors (which I would expect the edrum to think as getting closer to the center again, as it's a single signal in the end).

But according to your experience this is not the case, do you have an understanding of why that is?