Xbox 360 Rock Band Stage Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)I just picked this up after several weeks of considering it to be a very expensive novelty...$100 for an audio-sensing light show and fog machine?Heck...you can pick up a ton of stuff at a local Spencer's Gifts for that price, so why bother with this?It was only when I read that the kit actually SYNCS with the music in Rock Band 2 that I took a closer look.

This kit does NOT use cheap audio sensors to work, e.g. the lights aren't dependent on the beat to function like some cheap novelty light from Spencer's.Instead, each song in Rock Band 1/2 has a specific light show that has been specifically programmed to match, and the kit automatically senses and responds to the songs you've selected.The synchronization is UNCANNY.The strobe fires in JUST the right parts, and is used very sparingly so as not to diminish the effect.The timing of the fogger kicking on is also quite good.For example, it will automatically turn on a few seconds before a killer guitar solo so that you have a great cloud around you when it begins...NICE.

Pros:
1.Now that I have played RB with this kit, playing without it is NOT the same.I'm spoiled with this kit...it makes fake-rocking-out SO much more fun.The fun factor of Rock Band, which is great to begin with, goes right over the top with this kit.
2.Setup is fast and easy.Simply plug the LED unit into the fogger, then plug the fogger into the wall and power up the heating element.It takes perhaps 30 seconds or so to reach operating temperature.Plug the kit into one of the USB ports on the Xbox, and power it on.The unit will do the rest.
3.The fog that came with the unit seemed to dissipate pretty quickly, and was essentially odorless, however I have cathedral ceilings where the unit is used, so a smaller room would likely be much more concentrated in terms of the density of the fog.After about 45 minutes of playing, the entire lower level of my house had a nice haze, but it was completely dissipated after about 15 minutes or so.
4.Durability seems pretty good on the fogger.It seems to be solidly built and resembles the nicer foggers you see for sale around Halloween.
5.As stated above, integration with the game is EXCELLENT.Lots of different patterns with the LED kit, and once you've got some decent fog in the room, the lights really add an interesting dynamic to the game, almost resembling lasers when the lens is set to maximum focus.

Cons:
1.The container of fog solution that comes with the kit is perhaps a half-liter, and does not last long at all.I spent the entire bottle in under an hour, and some songs definitely use more fog than others.I'd recommend buying additional water-based fog solution (I have been unable to locate any official RB fluid locally) ASAP...you will go through the starter bottle very quickly.I ran out and now need to go to Guitar Center or a local party store to buy more.
2.The red and yellow LEDs in the unit are pretty underpowered, though the blue and green are quite bright.It would have been nicer had the red/yellow LEDs been brighter, but they still work quite well in a darkened room.(note - any significant ambient light in the room will heavily diminish the effect, so play in the dark!)
3.The fog machine is a bit noisy when it is firing, but that's nothing that turning up the volume won't fix.:-)
4.The cable that connects the fogger to the LED unit is ridiculously short, perhaps 3-4' max.This forces you to put the units rather close together...not a bad thing, but it limits some flexibility unless you get a longer cable.

Overall, this unit is a great addition to Rock Band 2 if you can afford the price.Were it not for the syncing of the music to the kit, I'd say it was overpriced, but now that I have the kit, I don't regret the purchase at all, and my kids absolutely LOVE it.

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Product Description:
Transform your jam session into a full-on rock show with smoke and light effects. Light and smoke automatically synchronize with music from the game. Synchronized light & smoke effect show for your Xbox 360. The kit includes: Fogger with built in strobe light, led array and a small bottle of liquid fog solution. Compatible with Rock Band and Rock Band 2 (Game Sold Separately).

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Rock Band 2 Standalone Drums Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great game - I am in my late 30s, and definitely NOT a rocker at all (nor a gamer, either).I wanted just the drum part of Rock Band 2, and it's nice that this is available (I wasn't going to use the mic or guitar anyway, so why spend the extra money?You can always add it on later).Also, with the massive popularity of the full Rock Band 2 suite, this was much easier to find (this was in stock at Best Buy, and they told me they had been all sold out of the full Rock Band 2)Setup was easy, play is fun, here are a few things that I noted:

A) On the setup sheet, of course the first step is to lay everything out and make sure you have all the materials.One of the materials I saw that was listed looked to be 8 tiny screws.Again, there was only a picture of them, and I didn't see them in the box at all.And, there was no reference to them at all in the setup directions.Also, it didn't look as if I needed them, so I ended up not worrying about it.Perhaps it was one of those things that was planned to be included in the final product, but was pulled at the last minute?Or maybe I misread the directions?But again, due to the fact that there was no other reference to these screws or a place I could use them, I wasn't worried.

B) A Wii Remote does not have to be "implanted" into the drum kit (like Guitar Hero World Tour...?).These drums come with a built in transmitter.There is, however, a small gray box included that will plug into one of your two USB ports in the back of the Wii.This is how the drums communicate with the Wii.I did have to use a Wii remote at first when choosing the actual disc (from the main Wii screen)

After drumming for a total of about 6 hours so far, I definitely have a greater appreciation for the drum parts of songs!You remember drumming along to some of these songs ages ago, and then when you actually have the drum track in front of you, you find out that it's a lot more complicated!I thought I had the drums to "Hungry Like the Wolf" *down* when I was 17!This cool drum set (along with the software, sold separately) tells me just how wrong I was.

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Product Description:
Add a new dimension to your rock experience with the all new wireless Rock Band 2 Drum Set.

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Universal Microphone Stand Review

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(More customer reviews)Okay, so this is a microphone stand.Plain and simple.The clips to hold controller are very useful, and the clip actually holds some older video game USB microphones, unlike other mic stands.The stand is made of plastic with mostly plastic connnections, which means that you can't get the adjustable parts as tight as you'd like.The main adjuster requires two hands on the lower part of the stand to tighten adequately, so if you go the wrong way, the mic will slide down and you'll have to reposition.If you want to hold the mic while you sing on the stand, it may slide down even when fully tightened.Also, the screw on the mic clip is loose, so expect to tighten it before you play with a Phillips head screwdriver.The clip is removable, so you could put it on a real mic stand if this one ever breaks.The major design flaw is that the controller clip for Xbox 360 does not let you hook up a plug and play charger to it while it's clipped on.So while I'd have loved to use this time to charge my batteries, I can't.

To sum it up: It's a cheap plastic stand with tightening issues, a great clip design for holding the microphone, and a controller clip that won't let you charge an Xbox 360 controller.If you can live with the above-stated problems, then you should be fine.I am satisfied, considering.

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Product Description:
Mad Catz- Microphone Stand for Rock Band features a slick, easy-to-use mic clip that allows for easy insertion and removal for those moments when you want to work the crowd.Constructed of durable aluminum with a wide-stance tripod base for stability, it-s also height-adjustable with a range of 38 to 53 inches. The stand also includes 3 unique controller clips that allow you to store your Xbox 360, Wii, PS3 or PS2 controller right on it, allowing you quick fingertip access for in-game navigation and setup. The included cable management clip will keep your mic-s cord from getting in your way when you-re belting out your favorite tracks.

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Xbox 360 Rock Band Portable Drum Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)I got this drum because it's cheap and I thought maybe at least something about it would be fun to mess around with. I have an ion, but my pedal is too loud and I also wanted to get something I could take with me on the go to a friends' house. Well this thing worked as well as the other reviewers have said. The pedal in this kit is better and makes less impact noise than any pedal on the market, and if you can stick the pads down in one place, they seem to work perfectly as well. The only downside is that you pretty much have to use this with the included sticks, because the pads are too hard. The sticks in the box are rubber to compensate. Using wooden sticks on these is too loud to stand.

Another added perk of this kit is that the controller can be plugged in standalone and used like an NES controller for arcade games, as long as the games don't use the shoulder buttons. Also, people who are interested in modding projects can use the little controller part as the "brain" for a custom drum kit. People have used this to turn their nice electronic kits into RB kits!

Let me reiterate again that the pedal on this is better than the stock ion pedal in terms of noise and equal in function. Get a 1/4" to 1/8" converter and use it with your ion.

In every way, this product is worth your money if you're looking for any of the above features.

ADDITION: I am adding this to the review as a caution: the sticks that this comes with seem to be susceptible to breaking at the middle where they screw together. Now, I know that all drum sticks break eventually, but just be prepared to try to locate some rubber-head sticks as backups because you really can't play this too well with a wooden head.

UPDATE 6/29/09: The pedal for this is still working great, and I still use it with my expensive Ion drum kit. I play on expert now better than ever, and this pedal is very accurate and much easier to double tap to get those super-rapid beats. The official pedal I bought recently doesn't respond well at all to quick rapid pushes like this does. I even got a second portable kit just so I could have a spare, and the second one works just as well.

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Product Description:
Mad Catz- full-featured Portable Drum Kit for Rock Band is playable on virtually any solid surface. Designed to withstand over 1 million strikes, the durable rubber construction ensures the drumheads will outlast your frenetic drumming. Featuring an ultra-thin navigation panel for easy in-game setup, a pair of soft-tip two-piece replacement drumsticks and a remote kick drum pedal, everything you need to play drums is included. Easy to assemble and play and even easier to fold away for quick storage, when you don-t have ample room to rock with the full-sized drum kit, reach for these tabletop drums and rock like there is no tomorrow.

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