Yamaha DTX6K2-X Review: The Middle DTX6 Kit, and What It Really Buys You

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The DTX6K2-X is the kit in Yamaha’s DTX6 family that is easiest to overlook. It sits between the small DTX6K-X and the all-silicone DTX6K3-X, and on a spec sheet it looks like a halfway point. In practice it is a specific mix: the full grown-up cymbal and hi-hat setup of the bigger kits, paired with the small rubber toms of the cheapest one.

That mix is either a smart way to save money or a compromise you will regret, depending on what you play. This review is about that decision. I have covered the DTX-PRO module in depth in my DTX6K-X review and the silicone-tom version in my DTX6K3-X review, so here I focus on what the K2-X adds, what it leaves out and who it suits.

I have not played it. Everything here comes from Yamaha’s spec pages, US and European retailer listings, DrumSilent’s review and patterns in retailer customer reviews.

Is the DTX6K2-X still sold in the US?

Yes, but stock is thin. In November 2026 Yamaha USA’s DTX6 product page still lists the DTX6K2-X with the other three DTX6 kits, and there is no discontinued note. US stores are a different story: Musician’s Friend lists it as backordered and open for reservations, with no units in inventory, and Kraft Music lists it as out of stock but available for special order. Thomann in Europe also shows it out of stock with a delivery estimate of 13 to 17 weeks.

Yamaha has not announced a replacement, and the kit has been on sale since November 2020, according to Thomann’s listing. With the newer DTX6K5-M now at the top of the family, I would not be surprised if the K2-X gets harder to find. If you want one, ask a dealer for a firm date before paying, and keep an eye on the used market, where these kits do turn up.

What the K2-X adds over the entry DTX6 kit

The DTX6K-X and K2-X share the module, the snare and the rubber toms. Everything else changes. This table is from Yamaha’s DTX6 spec page.

Three of those changes affect how the kit plays every day.

The hi-hat. This is the big one. On the K-X, the hi-hat is a fixed pad and a pedal on the floor. On the K2-X, the RHH135 is a two-piece pad that moves on a real stand. DrumSilent lists its sounds as closed and open edge, bow, foot closed and foot splash, and says the stand gives a “much more realistic feel.” If you plan to play on an acoustic kit later, or already do, this matters more than any other spec.

The cymbals. You go from one 10-inch crash to two 13-inch three-zone crashes. That is more target, more swing and a second crash sound, and the crashes can be choked anywhere around the edge.

The kick. The KP90 is a real kick tower instead of a small pad. DrumSilent calls it one of the kit’s strengths, saying it has some give and feels like a kick head.

The cost of all this is space and money. The K2-X needs about 4 inches more floor in one direction and 12 inches more in the other, and it moves up a full price bucket.

What it lacks against the silicone-tom version

The difference here is one line on the spec sheet: the toms. The K3-X uses three XP70 toms with 7-inch TCS silicone heads, and the K2-X uses three TP70 toms with 7-inch rubber heads. Snare, cymbals, hi-hat, kick, rack and module are the same.

The sizes are identical, so the question is surface. TCS is softer and bounces less than rubber, and it is quieter in the room. Rubber is firmer, throws the stick back faster and makes a louder tap. Neither changes how much space the kit takes.

That leaves the price. At US dealers in November 2026, the K3-X sits a few hundred dollars above the K2-X. You are paying that difference only for the feel of three small toms.

How it stacks up against the all-mesh DTX6

This is the comparison that has changed the most since 2025. The all-mesh DTX6K5-M has a 12-inch mesh snare, three 10-inch dual-zone mesh toms and a 15-inch ride, with the same hi-hat, crashes, kick, rack and module as the K2-X. At several US dealers it lists at the same price as the K3-X.

So the step up from the K2-X to the K5-M costs about the same as the step up to the K3-X, and it buys you much more: bigger drums, tom rim sounds and a bigger ride. The K3-X only makes sense over the K5-M if you specifically want silicone. My DTX6K5-M review goes through that kit in detail.

What the K2-X keeps over the K5-M is the TCS snare with three zones (head, open rim and closed rim) and a lower price. If those two things matter to you, the K2-X still has a place.

Who the DTX6K2-X is for, and who should skip it

It fits you if

• Hi-hat technique matters to you, and the budget does not stretch to the K3-X or K5-M. This is the cheapest DTX6 kit with a real hi-hat stand.
• You mostly play grooves. Snare, hi-hat and cymbals do most of the work in a groove, and on this kit those parts are the good ones.
• You want three full-size, three-zone cymbals. Two 13-inch crashes and a 13-inch ride is a generous setup for this price.
• You like a TCS snare. The XP80 is low-bounce, quiet and has a dedicated cross-stick zone.

Skip it if

• You play a lot of fills. The 7-inch single-zone rubber toms are the weakest part of the kit.
• You want one consistent surface. The TCS snare and rubber toms feel like two different materials.
• You want bigger drums. The K5-M costs more, but the drum sizes are in a different class.
• You need Bluetooth, individual outputs or a kit you can buy off the shelf today.

What’s in the box

Not in the box: a kick pedal, a throne, sticks and headphones. Musician’s Friend also lists the PA-150 AC adapter as sold separately, and Yamaha’s spec page says the adapter may not be included depending on the region. Add it to your order unless the dealer confirms it is in the carton.

Retailer copy is messy on this kit. Kraft lists “over 400 voices” and 40 preset kits, Guitar Center lists both “400 sounds” and 712 voices, and one Thomann listing says 30 preset kits. Yamaha’s spec gives 712 voices, and the free Version 2 firmware takes the presets from 40 to 70.

The module: same as every DTX6

The DTX-PRO in the K2-X is identical to the one in the other three DTX6 kits, so I will keep this short. My DTX6K-X review has the full spec list.

What you get: 712 voices, 70 preset kits on Version 2 firmware, 200 user kits, Kit Modifier knobs for Ambience, Comp and Effect, WAV import up to 1,000 files, a recorder that saves up to 90 minutes per file to USB flash, and a USB audio interface. What you do not get: Bluetooth, individual outputs or MIDI In.

Two points matter more on the K2-X than on the K-X.

First, the cymbal sounds. Yamaha’s Version 2 announcement mentions new cymbal samples. With three 13-inch three-zone cymbals and a moving hi-hat, the K2-X can bring out more of that than the K-X with its single 10-inch crash.

Second, the toms. The module’s tom sounds are recorded from good kits, but the TP70 pads only send one zone, so you get no rim sounds and less dynamic range than from a mesh or TCS pad. The module is not the limit on this kit; the toms are.

DrumSilent also points out that the DTX-PRO has no physical mixer faders and says mixer levels do not save with a kit. If you set different volume balances for different kits, check this on your own module before you rely on it.

Pads and feel

Snare: the XP80

The snare is the same 8-inch XP80 with a TCS head and three zones that the other silicone DTX6 kits use. It is the most expressive pad on the kit: head, open rim for rimshots and closed rim for cross-stick. The limit is size. Eight inches is a small target for rimshots and buzz rolls, and DrumSilent lists the 8-inch snare as the kit’s first con.

Toms: the TP70s

The three TP70s are 7-inch rubber pads with one zone each. They are firm, they bounce back quickly and they tap louder than the snare. DrumSilent lists “rubber toms instead of TCS” as a con and calls pad size the kit’s main drawback.

The practical problem is the contrast. When you move from the soft TCS snare to a rubber tom in a fill, the stick comes back differently. Some players never notice it; others find it distracting. If you have never played either surface, my comparison of mesh vs rubber drum pads explains the trade-offs.

Hi-hat: the RHH135

The RHH135 is a 13-inch, two-zone pad that mounts on the included HS650A stand like an acoustic hi-hat. The top pad moves with your foot, so left-foot chicks, foot splashes and half-open sounds follow what your foot does. It is the reason most people choose the K2-X over the K-X.

Cymbals: three PCY135s

All three cymbals are 13-inch PCY135 pads with bow, edge and cup zones, and they can be choked. DrumSilent says the ride “nearly plays like an acoustic cymbal,” apart from the rubber surface and smaller size. Using the same pad for the ride as the crashes keeps things simple, but 13 inches is small for a ride. The 15-inch PCY155 is the usual upgrade, and it is what the DTX6K5-M ships with.

Kick: the KP90

The KP90 is a 7.5-inch kick tower with a rubber head and multi-layer cushion. Yamaha describes it as compatible with double pedals. DrumSilent adds a caveat: double kick works, but you need to center both beaters carefully and adjust sensitivity to avoid one side sounding louder than the other.

Hardware and footprint

Yamaha’s average footprint for the K2-X is 1,100 by 1,400 mm, about 43.3 by 55.1 inches, the same as the K3-X and K5-M. Add space behind for a throne.

Yamaha USA’s spec page lists 35.6 kg, about 78.5 lb, which is 1 kg less than the K3-X, since only the toms differ. The entry DTX6K-X weighs 25.2 kg, about 55.6 lb.

The RS6 rack has no left arm, which leaves room for the hi-hat stand. DrumSilent explains that without its crossbar feet it would be essentially a tripod; the feet keep it from swaying and make it quite sturdy, though they look a little old-school. A Thomann customer review also calls the rack very stable.

Because the toms are small, the kit looks more compact than its footprint suggests. The cymbal spread and the hi-hat stand take up most of the room.

Noise: is it apartment friendly?

Partly. The TCS snare is one of the quietest pad surfaces at the stick. The rubber toms tap louder than TCS, so fills are a little noisier on this kit than on the K3-X. The cymbal pads make a soft thud.

The kick is the main issue. A beater hits the KP90, and that impact travels through the floor. In an upstairs apartment, plan on isolation under the kick and throne. My guide on how to make electronic drums quieter covers the options, and a drum riser is the most effective fix.

Connectivity and apps

The ports are the same as on every DTX6 kit: USB to Host for audio and MIDI, USB to Device for a flash drive, MIDI Out, 1/4-inch L/Mono and R outputs, a 1/4-inch headphone jack, a 1/8-inch aux input and a 12V DC input. There is no Bluetooth, so play-along audio goes through the aux jack or USB.

The DTX Touch app connects over a USB cable and gives you a graphical editor for kits, layering, triggers and mix. Rec’n’Share handles video recording. One Thomann customer found recording to a USB flash drive unreliable: some takes did not save and a 128 GB stick was not recognized. Recording over the USB cable into Cubase worked, so test your flash drive early, inside the return window. My guide to connecting electronic drums to a computer covers the setup.

What owners say

US owner feedback on this kit is thin. Musician’s Friend shows no reviews and no questions, and Kraft’s page has no product reviews. The sources below are the ones I could read.

• Thomann (Norway): 5.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings. The written review I could read is titled “Favourite E-Drums by far!” Its owner tried Yamaha, Roland and Alesis kits first and praises the snare’s rebound, the kick pad, the stable rack and the module’s inputs and outputs. The complaint is unreliable recording to a USB flash drive, and the owner says they wish they had paid a little more for the DTX6K3-X.
• DrumSilent: 3.5 out of 5 overall, with 4.0 for the module and 3.0 for the pads. The pros are the compact design, the module, the real hi-hat stand, the kick pad and expandability. The cons are the small snare and toms, rubber toms instead of TCS, the old-school look of the rack feet and the extra care needed for double kick.

The pattern matches the spec sheet. Owners like the module, the hi-hat and the cymbals. The complaints are almost all about drum pad size and surface.

Common problems and fixes

Fills feel uneven

That is the change from TCS to rubber. Lower the tom sensitivity slightly so the rubber pads do not jump in volume, and try lighter sticks such as 7A.

Double kick sounds lopsided

Center both beaters on the KP90 head and raise the kick sensitivity slightly, as DrumSilent suggests. Check that the slave pedal’s beater hits at the same height as the main one.

Hi-hat closes too early or too late

Adjust the clutch height and spring on the HS650A, then run the hi-hat setup in the manual. Small changes at the stand make a big difference before you touch the module settings.

Crosstalk between toms

The 7-inch toms sit close together on the RS6. Leave a small gap between each pad and its neighbors, then lower sensitivity or raise crosstalk cancel on the pad that fires by mistake.

Upgrades worth buying

• A kick pedal. Required. A simple single pedal is fine. See my guide to kick pedals for electronic drums.
• A 15-inch ride. The PCY155 gives you a bigger ride target and is the same pad the K5-M uses.
• Headphones. Closed-back headphones make the cymbal samples sound their best.
• A riser. For upstairs rooms, it is the most useful upgrade.

Is it worth the money?

It depends on what you would buy instead. Against the DTX6K-X, yes: the real hi-hat, second crash, bigger cymbals and kick tower are worth the step up if you have the floor space. Against the K3-X, the K2-X is the better value for most groove players, since the only difference is the toms.

Against the K5-M, it is harder to recommend. The extra money for the K5-M buys bigger mesh drums, tom rim sounds and a bigger ride. If your budget can stretch, that is the better kit for most people. Buy the K2-X if the budget is fixed, you want Yamaha’s real hi-hat, and you can live with small rubber toms.

Alternatives to the DTX6K2-X

• Yamaha DTX6K-X. The same module, snare and toms in a smaller footprint, for much less, with a pedal-controlled hi-hat. See my DTX6K-X review.
• Yamaha DTX6K3-X. The same kit with TCS toms. See my DTX6K3-X review.
• Yamaha DTX6K5-M. Bigger mesh drums and a 15-inch ride for more money. See my DTX6K5-M review.
• Roland TD-07KV2. All-mesh with Bluetooth, but a hi-hat without a stand. See my TD-07KV2 review.

My verdict

The DTX6K2-X is the DTX6 kit that puts its money where groove players feel it: a real hi-hat on a stand, two 13-inch crashes, a 13-inch ride and a proper kick tower, all on a module that will not hold you back. The small rubber toms are the price of that. If you mostly play grooves and your budget is fixed, it is a sensible buy. If you can stretch, the DTX6K5-M is the better kit.