[quote name='Rodimus Donut']My old pad just died. The left sensor is broken, I think cause I played it so much. I'm looking to spend some serious money on a new pad. I heard those Cobalt Flux pads were the best, but $300 is pretty crazy for a dance pad. What makes them so great? Also can anyone recomend a pad around the $100 - $200 price range?
I saw those metal dance pads on eBay for about $130, should I avoid those? Thanks in advance guys & gals.
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The pad didn't die because you played it too much. They only last for a few months before they start dying out. If you opened it up, you could see why- there's only a flimsy layer of foam between the sensors that bunches up and wears away after awhile. You can save the life of soft pads by doing some easy mods, basically putting them over a wooden board.
So, What's your skill level? The metal pads are absolutely the best option as they are able to provide the arcade experience most completely. But, as you said, they are expensive. Plus, you can wear shoes on them, buy one that has a bar, and buy a pad that will last more than half a year.
I'm not a very big expert on pads, but from experience I can tell you I'm happy with my RedOctane Ignition pad I got a couple weeks ago for about 30 bucks brand new at a garage sale. The pad has foam inserts, doesn't slip, and has the step sensors slightly lowered. No more ghosting like my old pad. It will also last longer than a regular soft pad. It's below $100 if you're interested. I would recommend it if you're an above average player.
You can always make your own pad, which is actually a viable option if you have the tools. It runs you much less than a metal pad and you can build it the way you want. There are some very good guides on constructing pads online.
Depending on your skill level, you could
A. Try to perform surgey on your soft pad- probably the worst option
B. Buy a Konami soft pad (largely regarded as the best soft pads) with DDR Supernova. The Konamis only come bundled and the other bundles are hard to find. This would be good if you want another game and are a decent player that can pass up to 7-footers.
C. Buy a RedOctane ignition hard foam pad. Mine works really well and I'm happy with it. You can pass 8/9/10- footers with it much more easily than with a soft pad.
D. If you're hardcore and have the cash, you could go with a Cobalt Flux. Probably the best option if you have the dough.
E. You can build your own pad. A good option, but will require a fair amount of manual labor and probably some help.
I don't know much about the individual pad models, but I hoped this helped. If you are a good player who can finish play 8 or 9 footers or think you will get there soon, you probably at least want to buy a RedOctane pad. If not, a soft pad might do the trick. But remember, sometimes the headache isn't even worth the money you'll save.
Hope that helped, good luck.
