Overview

Pyle-ProPED04 is a compact electronic drum set containing the essence of nearly acoustic drum set feel. The notable attraction is the natural force drum head. It consists of 128 velocity sensors. In addition to this, the pre-set drum has up to 11 variations. The built-in metronome and the MIDI capabilities are yet another attraction considering the price. Moreover, owing to the compact nature the drum rack is completely adjustable. It comes with five drum pads and 2 drum sticks, bass drum pedal and the Hi-hat pedal.

Design

Rather than the semi-circular or elliptical electronic drum set structure, Pyle-ProPED04 Drum Kit resembles like a rack fitted with soft plates. The unique structure gives better edge to the user while playing on it. The unit has five parts, viz, TOM1, TOM2, Hi-hat, Snare, crash, Hi-hat pedal; kick pedal and the control box. The assembling time differs depending on the expertise level, and the user-manual briefs it anyway. The positioning of the control box receives mixed review. Usually it is placed somewhat in close proximity to the user’s eyes, whereas it is placed below the eye-level, reading the display would be an issue for some. The control box is actually clipped on the supporting bars. Though it looks feeble, it can withstand the playing effects.

Prior to assembling the electronic drum set, the bolts and the connectors must be attached precisely. Once the main connector is ready, the supporting bars to hold the components can be quickly fastened. Once the back bone is assembled, it is essential to adjust the T-shape connector in such a manner that the lower shape connector ought to match the knee length. Once it is assembled, the other components have to be attached. While attaching the pads to the connector, care has to be taken that the depressed side of the connector is attached to the protruding side of the pad. This is followed by the assembly of the snare pads, Hi-Hat and the crash.

Control Panel

The control panel is once again filled with buttons and the visibility is an issue. There are direct controls to the Hi-hat, snare, bass crash and the Tom. Besides this, it has slots that can be connected to speakers, headphones, adaptors and MIDI-In and out. The console is split as, percussion sound module and metronome and the other side as drum voice list. The percussion style module can be operated using the four-way button; consisting of the reverb, patch, style and the click.

Features

Natural Response Drum head
The Pyle Pro-PED04 consists of drum heads with 128 level velocity sensors. This attributes to the sound quality generated when electric signal is passed to the sensor. It produces the sound nearly equivalent to that of acoustic drum head.

Built-in Metronome
The built-in metronome can be turned on and off respectively. The beat and the tempo can be changed using the console and the four-way navigational control. The tempo adjustment can improve the knowledge of playing drums.

MIDI Capabilities
The Pyle-ProPED04 contains MIDI in and out. However, in order to use the MIDI, one needs to purchase a midi interface and transfer the data from the system to the drum-set. Devoid of the Midi interface, we hear delay in the sound which is attributed to the interface and not the drum set itself.

Performance

Pyle Pro PED04 Electronic Drum Kit is responsive and the pads produce good sound. The frame structure is strong and though compact can take up strong beats. Moreover, the food pedals respond to the touch and does not require pressurized press. The integrated drum sounds are good and renders impressive effect when listened through the headphone. Depending on the headphone quality, the sound heard would vary. Once again, the PC speakers are not so good to re-produce the same sound effect. While playing the drum set it is advisable to place rubber feet underneath as they tend to slip away while playing too hard.

Verdict

Pyle Pro PED04 is a compact and affordable drum set packed with essential features which can improve the learning skills of an amateur drummer. The instrument usability is further extended by adding features like MIDI capabilities, built-in metronome, and the 10 drum styles can be chosen to play with. It produces decently good sound and can be practiced without any disturbance.

Pyle-Pro PED04 Drum Kit – Technical Specification Table

Overview

First and foremost, the XM drum pads can be attuned with other drum modules. The XMT-5SR electronic drum Set offers good customisation. To name a few, the user can alter the tension created on the mesh head so as to suit the drummer’s style and convenience. It can afford a maximum expansion of 14 pads. Regarding the set-up it is constructed using unique wood drum shell, wherein the crash consists of both the choke and the edge function. In addition to this, it also hoists five preset drum tones and 70 voices. The display interface is made very approachable and can be used at ease. As a final note, it comprises of features worth mentioning for a low priced drum set.

Design

The highlight portion of the XMT-5SR Electronic Drum Kit is the user friendly graphic display set-up. The set is accompanied with module box and can be connected to the module rack. The cross point screw driver can be used for this purpose. The XM 5SR electronic drumset look phenomenal. It is made by using the wooden drum shells thereby giving a classic acoustic feel to it. Furthermore, it is possible to adjust the tension of the drum head. The process involves either tightening or loosening the drum scrum which is located on the drum rim. The drum key can be used for this purpose. The trick is it has to be turned clocked wise for the tightening adjustment and the anti-clock wise for the loosening adjustment. However care must be taken in the fine tuning process. The revolution involved in each screw must not cross the half circle. In addition to this, it must be in the diagonal locking condition. It is essential to understand that the tension adjustment no way improve or depreciate the sound quality. It is done to get the user accustomed to the beat. In other words, tighter the drum head better would be the sensitivity.

The graphic display consists of all the controls to play the drum efficiently. The power switch, display screen, the volume switch, is all accommodated on the front region. The rear side hosts the connection for input and output interface for stereo. The LCD display consists of tempo, beat, volume and direct access to control each of the drum or the snare sound. This usability makes the drum set easy to operate and return for the value of money. The operating procedure is also simple. It has the areas in the display that flashes off when the drum kit itself is in the tone switch mode.

Features

Drum and Cymbal
The most unique feature of the XMT-5SR MIDI in/out Drum Set as a whole is that the tone can be adjusted fro each and every individual drum, cymbal and the hoops likewise. The adjustment part is simple. It is all accessed using the display, amongst the various menus; one would choose the respective adjustment by pressing the mode button present adjacent to the display. The so-called function flashes to start the adjustment. Simultaneously, a beat should be created by hitting on the drum which needs to be tuned. It is done so that the module can detect the one that has to be adjusted. Likewise, the volume, sensitivity and the tone adjustment ought to be carried out by pressing the function button till the particular button flashes. Unlike certain electronic musical instruments that deletes the settings and adjustments once it is turned off, this one registers the latest value of the adjustments and will continue to maintain the same, unless if some other adjustment is made.

Metronome
The XMT-5SR drum set has in-built five tones that can be selected from the display and played. The metronome adjustment can be made with the help of the mode button. The downside is that the metronome must be activated with the plus or minus button. It is because, the plus and minus button is normally used to control the volume level and when it is employed as start or stop function, it can lead to some familiarity issues in the beginning. The metronome’s speed beat and volume can be adjusted effectively in the same manner.

Expansion Slot
The drum kit expansion makes it more flexible. Within the drum set, the AUX and CHN is the expansion rail. It can be extended by pulling it from the rim up to the single drum. The same can be configured and adjusted once the set-up is complete.

MIDI
MIDI In and out slots are located on the upper side of the interface. The MIDI can be activated in the same procedure that is adopted using the display screen and the mode button.

Package

The package content is inclusive of drum module, electronic drum and bass, cymbal, hi-hat, rack stand, pedal and cable unit.

Warranty

The product comes with one year warranty.

Verdict

Considering the competition amongst the big giants such as the Alesis, Roland and Yamaha the XM though new to the European market has come packed with exciting features. Firstly, the extension capability offered for a drum set model at an affordable price is quite attractive. Secondly, the product quality is also not compromised which is very important overall. Moreover the customisation can attract the crowd. The tension of the mesh head can be altered and the drum set can be expanded depending on the player’s expertise. Hence, we could say that XM-5SR pose a better potential in the UK market for its simplicity and quality.

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XMT-5SR Electronic Drum Kit – Technical Specification Table

Overview

Yamaha DTX550K Drum Set is a comprehensive mix of quality and precision. As stated earlier, the DTX pads offer great drumming experience. The Snare pad ‘XP100SD’ is developed by getting the inputs from top musicians. The textured cellular silicone head not only produces an acoustic drum effect but encourages the player to continue to play. The design set-up is compact and the tunings can be done at ease. Another highlight feature is the hi-hat RHH135, is of moving type. It also contains around 427 sounds, chosen precisely to cover all the genres. With in an in-built practice sessions of 63 varieties, the user indeed grows along with the instrument.

Design

The Yamaha DTX 550K Electronic Drum Kit rocks with a simple yet sophisticated look. Once the assembling is done, the drum set looks appealing and as it contains a two stand leg-stand, the design is still more compact and can be kept quietly in the corner of the room. The rack RS85A is made of metal and powder coated which prevents the rust formation. The rack as such is not heavy and is readily portable. The drum set with the moderate sized tubes forms a sturdy skeleton. The clamps assert a great grip and offers solid positioning. As such the design is compact, but once fitted with the pads and snare, the area and reach to deliver a hit is slightly hindered. Especially, it would be greatly realised by users accustomed with broad acoustic drum set. On the other hand, if it is aimed with the correct technique the issue is far less pronounced. The drum trigger module does not sync well with the rest of the sophistication as it sports an outdated look. Despite the simple appearance with eight buttons and double line LCD display, the device is rather spontaneous.

Set-up

The Yamaha DTX550K drum set is dismantled and packaged in to four sections, the electronic drum rack, pad set, trigger module and the three zone drum pad. The first step is the assembling of the electronic drum module. Primarily, the position of the pipe is fixed in the counterclockwise direction from the curved pipe. The knobs are tightly fastened in that angle. The pipes are to be moved and fitted in the counterclockwise direction and if it is done the opposite, the pipes are sensitive to collision and could bend. While inserting the rubber foot on the end of the pipe, the pipe is slid outwardly up to 7cm to the farthest and then the knobs are tightened. The intersection area of the rack is handled the same way with the pipes rotated in either clockwise or counterclockwise. Finally, the cymbal holder and the trigger module attachment are attached to the rack mount. The only area of concern in the rack set-up is the pipes must be aligned and fitted in the correct direction as demonstrated in the manual. Otherwise it could bend, and moreover the advisable approach in the set-up is when handling each area, the knobs are to the loosened first. The rack set-up might take some time depending on the expertise level, however once it is completed the user ought to the check the stability by shaking the upper area of the vertical pipe. In case of unstable finish, the knobs need to be fastened even more. The next step is simple and it involves the mounting of the pads and the trigger module.  The cymbal pads are placed on the holder by removing the wing nut and the washer from the holder. Once it is secured tightly, the wind nut can be bolted on to it. The user must be cautious not to replace the cymbal pad with Real hi-hat pad as the two of the pads strikes a close resemblance. The kick pad assembly comes in four parts viz, the base, body, wing nut and the washer. The base is set on the body and attached using the nut and the washer. Followed by the kick pad assembly, the Hi-hat and the trigger module are installed. Once, the pads are positioned it can be connected via the 9 channel snake cable to the rear side of the trigger module. The assembling part takes up some time and must ensure that the small wing nuts and washers are not misplaced.

Sound Effects

The Yamaha DTX550K Digital Drum Set equipped with the RHH135 hi-hat gives the better splash and bounce. The drumming is all the more great as it has a two zone construction enabling the drummer to play in a variety of styles. The snare pad benefits from the durable and floating structure that gives the great feel. On the other hand, the snare pad can be readily tuned and adjusted using the conveniently located control system. Though the sounds generated from the snare pads and the toms give a metallic effect, they are more or less in the right place.

Highlight Features

The highlight feature of the drum set is the in-built 427 sounds. The 50 preset sounds cover a wide spectrum of genre. Additionally it can store even up to twenty drum kits. It also offers a neat training program that uniquely blends the perfect 63 internal practice sessions. The user interface is also increased by functions such as mute drum part that gives a live on stage feeling. The drum set can be connected to music player to be practiced along with the preferable tune.

Package

Yamaha DTX550K is packed with electronic drum rack, pad set, three zone drum pad, and the trigger module.

Warranty

The product comes with one year warranty.

Verdict

Yamaha and Roland always goes for a neck to neck competition as both supply drum set in the mid price range. Yamaha DTX550K, though is bit expensive than Roland, the Yamaha beat and the feel would render a great drumming experience for the money invested.

Yamaha DTX550K Drum Set – Technical Specification Table

Overview:

With an undoubted majestic look, the DM7 Drum Set from Alesis serves a shimmering beat produced by eight drums and cymbal pads. It has safely slipped inside 400 additional sounds to enthrall the user. The product truly offers an excellent partnership with iPod, and using the USB it rapidly connects to the Mac and PC and is almost compatible with commonly used music software’s. The sound can be stopped abruptly in between with the help of crash with choke feature. The assembling part is somewhat made easier as it is pre-assembled and consumes less time for the initial setup.

Design:

Alesis DM7 consist of drum rack and three cymbal pads inclusive of Hi-Hat, Crash and ride. Drum pads includes snare, Tom 1, Tom 2 and Tom 3 along with the kick pad. The kick pad is firmly supported with screws. The kick pedal must be purchased separately. Once the initial set-up is completed, the drumset surely knocks off a majestic impression. The triple zone snare pads takes up a distinguished look and produces quality cross sticks sounds, rimshot and triggering head. The connection and set-up part is quite easy as each cable can be readily identified with the respective name of the pad on it. The drum set control lies on the display panel situated at the side of the cymbal pad. Using the display panel the user can maneuver all the features. The buttons are arranged in a semi circle fashion with the display screen in the middle. The screen size is considerable enough to support the user, however we highly doubt as whether the buttons would be clearly visible while playing at very low light setting. Something like an LED glowing would enhance the view. The rear side of the panel supports the power switch, USB jack and the headphone jack. The rubber pads are flexible enough to withstand heavy hits and do not annoy the surrounding environment. Another characteristic feature in DM7 is the “choke” operation. It renders an immediate halt just by gripping the pad using the hand, which is considered as a unique feature blended in to an electronic drum. The hi-hat pedal consists of three different sectors and each produces a different sound when hit at various positions. Adjusting the additional zone setting is not possible in the control menu. Changes made from the advanced menu screen gets automatically saved even if the user exits the operation. There is a minimal time period of 5 seconds for the drumset to get in to the reset mode. This is a nominal waiting period. Overall the DM7 adorns a serious and professional look and gains momentum when started to play on it.

User Friendly Setup:

The initial set-up time required for Alesis DM7 Electronic Drum Set is very minimal and can be done by just fastening some screws to it. Before plunging in to the dismantling and assembling part, the user must decide a permanent place for the drumset inside the house. As the set consists of several parts, moving it from one place to another is cumbersome unlike the mobility of compact designs. The set comes off with four-post preassembled racks and the user needs to just connect the basic settings. The 1 1/12 inch tubing is strong enough and meets up with the compatibility with wide range of components. The wingnuts must be loosened initially so as to adjust the positions. It must be later re-tightened once the set-up is finished. The left and the right legs must be inserted in to their clamps and the height should be adjusted accordingly. The user can verify as whether they are in same level. The clamps on the rack are moved to the respective location as applicable to the user and the wingnuts must be fastened tightly. The L-rods is neatly secured by rotating the same towards the respective position and can be tightly screwed. Finally the cymbal arms are inserted in to their respective clamps and later secured tightly. The wing nuts must be carefully tightened and it takes up less time than assumed. Not to mention, the flexibility is excellent in positioning the cymbal arms as it has mini-boom tilter feature. The kick pad is assisted with retractable spur so as to position it in place Once this set-up is completed the cymbals, drum pads, kick pads and drum modules are fastened. In all the afore-said arrangement, aligning the parts against its respective rods and appropriate positioning is required. Hence the assembling part would be less complicated if there is some assistance.

Features:

Stereo Sounds:

Alesis DM7 5-piece Drum Kit is integrated with 418 sounds, and each one is characteristic of its own. The sound varies from drum beat to cymbal and percussion instruments. It also permits the user to employ 50 preset kits with good sonic flexibility. The user can also create 30 sounds based on their creativity. The songs are classified in to two types viz 52 demo songs that can be used for playback and practise and 10 user songs for self recording purpose. The user can fine tune the speed of the song just by pressing the TEMPO button and the data dial is rotated till it is in the required speed. We liked the toggle feature that can be of good assistance while playing, as it is possible to filter the drum beat separately from the song. The availability of count feature will guide the user the rate at which they can strike the pads. The pad’s sensitivity can be altered in this case. This feature is advantageous for enthusiastic learners.
External Device Connection

Alesis DM7 USB Drum Set permits the user to transmit MIDI data to the computer using the USB connection. It is also possible to connect iPod with the help of ¼” line input and can play along with the song. The operating system supported includes Windows XP, Windows Vista and Mac OS X. The drivers are automatically installed and the module appears as audio device in the computer. The ¼” stereo headphones can be connected through headphone jack. Availability of line-in jack enables the user to connect audio device through the ¼” inch cable. The device sound gets mixed up with the drum module and thus rendering to play along with a CD player. The volume can be adjusted for the speakers though the main screen.

Metronome:

The metronome function offers the user to maintain a constant playing speed. The metronome’s activation is acknowledged through a counting sound adjacent to the tempo. The display gives an excellent metronome options. The volume and the metronome sound can be tuned to the user’s preference and it can be even saved in the device. The next time it automatically pops up when the metronome is activated. The metronome stores several languages inclusive of English and Chinese. The adjustments must be done by pressing the button twice, which can be avoided in the upcoming models.

Cross-Talk:

It is inevitable to design drum set with zero crosstalk. However, Alesis has aimed to deliver DM7 with negligible disturbance. Crosstalk happens due to the sensitivity of the pad over the hit of another pad. The pads can detect even the smallest vibration produced in the rack due to the hit of other pads. Alesis has embedded module crosstalk feature that is targeted to reduce as much crosstalk as possible. The procedure is simple as the user needs to choose the pad that gives the maximum effect either by pressing the display function or by striking the pad and then activating the same in the display. The dial function is turned to reduce the value from 0 to 100, the least the value the lesser would be the effect. Nevertheless, the calibration must be executed with care so as to avoid the assigning of least value to the pad. It can even hinder the basic sound generated by the pad. It is only possible to validate each pad at a time and simultaneous process is not permitted.

Performance:

The performance is more than expected from DM7. Specific features enhance the usability range of the drum set. Notable one is the Hi-Hat pedal setting. As stated earlier, it consists of 3 different zones and each setting offers different sound. When the pedal’s position is upheld, it produces an open hi-hat sound as defined by the open threshold. Whereas the closed hi-hat sound depends on the extent of pressure applied to press the pedal downwards and is determined by the closed threshold limit. Customisation of the open and the closed thresholds are possible by tuning the hi-hat pedal sensitivity. Similar to that of an acoustic drum, Alesis has blended in several points like the lowest of the numbers to generate the open hi-hat and the highest of the pedal point so as to create the closed hi-hat. In addition to the afore-said classification, the user can feel the pedal threshold that is set to the lowest value as against the closed threshold. Various factors clubbed together promote a good overall sound from the drum set. Characteristic features such as the equalizer; accompaniment & percussion volume and count sensitivity propagates a good playing experience. The equalizer is of 8 types ranging from bass boost, bass mid, bright mid and high and many more. It can adjust the global drum tone. The accompaniment setting further determines the volume of the accompaniment the user hears while playing a song.  The volume of the drums can be adjusted aptly through the percussion control. The pitch can be adjusted in either direction though the count sensitivity mode, though a much lesser sensitivity is highly recommended than the regular one. All these parameters when applied appropriately give out a quality performance. Besides, certain restriction such as the non-availability of adjusting the rim and edges within one setting option limits the usability to some degree. The user needs to exit the function and perform the tuning in the edit mode of the display. The sensitivity can be tuned to a range of 001-127, besides a higher level might produce re-triggering effect. Alesis DM7 gives an upper edge to the user’s limits as it contains the trigger curve feature. A curve can be selected from the preset list and the user can strike a balance between the force applied and the sound produced on hitting the pad. The curve can be altered till the desirable response is felt. Such options bang DM7 to an astonishing entertainment value.

Package Contents:

The drum contents consists of DM Rack Drum Rack, Kick Pad, Cymbal Pad, Drum Pad, Hi-Hat Control Pad, DM7 Drum Module, Module Mount, Drum Key, Screw driver, Software Coupon, Assembly Guide, Manual.

Warranty:

Alesis DM5 Pro Kit comes with one year warranty for parts and labour.

Verdict:

The best part of purchasing the DM7 is the extent of customisation it permits the user. Especially, the crash with choke feature gives a sudden halt when the user needs to stop abruptly in between the play. There are varieties of options that can enable a good control between the instrument and the player. This is a very important aspect in the case of electronic music instruments. Each striker has a different style and the instrument must be robust enough to offer the flexibility. DM7 is designed to grow along with the user. Embedded with many tuning and adjustment facilities, the user can get a good grip while playing the drum set. From budding learners to professional, the DM7 makes a good bond with the player, which is the most sought after requirement in any electronic drum set.

Read other Alesis Drum Sets Reviews in this website.

Alesis DM7 Electronic 5-piece Drum Set – Product Specification Table

Overview:

Anxiety in purchasing an electronic drum especially by the beginner’s is incredible. Some common concerns are, ease of handling, extend of learning opportunities to harness their interest, practice hours the instrument can withstand, the quality of sound and many more. In that case, most of your uncertainty is answered through the Alesis DM6 USB Drum Kit. It is a scaled down kit from Alesis. The first noticeable feature of the drum set is the compactness it offers. When compared to the previous DM series, it is made of different composite material and hence it is lighter. Even though, it is light weighted, it is sturdy enough to handle the beat. The natural rubber drum head rebound with good sound frequency.

Design:

With a reasonable price, Alesis has packed almost everything in the drum set inclusive a pair of drumsticks. Heavy duty aluminum rack with standard 1-1/12 inch tubing supports the DM6 Kit.  The aluminum rails provide the lightness to the instrument. Subsequent addition of Alesis and other brand clamps and mount is possible to the DM6 kit. Taking into account the value for money, Alesis provides a bass drum pedal. Notably, the kick pad is well-suited with single or double brass drum pedal. The snare is a twin-zone pad, one at the center and the other at the rim for rim clicks. The dual snare pad provides two sound compatibility. The snare sound could be customized (rim shot or cowbell). It is a dual pad snare, and the pad’s edge is slightly elevated and makes an unusual sound. To bring about compactness, the cymbals are somewhat closely packed and, the pads are readily susceptible to activation even while using the hit-hit. The rack system is of good quality and can withstand a good lot of pressure. DM6 employs trademark rubber pads, targeted to give nearest feel of using natural drum head, as it is velocity sensitive. The rubber pads are extremely advisable for beginners and youngsters. But the sound quality could have been better with Mylar pads. DM6 is designed by stripping certain control features from the DM5 such as cross talk, sensitivity, velocity curve and decay and so on. It is not highly beneficial, if one would like to carry the drum set for concert purposes. However, it still contains a UL frame and solenoid. The connecting cables are bit short of length. The pedals are receptive and could be adjusted quickly. Although, the pedal is not connected to the cymbal, an effect of being connected is brought about.

User Friendly Setup:

Alesis DM6 Electronic Drum Set is a complete package with mounting hardware and cables. It is quite easy to   fasten the clamps and is fitted without tool support. Pre-snaked and labeled cables with multi pin connector that can be attached to the drum’s rear side. The drum set parts can be fitted easily with the booklet guide. The arrangement can be customized as per the user’s hand familiarity. The most important factor is the throne adjustment; it must make a 90º degree angle with the feet to the ground. Ergonomically, it must not cause back ache once practiced for long hours. The drum kit support rim shots and hence, the snare must be placed above the thigh level, so as to produce the expected snare drum sound. It is possible to upgrade the trigger pads, by replacing with new hybrid cymbals that produces realistic outputs such as choke stops. The drum set looks compact and neat once the set up is completed. The pedals have Velcro strip underneath, which prevents the pedals from moving around. The set up can be customized for the right-handed drummer and the left-handed drummer respectively.

Sound Effect:

The most distinguishing feature of DM6 USB Drum Kit is that it has all in it at a reasonable price. Alesis has not compensated the quality with respect to sound effect, even if it is sold as the reasonable price category. The characteristic feature of DM6 is the sound amplification it produces. The in-built Dynamic Articulation pushes to a nearly acoustic drum set effect. It is because each sound simply does not get louder but it change character at each hit. An in-built dynamic sample provides various sequences to the drum or cymbal and not just mere volume change. Dynamic Articulation is an Alesis exclusive drum centric technology. The volume adjustability is good. A wide variety of rim shots, rim clicks and various stick placement sounds can be created on the cymbal. The hi-hat sound can be varied by adjusting the pedal, the force at which it is struck, and various other variables. Area of concern while playing faster beat is the improper sound registration of hi-hat and snare. It puts the DM6 unusable for heavier forms of rocks, metal, hardcore and punt, the issue could have been resolved if “Cross talk” settings had been added. The cymbals nearly appear and sound like metal cymbal. It is made up of rubber coated material with good trigger cymbals. The sensor detects the signals required to activate or stop the sound. Typically acoustic cymbals produce majority of three different sounds, depending on the place of hit and the force. When hit on the edge, crash noise is produced, a bell type sound is generated on hitting the cymbal at the bell section of the cymbal, and the crash can be created when the cymbal is hit anywhere but with the tip of the stick. In the DM6, the cymbal needs proper amount of force as soft hits are sometimes unrecognized, due to the sensitivity of the trigger in the cymbal. On the other hand, the cymbal when it is hit hard produces bell-like sound. Hence, it is up to the user to set a trend or practice to get the right hit and produce the right sound, as it can be easily controlled.

MIDI capabilities:

Alesis DM6 USB Kit is originally designed as standalone unit with all in-built sounds. However, it consists of an USB and MIDI externals. The connectivity with PC containing the MIDI compatible software is easy. MIDI communicates information such as notes, volume, dynamics, length of patterns, can be sent between the devices. MIDI widens the capability of making music with drums. DM6 can be used controller in the presence of Toontrack, BFD etc…Real-time audio recording is possible, and the information can be studied later. It is the best feature especially suited for aspiring musicians.

Highlight Feature:

It is the most effective and cheap priced drum set that contains 108 lively drum and percussion modules, besides the cymbal effect. The cymbal surface is selected for their low vibration feedback. DM6 is velocity responsive and creates a natural response. It can be connected to iPod through the USB connector to the computer. It enables the user to play along with the live music. The DM6 model has an in-built metronome and with 40 preset music tracks. The metronome makes the practice sessions quite useful and brings perfection to the drumming experience. Featuring 10 presets and 5 custom slots, the user can edit, save drum kits for custom sound.

Package:

The DM6 Kit has three in numbers of tom pads accompanied with hi-hat, upright kick drum, ride cymbal and inclusive of Alesis hi-hat and bass drum pedals and drumsticks.

Cost effective:

The Alesis DM6 is the cost-effective kit available in the market and consists of almost everything a drummer needs at a reasonable price.

Warranty:

Alesis DM5 Pro Kit comes with one year warranty for parts and labor.

Verdict:

Availability of electronic drum set exclusively for budding drummers is very few. If at all present, either the drum set is expensive or many features are slashed down to make it reasonable. Truly speaking, Alesis has plainly committed to encourage the drumming interest in children’s and teenagers by giving DM6 with top-notch features and all basic parts necessary to reinforce their interest. However, overcoming few recurring issues with respect to snare beat registration is vital. The issue can be sorted by downloading and installing the firmware patch. Alesis can bring about clarity in updating the firmware and solving the issue. Besides the trivial concerns, the DM6, a light weighted drum and perfectly fits in any corner.

Alesis DM6 USB Electronic Drum Kit – Technical Specification Table

Design and Construction:

As always, we would like to begin with the design and construction of the drum kit. The benefits of electric drums are many, but their small size and portability is what has helped make these electronic versions much more popular. The Session Pro DD505 Electronic Digital Drum Set is no exception. The kit has used the very popular compact design that Roland invented for their popular HD1 kit. Its tubular metal frame feels quite sturdy and the pads also feel pretty realistic and robust too.  This durable unit is easy to set up and move, takes limited space. The first thing you will notice on the Session Pro kit is that there are no visible wires connecting the pads to the brain. This is because all the wires run inside the frame, so all you have to do is clip the pads in place to make it work. This makes the kit look cleaner & also stops the cables getting tangled or damaged.

Design flaws:

We have only a couple of gripes in this front; the bass pedal which comes new with the kit is very flimsy and just not up to heavy, repeat use. You can replace this unit with a standard Pearl pedal which fits fine and gives a greater feeling of robustness. The arm upon which the drum module sits is a little odd and could be better designed as the module does not always seem to be completely secure.

The Kit:

The Session Pro DD505 kit includes four Drum Pads with one snare and 3 toms, three Cymbal Pads with 1 hihat and 2 cymbals, one Hi-Hat Control Pedal With Half Open Feature and one Bass Drum Kick Trigger.

Features:

Feature wise, the DD505 Electric Digital Drum Kit is slightly differs from the previous versions, and to be precise, the instrument is now cable of choking the cymbals by holding the leading edge once the cymbal is struck. This new and improved version has many additions, including a louder kick drum sound and a larger bass drum trigger which allows the use of a double bass drum pedal.

Sounds:

The Session Pro DD505 allows you to plug in your iPod or any a la electronic music gadgets and jam along all of your favourite tracks through headphones. The brain features a wide variety of presets, including 215 Voices, 20 Preset Kits, 10 User Kits and 50 Preset Songs. The snare drum can even produce the sound of rim shots when opted for. This cymbal produces three sounds, namely closed, half open and fully open.  The sound module also has a MIDI out feature, which allows the kit to be used to trigger the sounds in any of the other MIDI sound module or PC.

Help yourself:

As we had mentioned earlier, the kit comes with built in tunes that you could improvise to or drum along to. How it works is when you need to hit a drum, a light flashes on the drum brain telling which one. While this can be tricky at first, if you keep trying you will get the hang of it and it helps that you can alter the tempo.

Sound:

Moving on to the brain, which is the sound module of the kit, it is pretty basic. But, being basic does not mean that the sound is average too, as the kit’s sounds are OK. Though the DD505 does not sound exactly like an Acoustic set, it seems to be fairly realistic. In use the pads are really quiet and in the room are much quieter than the expensive MESH heads found on other kits, although not as sensitive. They are too small and you will constantly find yourself hitting the edge of the drum or missing it completely. The drums are made of solid rubber, you don not get the bounce from the stick as much as you would like so it is hard to do drum rolls. Also the kit does not support rim shots which is a nuisance. Though, not all of the kit is bad.

Warranty:

The Session Pro DD505 Electronic Drum Kit comes with two years manufacturer’s warranty for parts and labour.

Conclusion:

The Session Pro DD505 is one of the first electric drum kits that has been tagged under 400 pounds that can actually be recommended to the musicians. Everything that is needed to get started with the kit has been included, except for a pair of headphones, so add that cost to the 400 pounds. The price is still premium when compared to a starter acoustic drum kit, but if you are living with another practicing drummer, we are quite sure that you will be glad that you had spent the little extra money to save your friendship. The kit was never designed to compete with the thousand pound plus Rolands but at a few hundred pounds they are great value. We would recommend this kit to beginners only for it lack the quality that an advanced drummer needs.

Session Pro DD505 Electronic Drum Kit/Set – Technical Specification Table

Design and Features:

The Music Alley Junior Drum Kit is of excellent quality Nevada pro junior drum kit that comprises of one 14 bass drum with pedal, one 8 mounted tom tom, one 8 mounted snare drum, one cymbal, one pair of drum sticks and a hard wearing drum stool. The whole set is available in two vibrant colours of are red and blue. Like other junior drum kits, the Music Alley Junior Drum Kit also weighs a moderate 11kgs.

Age group:

It is ideal for kids of the age of between three to six years.  The Drum Kit certainly has everything that a kid of this age group would need to have a sound understanding of the kit. It is made in such a way that suits the child’s age yet gives the best sound effects.

Verdict:

The Music Alley 3 Piece Junior Drum Kit/Set great value for money and is the correct version of the instrument that your child can handle at his or her age. So if your child wants to be a drummer, then the Music Alley Junior Drum Kit will certainly prove to be their dream gift.

Music Alley Junior Drum Kit – Technical Specification Table

Design:

Smart and Compact:
Roland has shown that looks can be deceiving by packing a powerful punch in a space saving drum kit. The complete kit is small, but sounds quite impressive. The compact style of the kit and the abundance of its features make it just the perfect choice for schools, home use and even studios. The innovative design also makes the kit easy to be transported and also offers a much cleaner look, no matter where it is played. From the diminutive little module sited atop the compact silver rack to the pod-like pedal housings, there is clear evidence of some heavy-duty design having been brought to bear on the new kit. And while it might be Lite in nature, the HD-1 is no flimsy toy. In fact its solidity is one of the most remarkable things about it. Though it is not as stable as a full TD-20 rig, the kit is heavy enough to put while playing, and the built quality is just sufficient to assuage any fears that it will only be good enough for some occasional tap around.

The Kit:
The HD-1 kit comes equipped with 10 drum kits, 10 patterns, and a metronome with various tempos, sounds, and volumes. The configuration includes a kick pedal, a snare, a hi-hat pedal, three toms, a crash, and a ride. Everything is controlled from a state-of-the-art control center that has five control buttons, a variation button, button for the metronome, a volume knob, and a tempo knob. The HD-1’s dedicated drum module is located right in the front with large backlit buttons that makes it easy to read and understand.

Installation:

The Roland HD-1 V-Drums Lite Electronic Drum set can be played from day one. As it comes with an easy to understand owner’s manual, a set-up guide, and a DVD manual will make putting everything together a breeze. Since most of HD-1’s components are mounted on one stand, setting up is just so fast and easy. Hence, most of you will not have to follow the long instructions included with the drum kit. Just take the Roland HD-1 out and start playing. Once it is all in place, it provides a decent balance between compactness and playing space.

Instruction DVD:

The instructional DVD included is a very informative and it teaches you how to set up your HD-1 kit and even gives you tips and tricks on how to play the hit. Jonny Rabb, the world famous drum clinician who is also the owner of the world record for the most number of single snare strokes in a minute, introduces the Roland HD-1 from setting up, explanation of how it works and even gives you a quick drum lesson.

Features:

Roland’s V-Drum line, while consisting of hardware products, is very much a range built on the capabilities of seriously hi-tech software. The mesh head pads and sexy tubular racks of gear like the TD-12K and TD-20K are all well and good, but without the processing power of the software within, they would be a pretty but useless assemblage of rubber, nylon and metal.

Just quiet:
The Roland HD-1 is not just for adults, it is a great choice for the kids as well. The proud parents will be able to admire their kids from afar without sharing their new hobby too much. This electronic drums with low noise pads gives you total control of the volume. You are the one to set the maximum noise of the drums and turn them down if it is too loud. You just cannot imagine anything like this in an acoustic kit. Roland’s drum pads are award winning and are extremely comfortable to play. They are acoustically so quite that you will not be disturbing even the person in next room. The snare drum of the HD1 comes with mesh skin, which means it is so realistic to play with authentic bounce and recoil; this again is, far quieter than an acoustic snare drum.

Hi-hat and Pedals:
The hi-hat of Roland V-drums looks and feels more like a proper hat and as it sounds, the end result is that, you will have a much more realistic and enjoyable playing experience. Roland has got just everything perfect by designing even the pedals to be quiet. With a rubber base, the kick drum and hi-hat pedals do not actually touch the floor. This reduces both noise and vibration and even eliminates slide on wooden floors.

Play along:
You will be able to connect an iPod, or any portable music player for that matter to the HD-1. This allows you to jam along with your favourite songs. You will also be able to control the blend of your drumming with the music, which again, is one of the best and most ways to learn drumming. In addition to this, free play along tracks can also be downloaded from Roland’s V-Drums website.

No editing:
However, there is no editing as far as sounds go, what you are given is what you have got. In the main this is no great shame, because the sounds are very solid. But in some cases it would be useful to reduce reverb levels on the acoustic bass drums, or tune snares up for a tighter tone.

Sounds:
There are very few drums in the market that create realistic and expressive electronic drum sounds; Roland tops the list and its HD-1 Kids, Beginners Drum Kit is no exception. The kit is equipped with a dedicated drum module has a world class line-up of drum sounds for you to explore and enjoy.

Comfort:
Playing the HD-1 is a rather different experience than sitting behind a more normal-sized electronic kit. But it is in no way unpleasant or uncomfortable, quite the contrary: everything falls to hand easily and the fact that everything is slotted in close actually means you have to concentrate on accuracy rather than flailing all over the place. The tactile response of the playing surface is just excellent. Players who are already familiar with the V-Drum stuff so far will appreciate the forgiving nature of the snare pad, and the wrist saving softness of the cushioned rubber toms is welcome too.

Performance:

On the grounds of performance, you will find that the Roland’s HD-1 V-Drums Lite is just close to perfect if you are used to playing acoustic drums. The drum pads of Roland HD1 offers you a comfortable feel for all round playing and the rubber pads are so sensitive, that they respond to rim shots. The snare drum gives some great sound and both the drum heads and cymbals respond just fantastic to the adjustments. We appreciate the remarkable performance of the pedal system. Overall, we just feel that nobody creates more realistic and expressive electronic drum sounds than Roland; there are 10 kits at your disposal at the touch of a button, ranging from rock to pop to electronic.

Warranty:

Roland offers its HD-1 V-Drums Lite kit three years warranty.

Verdict:

Roland HD-1 V-Drums Lite is one of the best Beginners Drums Kit in the market. To begin with, it has been made to cleverly fit into any corner of a room and the next is the price, we can say without any exaggeration that HD1 is Roland’s best priced electronics drums kit yet. Low price does not mean that they have skimped on the quality anywhere. You also get everything that you will need to simulate playing a 5 piece drum kit. If you are looking for a perfect drum kit for a beginning drummer or a portable drum kit for a seasoned pro the Roland HD-1 is the best bet. Roland’s awesome technology combined with their high-end design gives even affordable electronic drum kits power and great sound.

Roland HD-1 Electronic Drum Kit – Technical Specification Table

Design:

The ION iED05 USB Drum Kit looks like a toy when you look at it for the first time. It certainly is made to look so, only then it would be simpler and easier for the novice users to get acquainted with it. Going a little deeper into the details of the design, there are five pads that are arranged in an order that looks pretty much like the conventional drum kit. It will hence be easy to use it. Each pad can produce different sounds and the acoustics of these pads are designed to produce sounds of different pitch and tone. One can alter the sounds that each pad can produce by changing the settings on your computer using the software.

Fixing and Installing:

Using the guidelines given in the user’s manual, one needs to fix the individual components like pads, rods, wires and plugs. One must also be very careful while connecting the plugs to the ports and do it as it is given in the manual. The rods are of sufficient length so that it can be adjusted according to your height. After doing all this, you need to connect the whole drum kit to your computer. This can be done by simply plugging in the USB cable into the port of the computer. Now, the fixing part of the kit is over.
You will find a CD provided along with the kit and using this, the software must be installed onto your computer. This will be a very simple process, just like the installation of any other software. After installing this software, which is known as the Virtual Drum X, just open the software and you will find the virtual diagram of the drum kit on the computer. There are also options for you to change the settings so that the tone of the music can be changed and then you can customise the settings, save the composed tunes, and a lot more options are in readiness for you. You can save the files in the popular MIDI format.

Composing Music:

Composing music on the ION IED05 Electronic Drum Kit is a very easy process. Using the drum sticks provided along with the kit, just strike the plastic pads just like you strike on the real drum kit. The force with which the pad is struck decides the intensity of the sound. You can see that each time you strike the pad the beat is noted by the software on the computer and after you complete the beating process, you can save the composition as an MIDI file. Then, you can alter the already saved tunes according to your taste and the composition can be changed partly or wholly to produce a good musical effect. These files can be transferred by using a USB flash disk drive and they can be copied on to another computer or even a mobile phone that supports MIDI files.

PC Requirements:

The ION iED05 MIDI Drum Kit has the following minimum system requirements in order to be compatible with your PC: IBM compatible PC, Pentium III 800MHz or higher with 256 MB of memory recommended, Microsoft Windows Server 2003, 2000, 98SE, or ME, XP, Vista, CD-ROM: 8X speed or faster, Keyboard & Mouse, USB port, VGA compatible display (or higher), DirectX® video/graphics & sound-card drivers, 150MB of free hard-disk space for software installation, Sound Card, Speakers or Earphones.

Performance:

The ION IED05 is one of the better virtual drum kits available in the market. You can expect an excellent performance from this drum kit. Even though it is not as good as the real thing, this drum kit can be a great blessing for those people who wish to start learning music lessons and also for those who want to start composing music on a small scale. There are some concerns regarding the compatibility of the kit with some of the operating systems. Well, this is not true for all, but if your system cannot identify the kit or the software, you need to install some drivers, which may solve the issue. Some computers may also need a converter that converts file into MIDI format so that it will be compatible with most of the devices. It also does not require power cables. It receives power through the USB cable, from the computer. But, above all, the performance is good.

Warranty:

ION offers a parts and labour warranty service for a period of one year from the original date of purchase, pertaining to certain limitations and conditions.

Verdict:

The ION IED05 Digital Drum Set looks like it is a professional kit for starters, so you can easily access it even if you are a at a beginner’s level. Not only can it be used as a professional drum kit, but it also can be used to train the beginners before they actually get used to the real drum kit. Some really important drums lessons can also be learnt since the sounds produced once can be saved on the computer. This allows you to review the lessons time and again. It can be gifted to children so that it can be a great learning tool for them as they create interest in music. For such a low price, you can learn a lot of music lessons from the ION IED05.

Check Best Selling Drum Sets, Drum Kit Reviews, Latest Alesis Drum Kits in this website.

Ion iED05 Midi Drum Set – Technical Specification Table

Design:

The Bontempi JE5690 “Rock Drummer” Electronic Drum Set comes in a very cool stylish design. This is comparatively a very small set with its dimensions of (H x W x D) 40 x 18.7 x 41.5 and weighs just 6Kgs. This is a four piece drum kit.

Features:

The Bontempi JE5690 Drum Set is an excellent sounding kit with clip on the music box to play along to. It has heaps of pre-programmed tunes and as this list includes “Happy Birthday”, it will be an excellent birthday gift.

Storage can never be an issue with such small dimensions of the kit. The kit also includes a stool. The entire kit is extremely easy to assemble. The instruction manual is very informative and has full instructions on assembly and usage of the kit. The toy is very durable and if at all we have any issues, it is with the stool as it is a bit light and easy to topple over.

The drums set requires three AA batteries required which is included in the package.

Conclusion:

The Bontempi JE5690 Rock Drummer Electronic Drum Set is an excellent toy for the kids. The background tunes are ideal and kids can soon get in rhythm. The extra few pounds that you pay for the kit is well worth it. We recommend it for kids above the age of three.

Bontempi JE5690 Electronic Kids Drum Kit – Technical Specification Table