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For metal, select electronic drums by the physical kick setup, pad layout and module connections’not a promised ‘speed’ rating. A kick tower or shell that accepts your chosen double pedal, tunable mesh heads, stable hardware, and MIDI/audio routing are more relevant. Confirm excluded hardware before ordering.
| # | Product | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roland VAD716 | $9,500’$10,000 | Amazon · eBay |
| 2 | Roland TD516 | $3,500’$4,000 | Amazon · eBay |
| 3 | Alesis Strata Prime | $3,300’$3,600 | Amazon · eBay |
| 4 | Alesis Strata Core | $1,800’$2,100 | Amazon · eBay |
| 5 | Yamaha DTX10K-X | $5,500’$6,500 | Amazon · eBay |
| 6 | Zildjian ALCHEM-E Gold EX | $5,800’$6,200 | Amazon · eBay |
| 7 | EFNOTE 7 | $3,500’$4,500 | Amazon · eBay |
| 8 | EFNOTE 7X | $4,000’$5,000 | Amazon · eBay |
| 9 | Simmons Titan 90 | $1,400’$1,800 | Amazon |
The picks, in detail
Roland VAD716
Flagship acoustic-design kit with a 22-inch KD-22 kick drum, digital snare, hi-hat and ride, and the V71 module. The module provides 14 TRS trigger inputs, three digital inputs, USB audio/data and direct outputs.
- 22-inch kick drum
- Digital snare, hi-hat and ride
- V71 expansion inputs
- Full acoustic-style footprint
- Extensive routing
- Kick pedal and stands are extra
- Very high price
Roland TD516
Current rack kit with a 7.5-inch KD-12 kick playing surface, PD-140DS digital snare, VH-14D hi-hat and CY-18DR ride. The V51 module has four analog trigger inputs, three digital inputs, USB-C audio/MIDI and sample import.
- 7.5-inch KD-12 kick
- 14-inch digital snare
- USB-C audio/MIDI
- Digital snare, hi-hat and ride
- Four analog expansion inputs
- Pedal, snare stand and hi-hat stand are extra
- Check pedal fit on compact tower
Alesis Strata Prime
Large mesh-pad kit with 14-inch dual-zone snare, 8/10/12/14-inch dual-zone toms, 18-inch triple-zone ride and two 16-inch triple-zone crashes. Its mesh kick works with a wide range of pedals.
- Double-ply mesh heads
- 18-inch triple-zone ride
- BFD-based Strata module
- Large pad and cymbal layout
- Kick accepts common pedals
- Pedal and hi-hat stand are extra
- Needs substantial floor space
Alesis Strata Core
Compact Strata kit with a 12-inch dual-zone snare, 8/8/10-inch toms, 12-inch triple-zone hi-hat and crashes, and a 14-inch triple-zone ride. Alesis states that virtually any kick pedal fits; USB MIDI can trigger computer drum software.
- 12-inch dual-zone snare
- 14-inch triple-zone ride
- USB MIDI
- Standard-pedal compatibility
- BFD factory content
- Smaller pads than Strata Prime
- Pedal and hi-hat stand are extra
Yamaha DTX10K-X
DTX-PROX kit with a 12-inch TCS snare, 10-inch TCS rack toms, 12-inch TCS floor tom and 12-inch mesh KP128 kick. It includes 13- and 15-inch crashes plus a 17-inch three-zone ride; the module has individual outs, AUX input and USB audio.
- 12-inch mesh kick
- TCS snare and toms
- 17-inch three-zone ride
- Separate outputs for stage or studio
- Substantial cymbal layout
- Kick pedal is separate
- Premium price
Zildjian ALCHEM-E Gold EX
Full-shell kit with a 20×14-inch bass drum, 14×5-inch snare, 10/12-inch rack toms and 14-inch floor tom. Drums have head, rimshot and rim zones; E-VAULT supplies six drum and six cymbal expansion inputs, USB audio/MIDI and 5-pin MIDI.
- 20-inch bass drum
- Three-zone drums and cymbals
- USB and DIN MIDI
- Full-size kick shell
- Many expansion inputs
- Pedal and hi-hat stand are extra
- Large footprint
EFNOTE 7
Acoustic-style kit using the EFD-7 module. It supports three-zone snare, crashes and ride, two-zone toms and hi-hat, USB eight-channel audio output/two-channel input, USB MIDI and Bluetooth audio/MIDI.
- Three-zone snare and cymbals
- USB 8-output audio
- Bluetooth audio and MIDI
- Detailed multi-zone triggers
- Computer-friendly connections
- Confirm hardware package with seller
- Expansion varies by configuration
EFNOTE 7X
Expanded EFNOTE 7-series configuration with an added effects cymbal. The EFD-7 module provides three-zone snare, crashes and ride, two-zone toms and hi-hat, plus USB eight-channel audio, USB MIDI and Bluetooth audio/MIDI.
- Expanded cymbal layout
- Three-zone snare and cymbals
- USB multichannel audio
- Extra cymbal-oriented layout
- MIDI and multichannel audio
- Confirm included hardware
- Higher cost than standard 7
Simmons Titan 90
Current mesh kit with a 12-inch multi-zone snare, four 10-inch dual-zone toms, 7-inch kick tower, 12-inch moving hi-hat, two 12-inch crashes and a 14-inch ride. The module has 672 sounds, sample import, Bluetooth audio/MIDI, USB, MIDI I/O and two dual-zone expansion inputs.
- 7-inch kick tower
- Four 10-inch mesh toms
- Two dual-zone expansion inputs
- Expandable trigger layout
- Dedicated kick tower
- Check double-pedal clearance
- Availability varies
Buying tips
- Bring the actual double pedal’or confirm its beater spacing’when testing a kick tower; compatibility is mechanical, not a genre setting.
- Set kick sensitivity, threshold, retrigger and crosstalk with the pedal and beaters you will actually use, then test at rehearsal volume.
- For recording, decide whether you need MIDI alone, stereo USB audio or multichannel audio/direct outputs before paying for a larger module.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.