Alesis CompactKit 7 - Portable Tabletop Electric Drum Kit with 7 Pads, 265 Electronic and Acoustic Drum Set Sounds and Drum Sticks

Product Information

Features: What additional features come complete with the kit or module and how well do they work? For example, many e-kits now feature Bluetooth connectivity, but how reliable is it and how easy is the connection process? Is it possible to add your own sounds to the module? If so, how easy is this process? When you don’t have a lot of space. Or want to get something for the kids to start with. Or you just want something you can easily take on the road with you. Electronic tabletop drum kits really are an awesome option.

The kits give you everything you need in the box too, so they make a great gift for the kids, grandkids, significant other… or even yourself. 🙂 The drum sounds are again really good quality – close your eyes, use good headphone and you’ll be struggling not to think these are ‘real’ drums. The CompactKit 7 however offers 45 preset kits, 5 user kits and 265 drum/percussion sounds. The most out of the 3. It also offers USB-MIDI too, headphones output and has a built-in metronome. In this guide, we’re looking at the best e-kits for kids that will help them take their first steps with the instrument - with options for almost any budget. While we would always recommend going straight for a full kit with individual pads, we've also included a small handful of 'desktop drum pads' which house all playing surfaces within a smaller tabletop unit. These are a great introduction to the concept of drumming, but won't deliver the full experience, so unless space is an issue we wouldn't put these at the top of your list. The Alesis looks quite similar to the Pyle-Pr. It has the same 7 pad layout, same body shape, the same foot pedals and weighs in at the same 7.3 pounds. All of which is good news.

Features

You may not have heard of Pyle Audio, but if not, don’t worry. Pyle are a serious audio and electronics company. They make everything from pro DJ gear to audio processing equipment, so they know about sound. Which does translate into the PTED01 – it sounds really good, whether through decent headphones or routed to a computer or through e.g. a keyboard amplifier. If you're looking for a great portable drum unit that's ideal for quiet practice and can even be used on stage/in the studio, then theAlesis Compact Kit 7 is a great choice. TIP: I’ve seen some people criticise this unit for unresponsive drum pads. They didn’t read the manual though! Because you CAN adjust the sensitivity. If you find the pads are not triggering sometimes, then increase the sensitivity setting, and be happy again :-). With 45 preset drum kits, 5 user drum kits, 265 percussion voices and a USB-MIDI output for use with DAWs and plug-ins, this is a handyhome studio tool. Don't rely on pre-written drum samples that are generic and plain - record your own beats! Highly Portable

Alesis have made some great drum equipment over the years, and this a step-up from the entry-level Compact Kit 4. It's a great addition to their lineup, and is equally great ifyou're just starting to play, or simply need a portable setup with velocity sensitive pads and a pair of pedals. You'll no doubt find this auseful percussive tool. Play, learn, developThe main unit is really nicely portable as it only weighs in at 7.3 pounds, almost 2 pounds less than the Yamaha for example. The pads are good and responsive, you’ll probably find you get the odd missed hit once in a while with really fast drumming. But that’s to be expected with this type of gear.

So the Yamaha has 8 pads and two pedals. The pedals are really just buttons rather than any attempt at a digital ‘pedal’– as you can see in the photo above. They work, but just could be better. Note: you CAN upgrade these, but I’d suggest living with them for a while to see what you think. The MusicRadar electronic drum set review process is editorially independent and not influenced by any third parties. Our review samples are almost always sourced directly from the manufacturer or via a local distributor. Sometimes review samples are supplied by retailers. The unit itself weighs in at a sturdy 9 pounds, so it is a couple of pounds heavier than the Pyle. If you want portability it’s worth being aware of, but that’s still pretty lightweight for lugging. Full-featured drumming fun for drummers just starting out or non-drummers who just want to have fun!Sounds are housed on a drum module (or 'brain'). Most modules come with pre-configured kits aimed at different genres of music. Some modules also feature slots for 'user kits' so the player can create their own custom kits mixing and matching the sounds on-board the module. What comes with a kid’s electronic drum set? If these figures are well out of your price range, a desktop kit like the Alesis Compact Kit 7 is a more cost-effective introduction to drumming. However, you may find it will need upgrading to a full kit sooner, so could be a false economy. How we test kid's electronic drum sets If you’re wondering who Alesis are, don’t be concerned! They have been in this industry since the 80’s and make all sorts of pro quality drum machines and keyboards. So you can trust the brand know what they are doing.