By Contributing Author Dango
Read our comprehensive Alesis Strike Pro review to find out if this electronic drum kit is a good fit for you!
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Electronic drum kits have been around since the 80’s and they still play a strong place in today’s market.
Some people love them for practicing in small apartments where they can’t make much noise, and some people love to use them to record due to their infinite sound options.
Still others use them in churches or large room settings where cymbal bleed is a huge issue on stage. And some major arena tours are even using them for perfectly consistent sampled sounds every night.
The biggest name in electronic drums has been Roland’s V-Drums for many years now, but one of the biggest competitors to V-Drums is the Alesis Strike Pro kit.
Today we’re going to look at what the Strike Pro has to offer and why it may, or may not be a good option for you.
- Ultimate response, no limitations: Professional eleven piece electronic drum kit with large dual hop pads, wood shells and adjustable mesh heads
- Dynamic mesh heads: All mesh drum heads with Alesis’ exclusive multiple contact points and patented multiple sensor design evenly distributes sensitivity across the entire drum head
- Superior module performance: Strike performance module with 4.3 full color lcd screen and individual outputs; All new sounds, 110 kits and over 1600 multi sampled instruments
At a Glance: Key Features of the Strike Pro Kit
To start, let’s take a quick look at some of the features the Alesis Strike Pro boasts.
Overview of Features:
The Strike Pro kit comes in an 8-piece configuration with kick, snare, 3 toms, hats, crash & ride. The 11 piece kit adds another tom and two more cymbals.
They both come standard with a rack, some hardware, and a module. The only things missing are a kick pedal, hi hat stand, and a throne.
They also have the option to upgrade to a 20-inch bass drum that is a “real” size kick drum. Right now Alesis and Roland are the only companies offering this on electronic kits to my knowledge.
This kit is really slick and comes in a classy red sparkle finish with black mesh heads.
What’s Included in the Box?
- Strike Pro Performance Module – 4.3 inch full color LCD screen / 8GB SD card
- 14 inch kick drum pad (or 20” drum on the SE)
- 14” dual zone snare pad
- 10”, 12”, & 14” tom pads (also 8 with the larger kit)
- 12” hi hats – movable
- 16” triple zone ride pad
- 14” crash cymbal pad with choking capability (comes with 2 extra in larger set)
- Snare stand – double braced
- Chrome Rack with 4 posts
- Drum sticks
How Does the Strike Pro Kit Look?
The Strike Pro is really great looking as far as electronic kits go.
The black mesh heads really stand out when we are so used to seeing white mesh heads on V-Drums. The red sparkle finish on the shells is a really nice look as well.
If you upgrade to the version with the 20” kick then it really looks like a real kit and is quite impressive.
But even on the stock model, it’s sharp looking if you can get past them not being acoustic drums.
- Ultimate response, no limitations: Professional eleven piece electronic drum kit with large dual hop pads, wood shells and adjustable mesh heads
- Dynamic mesh heads: All mesh drum heads with Alesis’ exclusive multiple contact points and patented multiple sensor design evenly distributes sensitivity across the entire drum head
- Superior module performance: Strike performance module with 4.3 full color lcd screen and individual outputs; All new sounds, 110 kits and over 1600 multi sampled instruments
Do the Drum Pads on the Alesis Strike Pro Feel Real?
This is the best feeling kit that Alesis has ever put out. The battle for real feel on non-acoustic kits may go on forever.
I don’t think any mesh head feels like a real drum, but they continue to improve on the dynamics and rebound.
These as well as the current V-Drum kits are the closest they’ve come in technology. I find both kits to be competitive in this regard.
The kick drum is decent with the 14” pad, though if you upgrade to the full-size kick drum, it’s maybe the most impressive any electronic kick has ever felt. I recently played the V-Drum version with a 20” and it really surprised me how real it seemed.
I still have issues with the cymbals when you go back and forth washing them to crashing them.
And my biggest hangup is always the snare drum. Even with the hoop having a different sound, you either can’t rim shot correctly and evenly, or you can’t do a consistent cross stick sound.
This isn’t an Alesis issue, just an electronic drum issue, along with the fact that I personally don’t prefer playing electronic kits! However, I do believe they’ve drastically improved the nuances in the last 20 years and I’m sure that will continue.
What About the Sounds?
The sounds of the Strike Pro are top notch, and out of the box there will very likely be a kit you like in its entirety.
The module features 110 drum kits and 1600 different sampled instruments. The software with the Strike Pro will allow you to customize and save kits mixed and matched.
But the sounds are so good already that you will probably have several usable options right away.
This is really a plus with almost all electronic kits today because sample sounds have gotten so real and so good. I hated when V-Drums first came out and every kit had bad cymbal sounds, or a kit was pretty good, but had a bad snare. That’s not the case anymore.
The cymbals are probably the biggest improvement in sample sounds over the last five years. The different placements on the ride are especially impressive for the sounds.
The module also comes with 8 individual outs for easy mixing or recording, so you’re not just sending a stereo mix, but full mixing capabilities to an outside source. It also comes with mixing faders to balance the kit in your headphones or speaker.
Is the Kit Ready to Use Out of the Box?
If you’re buying a kit at this price range, then yes, it’s ready to use, but you will need a couple things.
You need to add a pedal, a hi hat stand, and a throne. So no, those aren’t included. But those wouldn’t be included with an acoustic kit either, and most drummers will already have those.
Oddly, the kit does come with a set of sticks, which seems sort of unusual for a kit over $1500 that’s not for beginners.
Also the kit doesn’t come with an amp or any speakers or headphones. So you will need those to hear any audio.
There are plenty of headphone options for drummers that work for this.
Who is the Alesis Strike Pro Best Suited For?
This is definitely a pro-level kit and would appeal to anyone considering electronic drums.
Alesis offers some cheaper options for beginners or smaller budgets, but anyone seriously looking at E-kits will want to consider this one. This kit isn’t lacking in sound or quality–it definitely holds its own.
Strike Pro Pricing
The 8-Piece configuration comes in at around $1800 currently, the 11-Piece Strike Pro Special Edition configuration with the 20” kick is closer to $2900.
Alternatives to an Alesis Strike Pro
Alesis has a few cheaper models that I don’t really consider competition, but just for more of a beginner.
The only real competition to this kit is obviously Roland’s V-Drums.
The TD-50 kit is also super impressive and shares many similar features.
The biggest difference is going to be the price and V-Drums are simply a lot more expensive for the same features.
Pearl and Yamaha both make electronic kits, but they are really both known for their acoustic drums of course, and you don’t see a lot of either out on the market.
Alesis and Roland are both truly electronic instrument companies, so both produce solid pieces of equipment.
The Pros of an Alesis Strike Pro Kit:
- The Look – These drums look as good as any electronic kit I’ve seen.
- The module – This is very impressive and easy to use, with infinite sound options.
- The Sound – These sound as good as any electronic kits.
- The Price – Super reasonable compared to its competition or pro acoustic kits.
The Cons of the Strike Pro Kit:
- The Feel – Great for electronic drums, but still my biggest hangup in personally owning an electronic kit.
- Ultimate Response, No Limitations – Professional eight-piece electronic drum kit with Large Dual-hop pads, wood shells and adjustable mesh heads
- Dynamic Mesh Heads – All mesh drum heads with Alesis’ exclusive multiple contact points and patented multiple-sensor design evenly distributes sensitivity across the entire drum head
- Superior Module Performance - Strike performance module with 4.3 full-color LCD screen and individual outputs; All new sounds, 110 kits and over 1600 multi-sampled instruments
Final Verdict: Is it Worth it?
If you’re in the market for electronic drums, the Alesis Strike Pro should definitely be a serious consideration on your list.
It basically comes down to the debate of whether you can use a brand that’s not Roland and be okay with it. These aren’t lacking in quality, sound, or look. They stand up to the V-Drums in every area, and do it for a lot less money.
Can you get past the name? Would you buy Reebok when everyone else buys Nike? Only you can decide, but if you aren’t brand-loyal, definitely give these drums a try and I’m pretty confident you will be impressed.
If you are looking for a beginner electronic drum set, check out our review of the Alesis Nitro Mesh kit.
- Ultimate Response, No Limitations – Professional eight-piece electronic drum kit with Large Dual-hop pads, wood shells and adjustable mesh heads
- Dynamic Mesh Heads – All mesh drum heads with Alesis’ exclusive multiple contact points and patented multiple-sensor design evenly distributes sensitivity across the entire drum head
- Superior Module Performance - Strike performance module with 4.3 full-color LCD screen and individual outputs; All new sounds, 110 kits and over 1600 multi-sampled instruments
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