Finding the best electronic drum set under $1,000 with realistic sounds and feel isn’t that easy. There are a bunch of digital drum kits in the $1,000 price range that have great features, but not all of them may have the tone you are looking for.
The main three things that you should consider when looking at digital drum kits are the cymbal quality, pad sensitivity, and the sound options and features. Some people prefer mesh cymbals to pads, so that’s something to consider. Likewise the drum pad sensitivity plays a big role in the way the kit sounds and plays. Typically, the more sensitive the better the response.
Let’s check out some of the most popular $1,000 electronic drum kits on the market and compare their features to see which one is right for you.
Compare the Top Electronic Drum Kits Below $1,000
Contents
- 1 Compare the Top Electronic Drum Kits Below $1,000
- 2 What We Recommend and Why
Here’s a list of the best electronic drum sets under $1,000 that feel and sound like real drum kits.
- Yamaha DTX532K
- Yamaha DTX500K
- Roland TD-17KL
- Kat Percussion KT3
- Roland TD-11K
- Alesis Command Mesh
- Roland V-Drums TD-1DMK
Yamaha DTX532K Electronic Drum Kit
Specs, features, and benefits
We are looking at another offering from Yamaha but this time this is something more professional and better suited for performances.
This is the DTX532K, an 8-piece kit that is sure to make acoustic kits green with envy. It delivers a high level of authenticity that allows for maximum expressiveness. Every little nuance is picked up and interpreted by this kit.
This is made possible by the highly sensitive pads. The snare pad has three zones, allowing for head, side-stick and rim shot plays. The cymbals also have 3-zones which allow for greater playing detail.
To give you that natural drum feel, it uses the standard hi-hat system and also includes a kick pad so you can hear and feel the thud of the beater hitting the pad.
Looking at the sound module, we find packed in it 691 drum sounds of top quality. With these there is hardly any kind of music sound or style you cannot play. You also get practice songs, training features as well as MIDI recording.
To further expand the capabilities of this unit, you can connect it to your computer via the USB port to either trigger your favorite drum software or to import your own custom samples.
Pros and Highlights
- Pads – 8 highly responsive pads.
- Performance – 691 high quality drum sounds.
- Connectivity – USB, headphones, and main outputs.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Kick Pedal – Has to be purchased separately.
Bottom line
The versatility, natural feel and responsiveness of this kit makes it ideal for more experienced drummers.
Yamaha DTX500K Electronic Drum Set
Specs, features, and benefits
It’s not possible for you to be in the music industry and not have used one or more products from the Yamaha brand.
Today we are looking at the DTX500K, an 8-piece electronic drum kit. It is built around an engine that combines sounds sampled from some of the brand’s top acoustic drums. It has 427 sounds sampled from the brand’s beech, maple, birch and oak acoustic kits.
These come in 50 preset kits and you also have the option of creating your own custom kits. For more tonal coloring, you can make use of the included EQ and reverb effect.
The pads that come with it respond to the intensity of your hit and include a snare pad, three tom pads, three cymbal pads (hi-hats, crash and ride) and a kick pad. Of course, you also get a hi-hat controller and kick pedal.
To help with training and personal practice, the kit comes with Yamaha’s groove tools. These include different tools that make learning easy, fun and efficient.
This kit can be connected to your computer using a USB-MIDI interface. You can also connect an external player to enable you play to your favorite song.
Pros and Highlights
- Pads – 8 responsive pads.
- Performance – 50 preset kits, 427 sounds and user custom kit.
- Connectivity – MIDI output, aux input and headphone/main output.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Pads – They are all single zone.
Bottom line
This is a great kit but one that will best serve a beginner. More advanced players will find it lacking in natural feel.
Roland TD-17KL Electronic Drums
Specs, features, and benefits
If there is one brand that can describe itself as a leader in the electronic drum set niche, it is Roland. This brand is responsible for producing some of the most realistic and professional electronic drum kits available today.
What we are looking at today is however not the brand’s flagship model but another one that is also great but a lot more affordable. We are referring to the TD-17KL.
This is an 8-piece kit that includes a snare pad, three-toms, a kick pad and three cymbal pads. These pads have been developed by the brand to deliver that realistic acoustic feel that boosts expressiveness.
Further contributing to the uniqueness of this kit is the sound engine which features 50 top quality kits that cover a wide range of musical styles and sounds. In addition to these, you can also build your kit by combining sounds to create unique expressions. When you need even more, you have the option of importing your samples, sequences or loops into the system.
This is a complete kit that will shine on any stage.
Pros and Highlights
- Pads – 8 realistic feeling pads.
- Performance – 50 quality customizable kits and ability to import custom samples.
- Extras – 3 pairs of sticks, audio cable, and cleaning cloth.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Kick Pedal – Doesn’t come with one.
Bottom line
This is a pretty advanced kit which shouldn’t be a surprise since it is based on the TD-50 engine. If you want a performance kit for less than $1000 then this is it.
Kat Percussion KT3 Digital Drum Set
Specs, features, and benefits
KAT Percussion may currently not be a leading brand but it is committed to providing quality electronic percussions and is sure to break into the big league if it continues to improve its products.
The KT3 is one of the more impressive products from the brand. Aside from its distinctive look, it also offers some great features.
The pads are super quiet, highly sensitive and feel natural when struck. They are also larger sized than other kits in this range and are dual zone, allowing for better play and tonal expression.
You get a snare pad, four tom pads, a kick pad and four cymbal pads (a hi-hat, two crash and a ride). The drum pads are distinctively white while the cymbal pads are gray.
The sound module is loaded with 45 preset drum kits with the user being able to add an addition 25 custom ones from the 550 high quality drum, percussion, cymbal and effects sounds. There are also about 100 in-built songs that you can jam to and a sequencer feature allows for recording your play.
This kit puts you in control, allowing you express yourself the way you choose.
Pros and Highlights
- Pads – 10 pads.
- Performance – 45 preset kits, 25 user custom kits, 550 sounds and 100 in-built songs.
- Connectivity – USB, aux input, headphone and main output.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Kick pedal – None included.
Bottom line
This kit has a distinctive look and a performance that will give many kits in this price range a run for their money.
Roland TD-11K Electronic Drum Set
Specs, features, and benefits
It’s another product from Roland. If the first one was above your budget, the TD-11K may be within your reach.
This 8-piece kit consists of a mesh snare pad with dual trigger zones for head and rim shot play, three 8.5-inch tom pads, a 10-inch hi-hat pad that offers bow and edge triggering as well as a natural swing movement and two 12-inch cymbal pads that offer the same features as the hi-hat pad plus they are choke enabled.
The sensitivity and natural feel of the pads becomes even more pronounced when they combine with the top quality sounds delivered by the module. The result is a performance that is natural, dynamic, versatile and highly expressive.
For personal development, it comes with professionally recorded songs to which you can play along to sharpen your skills. You can also use the coach feature to further aid your practice while the quick record and quick play functions can be put to various uses.
With its connectivity options, you can use this for your studio recordings by connecting it to your DAW through the MIDI output or USB port.
Pros and Highlights
- Pads – 8 pads.
- Performance – Natural sounds with realistic and highly responsive pads.
- Connectivity – USB, MIDI, aux in, headphone output and main output.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- AC Adaptor – You may need to change this to fix a distortion issue with the aux input.
Bottom line
If you need an affordable kit that can serve at home, in the studio and on stage, go for this.
Alesis Command Mesh Electronic Drum Kit
Specs, features, and benefits
Alesis is one brand that has been making all the right noises in this specialized niche, offering good quality kits for far less than the more established brands would.
A good example is this Command Mesh kit. This is an 8-piece kit that includes a 10-inch dual trigger mesh snare pad, three 8-inch dual trigger tom pads and three 10-inch cymbal pads. The crash pad is choke enabled.
These pads offer a natural and highly responsive feel which combines with the 70 kits and over 600 drum sounds to give you all the tools you need to fully express yourself. For more sounds, you have the option of uploading your custom samples.
To aid your personal practice, you have 60 songs you can play along to and you can also connect your external audio device to play your own favorite songs. With the built in sequencer, you can record your sessions to monitor the progress you are making.
This kit basically comes with everything you need to start playing immediately. You will be hard pressed to get something better at this price range.
Pros and Highlights
- Pads – 8 sensitive pads.
- Performance – 70 preset kits, 600 drum sounds and optional custom samples.
- Connectivity – USB, MIDI, aux input, headphone output and main output.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Setup instructions – Some may find it difficult to follow.
Bottom line
This kit offers a quality that will compete with kits priced way above it. It will most definitely hold its own on any stage.
Roland V-Drums TD-1DMK Electronic Drum Set
Specs, features, and benefits
We are ending this review with another product from Roland, the undoubted leader in this niche. If you still found the previous two models to be beyond your budget, this is even more affordable.
The TD-1DMK is an 8-piece kit that includes four double mesh, tension adjustable drum pads, three cymbal pads and a kick pad. The snare has a double trigger feature that allows for head and rim play while the crash and ride pads also offer double triggers for bow and edge. These pads offer a realistic playing experience that boosts performance.
Further adding to the performance experience are the in-built 15 preset drum kits that offer superior and natural sounding drum sounds. For learning and personal practice, you can make use of the 10 coaching functions that come with it and the 15 songs that you can jam to. You can also monitor your progress with the record feature which gives you the ability to record your sessions for subsequent review.
This is a bundle that includes three pairs of drum sticks, an instruction drum book and a cleaning cloth. This is a good kit for improving your drumming.
Pros and Highlights
- Pads – 8 pads.
- Performance – 15 drum presets, 10 coaching functions and 15 play-along songs.
- Connectivity – USB, aux input and headphone/main output.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Kick pedal – None included.
Bottom line
This clearly offers a lot less than the previously reviewed Roland models. It however offers good features that make it ideal for learning and personal practice rather than performance.
What We Recommend and Why
This has been an interesting ride through the world of electronic drum sets priced under $1000. A lot of these kits offer great features which make choosing one from the lot pretty difficult. But since we must choose one to be named our a kit under $1000, we will get to it.
The choice practically came to the wire as it was almost a tie between the Roland TD-17KL and the Yamaha DTX532K. However, after carefully reviewing these two, we finally chose the Yamaha DTX532K Electronic Drum Set as our top drum set below $1000.
The features that pushed it slightly ahead of the Roland TD-17KL include: the natural hi-hat system and the 3-zone hi-hat and cymbal pads.