Roland TD-316 Review: The Best Mid-Range E-Kit?

Setup & Size

In terms of size, it’s got a pretty compact footprint at about 6 feet in length by just under 4 feet in width. It’s small enough to fit comfortably in tighter spaces, but it doesn’t feel cramped at all when you’re playing it.

Setting everything up was really straightforward. All the clamps and arms were already positioned in comfortable spots, so once it was assembled, it actually felt like a properly laid-out kit straight away. Most of it was just connecting the poles together.

Everything was well packaged and easy to find, but there were two things I had to go digging for – a wingnut for the snare mount, and the hi-hat isolator plate. So just be careful not to throw those away by accident!

Once everything was set up, the kit felt really solid and comfortable to play. I play a lot of metal and double kick stuff, and it handles it all no problem. And I was able to dial in my usual setup position pretty quickly too.

In terms of adjustability, the snare mechanism is absolutely spot on. It uses a large ball-and-socket mount, so you can position it however you like. It’s also on a dedicated bar, so you can move it forwards and backwards easily.

However, I did find getting my tom angles dialled in was a bit tricky. The two rack toms are designed in a more fixed mounting position, so you can really only adjust the L-rod height and angle in one direction. You don’t get the same freedom as some other kits, and at this level, I was expecting a bit more adjustability there. The floor tom however can move along the rack.

All of the cymbal pads have their own ball-and-socket mounts, so you can angle them however you like. The cymbal arms can also rotate, move forwards and backwards, and the clamps can slide along the rack – so there’s plenty of adjustment there to get everything positioned comfortably.

Pads & Build Quality

The TD316 comes with high-quality pads, most of which are newly designed. Overall, the build quality is excellent. Everything feels very premium and well-designed.
Roland is a brand that’s been synonymous with quality and reliability for decades, and this kit definitely lives up to that reputation.

The PD-12P snare is the stand out for me. Out of everything here, this is the most impressive pad. It’s very responsive and articulate, and the module does a great job translating all of the dynamics.

It’s a 12-inch playing surface, so it feels close to an acoustic snare, and it uses three internal sensors which give it really accurate and refined triggering. The metal chrome rim is a nice touch too — it adds a bit of natural weight and realism. It’s also brush-compatible too.

The tom pads are a new design as well. You’ve got two 8-inch rack toms and a 10-inch floor tom. They’re much cleaner in design compared to the older TD-17 tom pads, which had that white internal plastic rim.

The KD-10 kick pad is solid. It’s got a 5-inch playing surface and enough room for a double pedal. The foam surface gives a satisfying beater impact. This pad isn’t new — it was on the older TD-17 — but it triggers well. I did need to add some Velcro underneath because it’s quite light and tended to creep forward.

I have noticed some slight denting in the foam where the beater hits. This is common though and doesn’t affect triggering, but I’m not sure how it impacts long-term durability.

In terms of cymbals, the VH-10 hi-hat is really impressive. The triggering is really accurate and captures everything instantly. It’s not a new pad either, but paired with this module, it feels really sharp and responsive.

We’ve also got two new crash cymbal pads — the CY-12C-T — and a new ride pad, the CY-14R-T. These new pads are thinner and they’re designed to give a more natural motion when you strike them. 

The crashes have dual sensing, so you’ve got bow and edge triggering, The ride gives you bow, edge, and bell, along with positional sensing, which makes it feel expressive whilst you play. And of course, all the cymbals are chokeable. 

Overall all these cymbals trigger accurately, feel responsive, and do exactly what you’d want them to do. I think they fit the kit really well.

Initial Playing Impressions

I must say, I’ve really enjoyed exploring all the sounds this kit has.

In terms of realism and responsiveness, the triggering is really sharp and accurate. It really feels cutting edge. I can definitely feel the difference compared to my old Roland TD-30KV.

There’s a great selection of preset kits, with something to suit pretty much everyone. My favourite overall is Studio A, which is Kit 1. It uses a DW Concrete snare sample, which is actually one of my favorite snare drums I’ve ever actually played.

The jazz kits were a big surprise – I thought those were great. And I also really liked the drier, more vintage-style kits as well.

The last 20 or so kits get a bit more experimental and weird. They’re not all gig-friendly, but there’s definitely some cool stuff in there.

If I’m being a bit critical, the tom sounds on quite a few kits were a bit of a letdown, especially when the snare sounds were consistently excellent. The kick and cymbals were mostly very solid too.

There’s also a ton of sound customization and features in the module, which we’ll get into next.

V31 Module

 

Now onto the new Roland V31 module, and this thing is impressive. Roland claims it shares the same sound engine, motherboard, sounds, and CPU as the flagship V71 module – just in a more streamlined format. So essentially, this is a slimmed-down V71 with the same core tech, which is pretty amazing at this price point.

The module itself looks really clean and modern, and it’s got a nice 4.3-inch colour LCD display.

I’ve played all 70 preset kits, and the sound library was created in collaboration with Drum Workshop. As you know, DW makes some of the best drums out there.

Navigating the kits is simple – just use the dial.

On the back, you’ve got:

• a mix-in for external audio
• master stereo outputs
• USB-C for audio and MIDI recording
• an SD card slot for loading your own samples

The USB-C is especially useful. I’m working on a new EP at the moment, and this makes it really easy to track MIDI or audio straight into my DAW while writing.

The pads all connect to the module via a cable snake, except for the right crash, which uses a separate cable and takes up one of the trigger inputs. That leaves one spare trigger input for expansion.

There’s also a USB trigger port if you want to upgrade to Roland’s high-end digital snare, ride, or hi-hat — which are incredible. I tried them at the UK Drum Show recently, and they’re amazing.

In terms of module interface it is super clean and straightforward, you get a master dial, backing (which controls bluetooth or mix-in), and click volume. The metronome is very adjustable inside the menus. I found it a bit quiet by default, but you can boost it easily in the settings, and also choose from a bunch of sounds.

I’m usually not a fan of onboard learning features, but these are actually pretty cool. There are loads of exercises and rudiments, and it displays sheet music on the screen. And when you play it gives you a score based on your playing accuracy. There’s also a separate timekeeping accuracy test which I tried and it shows you how much you’re dragging or rushing.

Sound Customization

In terms of custom sound adjustments and making your own preset kits, you can definitely do all of this too.

There’s an EZ edit mode, where you can change the instrument, as well as the tuning, muffling, and easily add stacks too. I found the EZ edit mode to be really straightforward and all of the main things I found myself editing were easily accessible within this section. 

Then there’s a much deeper editing section with: compression, EQ, ambience, mic levels, mic distance, and loads more.

It’s extremely deep in terms of customization. Personally, I don’t spend loads of time in those menus, but it’s great to know how much control you have.

My old TD-30KV had similar options, and that was almost a flagship kit at the time. This feels just as comprehensive – maybe even more so.

Overall, the module is seriously impressive. Roland has packed in a ton of tech, sounds, and features, especially considering this is a sub-£2k kit.

Final Verdict 

Overall, this kit feels like the complete package. You’re getting a premium build, really solid pads, superb playability, and a smart, intuitive module – all at a very accessible price.

This is a very competitive part of the e-kit market, and I do think Roland has done an excellent job here. It really feels like they’ve tried to pack in as much quality as possible while keeping it affordable.

At the time of this review, the TD-316 is sitting at $1,999 USD, which actually puts it at exactly the same price as the Alesis Strata Core. Both are excellent- they each have their own strengths, and I’ll do a full head-to-head comparison soon because that’ll be an interesting matchup.

But the TD-316 is a seriously strong option. Pound for pound, it’s one of the best-value Roland kits currently available. For what you’re paying, the performance and tech packed into this is kind of hard to beat.

To summarise where I think the TD-316 edges ahead of the Alesis Strata Core. The biggest highlights for me are the snare, the cymbals, and the overall build quality. The new PD-12P snare pad especially feels noticeably better to play, with more refinement and dynamic response. 

The cymbals are stronger too, especially the hi-hat, which I found more accurate, expressive, and consistent in its triggering. And overall, the Roland just feels a bit more solid and dialled-in from a build and reliability standpoint. 

So if you’re looking for something in that sub-$2k range that feels premium, plays well, and gives you loads of flexibility, this truly is a fantastic buy.