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If you’re looking to expand your electronic drum kit setup or upgrade your existing pads, then you’ll need to buy dedicated electronic cymbal pads.
Electronic cymbals are typically compatible with most drum modules and types of E-kits. However, when it comes to high-end electronic cymbals, you’ll want to buy from the same brand as your existing electronic drum set.
The best electronic cymbals have separate triggers for each playing zone so you can play each part of the pad separately, and this offers more realistic sounds and more lifelike performance.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the top electronic cymbals on the market, and give you our picks of the best options for every budget.
What Are The Best Electronic Cymbals?
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Best realistic pad
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Best professional pad
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Best hi-hat pad
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Best overall pad
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Best versatile pad
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Best budget pad
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The Best Electronic Cymbals Reviewed
Roland CY-15R Ride Cymbal 15 Inch Cymbal Pad
Roland CY-15R Ride Cymbal 15 Inch Cymbal Pad Review
Roland are the pioneering world leaders in electronic drums. They make highly responsive and lifelike electronic drum kits and the best electronic cymbals that are simply a joy to play.
If you are looking to upgrade your electronic drum set with accurate and responsive electronic cymbals then you will need to take a look at the Roland CY-15R 15 Inch Ride Cymbal Pad.
This 15-inch ride V-cymbal pad simulates the authentic playing of real cymbals, with a larger shape and size than most electronic cymbal pads.
It provides the full spectrum of realistic sounds with three-way triggering, allowing you to play on the edge, bow and bell of the cymbal.
This is Roland’s flagship V-cymbal pad that faithfully recreates the playing experience of acoustic cymbals with revolutionary triple-sensing capabilities, and it makes a lively addition to any existing electronic drum set.
This is an incredibly lifelike electronic ride cymbal that has a superior feel compared to other electronic cymbals. It picks up each stick note accurately and each part of the cymbal and it’s easily the best electronic ride cymbal on the market.
The CY-15R ride cymbal pad is ultra-sensitive and works great with any existing electronic drum module. Roland makes the best electronic cymbals on the market that are highly responsive, accurate, and velocity sensitive for an authentic playing experience.
Features:
- 15-inch V-cymbal for ride
- Three-way triggering (edge/bow/bell)
- Ultra sensitive and realistic performance
Pros
- Revolutionary triple-sensing capabilities that allow you to play a wide range of sounds with one cymbal pad
- Highly responsive and lifelike performance quality, giving you authentic playability
- One of Roland’s best cymbal pads, meaning it’s one of the best pads of any brand
Cons
- Premium price tag, so it’s not a viable option for drummers with lower budgets
Roland CY-12C Crash Cymbal 12 Inch Cymbal Pad
Roland CY-12C Crash Cymbal 12 Inch Cymbal Pad Review
Up next we have another flagship level Roland electronic cymbal pad that is designed with an optimal weight-balance and sensitivity for a superior playing experience compared to other cymbal pads for electronic kits.
The Roland CY-12C 12 Inch Crash Cymbal Pad provides a lifelike, natural swinging motion when it is struck, and it feels great to play for all styles of music.
This one of the best electronic cymbals because of its incredibly accurate triggering for a highly authentic crash cymbal performance. It is velocity sensitive and has choke control for a realistic playing experience.
These 12 inch Roland electronic cymbal pads make the perfect addition to any existing electronic drum set and are ideal for expanding with additional crashes. They are very well made and the triggers can certainly survive years of playing.
Roland electronic cymbal pads are premium priced, but they are worth the money. You won’t be disappointed with their accuracy and sensitivity, because these are some of the best electronic cymbals in the industry.
Features:
- 12-inch V-cymbal for crash
- Provides a natural swinging motion
- Accurate triggering and choke control
Pros
- Choke control for a realistic playing experience, especially when using it with a drum module that caters well to that
- Lifelike, natural swinging motion that mimics cymbals from acoustic drums
- Velocity sensitive and accurate triggering further add to the overall quality of this pad
Cons
- Expensive compared to pads from other brands that share the same features
Roland V-Pad VH-14D Digital Hi-Hat Controller Review
Roland V-Pad VH-14D Digital Hi-Hat Controller Review Review
With advanced multi-sensor triggering, the Roland V-Pad VH-14D Digital Hi-Hats are some of the most advanced and fun-to-play electronic hi-hat cymbals available.
This pair of advanced electronic hi-hats come complete with top and bottom 14-inch pads with relatively thin profiles for an authentic playing response.
They easily mount onto a regular hi-hat stand and the set also includes the stand-mounting hardware to set these up correctly.
In use, they feel amazing to play, and that’s the hallmark of Roland’s high-end electronic drum sets.
The playing action and feel are incredible, and the multi-zonal sensors help to produce a feel just like a real set of hi-hats.
These hi-hats produce a smooth and natural tone when played in all different ways. For example, while playing open/closed, when operating the hi-hat pedal with your foot, and when playing on the bell of the top cymbal too.
With high-resolution sound triggering, they are ultra-responsive and they also have wide-range sensors that are even responsive to muting them with your hands.
If you are looking for the best upgrade for your E drum kit, then I highly recommend the Roland V-Pad VH-14D Digital Hi-Hat Controller.
These electronic hi-hats truly produce a feeling as close as you can get to playing on a real acoustic set.
Just one final note to mention – these electronic hi-hats use USB-A digital trigger outputs which makes them only compatible with Roland’s latest sound modules including the TD-27, TD-50, and TD-50X.
Features:
- 14-inch V-cymbal hi-hats
- Digital USB-A Connection Cable
- Includes stand-mounting hardware
Pros
- Super responsive to all different types of dynamics and playing styles
- Best electronic hi-hats available with superior realism and sound detailing
- Immaculate sensitivity from the multi-zone sensors
- Feels very solid when set up on a hi-hat stand
Cons
- Most expensive hi-hat pad available
- Only works with Roland’s TD-27, TD-50, and TD-50X modules due to the digital design
Yamaha PCY135 Crash Cymbal 13 Inch Cymbal Pad
Yamaha PCY135 Crash Cymbal 13 Inch Cymbal Pad Review
The Yamaha PCY135 Crash Cymbal 13 Inch Cymbal Pad is a high quality 3-zone electronic cymbal that is suitable for use with any existing electronic drum set.
This is a highly responsive and sensitive electronic cymbal pad that accurately responds to all playing nuances. The pad produces unique sounds each time the cymbal is struck, accurately reproducing natural dynamics.
The Yamaha PCY135 crash cymbal faithfully reproduces both delicate cymbal playing and explosive crash cymbal hits, and everything in between. It also has accurate choke functionality.
What I love about this electronic cymbal is its natural cymbal swinging and realistic rebound that feels natural to play. It also offers excellent value considering it can be triggered from every part of the surface, with 3-zone trigger functionality.
If you are on the market for the best electronic cymbals, this is one of the top products on the market. It is accurate and effective, and is built to last for years.
Features:
- 13-inch cymbal pad for crash
- Three-way triggering (edge/bow/bell)
- Accurately reproduces natural dynamics
Pros
- 3-zone trigger functionality, allowing you to use it as a ride cymbal or trigger various sounds on top of being a crash
- Excellent build quality that ensures it survives years of heavy playing
- Realistic cymbal swing and choking feature
- Great price compared to similar Roland pad options
Cons
- No negatives to mention
Roland CY-5 Hi-Hat Cymbal 10 Inch Cymbal Pad
Roland CY-5 Hi-Hat Cymbal 10 Inch Cymbal Pad Review
The Roland CY-5 Crash Cymbal 10 Inch Cymbal Pad is an affordable and high quality electronic cymbal pad that has two trigger zones and is very responsive.
This is one one of Roland’s more affordable electronic cymbals, and therefore only a portion of the surface area is playable. However, it is velocity sensitive and works perfectly as a hi hat and potentially a splash or crash cymbal.
The only thing to consider with using the Roland CY-5 electronic cymbal pad as a crash is that it won’t offer a natural cymbal swing, because the hole is not in the centre. In order to play on the rubber portion of the surface area, the pad will always be in an optimal playing position.
This electronic cymbal offers a lot of bang for your buck, and you can be confident it has the great quality you can expect from Roland drums.
If you are looking for a great feeling and reliable hi hat electronic cymbal pad this is one of the best electronic cymbals that won’t break the bank.
Features:
- 10″ V-cymbal pad for hi-hat
- Separate bow and edge triggering
- Velocity sensitive and accurate
Pros
- Great value cymbal pad compared to the higher-end options from Roland
- Velocity sensitive, giving it better playability than you may expect
- Can be used as a hi-hat, crash, or splash
Cons
- Only a portion of the surface area is playable
- Doesn’t go up and down like authentic hi-hat cymbals if that’s what you choose to use it for
Pintech Percussion TC14 14” Crash Cymbal Pad
Pintech Percussion TC14 14” Crash Cymbal Pad Review
Up last for review is the Pintech Percussion TC14 14 Inch Crash Cymbal Pad, which is a basic yet functional electronic cymbal for your electronic drum set.
It is a budget electronic cymbal, and because of this it is NOT velocity sensitive. This is a big drawback, but it is a very cheap product that gets the job done as a crash cymbal pad.
The cymbal pad itself is heavy-duty and virtually indestructible. The unit is 100% American made and is backed by Pintech’s exclusive lifetime warranty.
This is an electronic cymbal that is suitable for entry level drum sets, but it lacks the performance and functionality of more expensive Roland and Yamaha alternatives.
If you want a budget cymbal pad to expand your drum set, this product will trigger accurately despite the lack of sensitivity and dynamics because it uses authentic Piezo technology. It is hard wearing and will certainly get the job done as a crash cymbal.
Features:
- 14-inch cymbal pad for crash
- Quiet playing surface
- Made in the USA
Pros
- Budget electronic cymbal pad that costs far less than any other option listed
- Lifetime warranty, meaning you can replace it if it breaks
- Piezo triggering technology works very well
Cons
- NOT velocity sensitive - only has one volume
- Lacks the quality of Roland and Yamaha cymbal pads
Features to Look Out For in an Electronic Drum Pad
Size
Size is one of the biggest aspects to worry about, as it affects where you can place a cymbal pad and how it feels to play.
Electronic cymbal pads are all much smaller than typical acoustic cymbals, so you’ll struggle to find a 20” pad to use as a ride cymbal. However, you should still aim to have relative sizes to the cymbals you want to trigger.
A 10” or 12” cymbal pad will work well as a crash cymbal, and then it would feel a lot better to use a 13” to 16” pad as a ride cymbal. You can still use a smaller pad, it just won’t give you that authentic feeling of playing a large ride.
Playable Surface
Some cymbal pads only have half of the surface covered in rubber. This means that you can only play half the cymbal to trigger sounds, while the other half will be solid plastic.
You’ll get this design in cheaper cymbal pads. They don’t have playability that feels as good as full-rubber pads, but they still work quite well.
Pads that are fully rubber also tend to be weighted better, so they have more authentic cymbal swing when they’re struck.
You should also look to see if the bell of the cymbal can be played. In cheaper Roland pads, you can’t play the bell either, but then you’ll get slightly pricier ones with a playable bell, but they still only have half the pad covered in rubber.
Connectivity
The final thing to check before buying a cymbal pad is whether it will work with whatever drum module you own. Most pads work perfectly fine with all drum modules, even if you mix brands.
The only pads that don’t work with other modules are the digital pads from Roland. These high-end pads connect to a module using two USB cables, so they’re only compatible with the Roland modules with those connections. At the moment, those are the TD-27, TD-50, and TD-50X modules.
