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Roland is the leading company on the market when it comes to electronic drums. Their Roland V-Drums have become the standard to which all other brands aim to match. If you’re looking to get a new e-kit, you can never go wrong with Roland.
There are several excellent quality Roland electronic drum kits on offer. In this article, I’m going to give you a quick rundown on five of the best Roland electronic drum sets for different budgets and I’ll explain all that they have to offer.
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What are the Best Roland Electronic Drum Sets?
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Roland Electronic Drum Sets Reviews
Roland VAD706 Electronic Drum Set
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Roland VAD706 Electronic Drum Set Review
The Roland VAD706 is quite possibly the best electronic kit that you can get. Roland changed the game when they introduced the VAD Series, and this latest addition basically gives you an acoustic drum set with all the benefits of an electronic one.
The main feature of the set is the wood shells with a maple finish. They have the full diameters and depths of standard acoustic drums, giving you the full drum kit aesthetic. You also get full-sized cymbals with a pair of 14” hi-hats, two 16” crashes, and an 18” ride cymbal.
The kit is powered by the Roland TD-50X module which is Roland’s top drum module. There seems to be an endless number of things you can do on the module. It includes 70 premade drum kits and about 900 onboard sounds.
Lastly, the pads on all the drums feel incredibly authentic and responsive. Whatever you play on an acoustic kit will come out the same on these pads thanks to their responsiveness and tunability.
Pros
- Incredibly high-quality sounds
- Responsive and sensitive pads
- Feels like you’re playing an acoustic kit
Cons
- Very expensive
Roland TD50-K2 Electronic Drum Set
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Roland TD50-K2 Electronic Drum Set Review
Before the VAD706 came out, the Roland TD50-K2 was the flagship Roland drum set. It’s still at the top of the list when talking about Roland V-Drums. When thinking of pure Roland e-drums, this is one of the best ones you can get.
Similar to the VAD706, this electronic drum set uses the Roland TD-50X module. The big differences are how the kit looks and feels.
One of the best parts of the kit is the Roland PD-140DS snare drum pad. It has 8 sensors, making it feel just as lifelike as an acoustic snare does. You can crack realistic rimshots as well as ghost notes.
The other notable pad is the KD-140 V-Kick. It’s arguably the selling point of the kit. While it also feels fairly sensitive and authentic, my favorite part about it is how sturdy it is. It’s a great pad to have if you want to play with a double bass drum pedal.
If you want the top Roland drum kit that won’t take up as much space as the VAD, the TD50-K2 is your best option.
Pros
- Similar sounds to the VAD706, yet more affordable
- Top-quality drum module
- Incredibly sturdy hardware
Cons
- Still relatively expensive compared to acoustic drum kits
Roland TD-27KV Electronic Drum Set
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Roland TD-27KV Electronic Drum Set Review
The Roland TD-27KV has been the industry-standard electronic drum kit for the longest time. It provides all the sounds and qualities that you need in a professional e-kit, yet it’s not as expensive as the higher-tier kits from Roland.
The kit is centered around the TD-27 drum module. It has dozens of features, yet it’s very easy to understand and learn how to use. The layout is fairly streamlined as opposed to the more expensive modules from Roland. Some notable features are the tone and tuning functions, the practice features, and the Bluetooth connectivity.
The TD-27KV is the most affordable kit that still offers Roland’s Prismatic Sound Modeling technology. It makes the sounds on the module so customizable that you can even choose how close or far the drum mics are to the kit.
In terms of drum pads, the TD-27KV also has the PD-140DS snare pad. However, it doesn’t have the fancy kick pad from the TD-50. Instead, it has the KD-10 kick tower which is still fairly decent.
The larger 18” CY-18DR ride cymbal pad is another great addition to the kit. Since the kit comes at a relatively affordable price, it’s my pick for the best Roland drum kit that won’t break the bank.
Pros
- Closer price to professional drum sets
- Industry-standard electronic kit
- Small enough to fit in spaces where an acoustic kit wouldn’t
Cons
- Expensive option to anyone who has never bought a pro kit before
Roland TD17-KVX Electronic Drum Set
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Roland TD17-KVX Electronic Drum Set Review
The TD17-KVX is another popular option on Roland’s product list. While it’s not as popular as the kits we’ve already gone through, it’s definitely a kit that is worth mentioning.
It’s powered by the TD-17 sound module, which is a powerful module from Roland that lends many qualities from the flagship TD-50. You get 50 preset kits and 310 onboard sound to play around with. If you’re not a fan of the preset kits, you can make your own and save them with the 50 open slots.
It’s one of the only kits from Roland to come with the PDX-12 snare drum pad. It’s a dual-trigger pad that allows for tight buzz rolls and strong rimshots. Unlike the previous kits, it mounts onto the hardware instead of having a dedicated snare stand.
The Roland TD17-KVX is also one of the most affordable Roland e-kits that still have a dedicated hi-hat stand. The hi-hat pads mount onto the stand the same way a pair of acoustic hi-hats would. This is fantastic for maintaining the feel of playing an acoustic set.
If the bells and whistles of the higher-tier kits don’t excite you, the TD17-KVX is a fantastic option to consider.
Pros
- Uses a dedicated hi-hat stand
- Plenty of room to make your own kits on the module
- PDX-12 snare pad is great
Cons
- Positioning of the kit can be awkward at times
Roland TD-1DMK Electronic Drum Set
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Roland TD-1DMK Electronic Drum Set Review
The final kit to talk about is the budget option. If you want everything that Roland offers in an affordable package, the Roland TD-1DMK has got you covered. It’s still a very high-quality drum set, it just has smaller pads and a stripped-down drum module.
The TD-1 drum module has 15 preset drum kit sounds, 15 jam tracks to jam along with, a recording function, a metronome, and a coaching tool that will help you practice. Simple, and very easy to get a good hold of.
The main selling point of this kit is the fact that you get a full set of Roland mesh heads on a kit that is less than $800. Most other electronic drum brands don’t offer the high-quality mesh heads that Roland does, so it’s a huge bargain.
The hi-hat only has a trigger pedal instead of a full stand and the bass drum pad is connected to the legs of the hardware. However, those features are very common in an e-kit at this price.
Pros
- Great value-for-money
- Small footprint
- Several useful features on the TD-1 module
Cons
- The kick pad is quite small and unstable
Things to Consider When Buying Electronic Drums
If you’re looking to buy an electronic drum set, there are a few things that you should take into consideration. These things could be the deciding factors of whether you’re going to get the drum set or not.
Mesh Heads
One of the biggest things to check on an electronic drum kit is whether the pads have mesh heads or not. Mesh head pads are the better alternative to rubber pads as the mesh material feels a lot more authentic.
You can also tighten the mesh pads to give you the same amount of rebound that you’re used to on an acoustic drum set.
Luckily, most of the kits on Roland’s product line have mesh head pads including the Roland TD17-KVX, the Roland TD-1DMK, and the Roland TD50-K2. However, always be on the lookout as you may be buying a kit with rubber pads. It won’t be the end of the world if you do. The pads will just never feel as good as mesh head ones will.
Module
The module is the heartbeat of every electronic drum kit. It’s typically what most of your money is paying for whenever you buy an e-kit. So, you should always check out the features on the module when you’re thinking of getting a specific kit.
It’s very common for a module to offer several features that some drummers may never use. Those drummers can then buy a cheaper e-kit that doesn’t have those features to save on costs.
However, many drum modules offer excellent features that can be highly utilized. This is especially true with Roland drum modules. It’s always a good idea to be aware of everything the module offers before buying an electronic drum kit.
Price
Electronic kits have a reputation for being expensive. While that’s quite true, all the brands have managed to provide affordable e-kits that still produce fantastic quality. If you are buying an electronic kit, though, it may be better to invest a bit more than you’d initially think.
Remember that the price you pay directly determines the quality you get. This is even more true than with acoustic drums. You can easily swap out and upgrade with an acoustic setup. You can’t change the responsiveness of an electronic drum pad.
So, even though all these Roland kits such as the Roland VAD706 and the Roland TD-27KV seem expensive, know that they’re some of the best kits out there.
Add-Ons
None of the above kits are beginner kits, meaning they don’t come with drum sticks or a drum throne. Those are extra purchases that you’ll need to factor in.
The kits also don’t come with a set of headphones or an amp. You’ll need one of those two things to connect to the drum module to hear everything that you’re playing.
Roland Brand
While Roland is the top brand of electronic drums, they’re also arguably the most expensive. You won’t find a higher-priced e-kit than the Roland VAD706.
The other popular electronic drum brands are Alesis and Yamaha. They have some kits that are more affordable. Check this guide out if you want to see some of those.
Final Thoughts
The great thing about Roland drum kits is that they are built to last. Even the lower-priced ones tend to last years and years. Roland creates their samples from scratch instead of sampling sounds from acoustic drum kits. This allows you to have more customization with the sounds on the modules.
It’s one of the biggest reasons many drummers stick with Roland. If you buy a Roland e-kit, you’ll undoubtedly find many more reasons to stick with them.
