Strata line extended

Alesis has expanded its Strata e-drum range with the launch of a new kit, the Strata Club kit. The new kit delivers on the increasing need for pro-quality sound in compact spaces with a plug-and-play experience that mirrors an acoustic set – all at an affordable price, according to Alesis. The Strata Club is a seven-piece kit based on the mid-range Core module, which sports a 7″ touchscreen and the BFD3 sound engine. The module provides access to a 25 GB catalogue with 144,000 individual samples covering over 370 different kit pieces and 800 unique articulations. The drum line-up consists of a 12” dual-zone mesh snare, two 10” dual-zone mesh toms and 9” mesh kick drum tower. A 14” triple-zone […]

Strata downsizes

Alesis has extended the Strata Series with the launch of a more compact Strata Core. The company says the new set offers “the same advanced features as its larger sibling … but at a more approachable price point and a 30% reduced footprint”. “We designed the Strata Core with the modern drummer in mind, offering professional-grade performance in a more accessible, compact format,” states  John Boudreau, director of product management. “The goal was to deliver everything drummers love about the Strata series— incredible sound quality, responsive playability, and world-class technology. We want to make it easier for musicians to practise and perform anywhere.” The Strata Core features dual-zone drums with mesh heads and 360-degree responsive ARC cymbals. The drums are […]

Zildjian launches debut e-drum kits

Zildjian has announced the launch of its new ALCHEM-E series electronic drum kits, its first foray into engineering and manufacturing full drum kits, following up on its 2010 Gen-16 electronic cymbal launch. ALCHEM-E features new Zildjian E-FAMILY cymbals that offer an authentic acoustic cymbal feel, response, nuance, and aesthetic with a proprietary Zildjian Trigger System. “The longtime pain point of electronic drumming has been the rubber cymbal pads that don’t look, feel or respond like real cymbals,” says Zildjian CEO John Stephans. “As a company that’s been pioneering cymbal technology for over 400 years, solving the challenges of electronic drumming was the next logical evolution in our company’s journey. We set out to create the most realistic, authentic playing experience […]

Efnote 7 goes on sale

The much-anticipated new Efnote flagship, the Efnote 7, is now available in the US. The kit features larger acoustic shells than the Efnote 5, with a 20×15″ kick, 14” three-zone snare, 15×15” floor tom, and 11×8″ rack tom. The non-standard tom sizes have raised a few eyebrows since they were first flagged, but the Japanese e-drum maker has stuck to its guns, insisting the ratio “was precisely designed to create synergy between sound, sight and feel”. The kit boasts the world’s first 20” ride cymbal, along with a 16” crash and 14” two-piece hi-hats. The kit is powered by an Efnote 7 module, which is hard to differentiate from the Efnote 5 brain. The specs show one difference – three […]

Millenium ups the ante

German music retail giant Thomann has introduced the Millenium MPS-1000 e-drum kit , setting a new standard in house-brand electronic percussion. Priced at under €1,000, the kit features full-size, acoustic-style drums and an 18” three-zone ride cymbal. The drums consist of a 20″x14″ kick drum, 13″x6″ dual-zone snare pad and 10″x6”, 12″x6″ and 14″x12″ dual-zone toms, all fitted with dual-ply mesh heads. The cymbal array includes a 13″ dual-zone hi-hat, two 15″ dual-zone crash pads with choke, and the 18″ triple-zone chokeable ride. The module, reminiscent of Alesis brains, comes with 40 preset kits and 40 user kits, 820 sounds and 70 songs. Its functions include quick record, metronome, compressors, equaliser, 23 effects, 335 MB space for user samples, and eight […]

New flagship, mid-range kits from Yamaha

Yamaha has released a new module and two new kit ranges following on from the DTX6 series. The new flagship DTX10 series is powered by a new DTX-PROX module. It features VAD-style wooden shells, Roland/ATV-style multi-trigger drum pads and, for the first time, a choice of  Yamaha TCS (Textured Cellular Silicone) or Remo two-ply mesh heads. Also making a debut is a new three-zone 17” ride cymbal. The mid-range DTX8 series comes with the lower-spec DTX-PRO module and the same birch shells as the DTX10 range. Initial street pricing looks very competitive, with the DTX8 series starting at $2,800 and the DTX10 line pegged at around $4,625. We’ll have more details in a full report in our November edition.