Alesis DM10 Studio Vs Roland TD-3KW

[smithamb]

Hello all,

I am new to this site and in fact new to drumming. I am looking for a kit to start out playing with. I have been looking at the Alesis dm10 for a while now and really like the looks, the module, the real heads and the fact that you do get a lot for your money. I can pick one up used for about £370.

However a friend has just offered me a Roland td3kw that he has with a Gibraltar double bass pedal for £450.

Are there any other kits you'd recommend?
Which one would you recommend me getting?
Should I bump his price down a bit?

Thanks guys, really appreciate it.

[hairmetal-81]

Welcome to the forum,smithamb!


Nice to see you want to get your feet wet and jump into the e-drumming adventure! I see you are mentioning prices in Pounds, so I guess you are in the UK?

You are willing to go 'used', that is to be encouraged! Is your budget fixed at the £400-500 price-mark, or are you able to allocate a little more to it?


Here's my personal 'assessment':
I wouldn't go with either of the two, (even if the offered Gibraltar pedal is a nice enticement), because...

• The TD-3 is cumbersome to operate, and you don't have much to adjust.
• The DM-10 as Alesis 'flagship module' is well designed and user-friendly on the outside, but the sounds are still sounding like they come from a early 90's Alesis D-4 module - Not very dynamic! The chrome-rack may is nice, but you want to concentrate on the module first, and then the rest of the kit!

Here's some better options:

• If you can stretch your budget just a little bit, there's two or three different offers on used Roland TD-9 kits on ebay UK!
  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Roland-TD9...item41795e0886
• You should ask around big stores like 'Andertons'. They should be able to give you a good price on one of the new Yamaha DTX-502 kits, which offer Sampling-functions at at a very reasonable price-range:
  http://www.andertons.co.uk/electroni...11459359page-1
• You should also take a look at Yamaha's 'mid-range' line of used DTX modules, like the DTX-500 kits, which are the precursor to the current DTX-502's.
• Maybe you have an acoustic kit around, which you could add a module and triggers to, to make it an e-kit? (....to form a so-called 'converted A-to-E' kit)

Any of these IMO are better (or alot more current) than an old TD-3!


Hope this helps.
Happy Drumming!

[smithamb]

Thanks for th input. I really was just looking around 400-500 and obviously used is the way to go for a good deal. I thought the dm10 module seemed pretty good when it came to sounds/kits and the heads on it looked really good. Thanks

[smithamb]

The td9 is pushing the budget too far I think and it seems to me that for the price of the yamahas you don't get a lot for your money?

[hairmetal-81]

The td9 is pushing the budget too far I think

The offer I linked is (as of my writing) exactly at £500!
It offers a PD-105 10" mesh pad as your snare - and is still within your budget!

it seems to me that for the price of the yamahas you don't get a lot for your money?

'Au contraire', my friend! ;-)

The DTX-502 has an outstanding price-performane ratio! ...or 'value-for-money' or 'bang for the buck'....whatever you'd like to call it! See: None of the Roland modules offer that - not even the flagship. At the price-point of the 502, no other module will offer the ability to load in your own sounds, and if you look at the next contender higher up the ladder, the 2box Drumit-5, you are already firmly in the 'professional' category (at about the £800 price-mark)!

[smithamb]

So out of the 502 and the td9, which one would you get?

[smithamb]

Ahh even the base 522 is out of my range :/

[hairmetal-81]

So out of the 502 and the td9, which one would you get?

Phew! ...Now, you have got me sweating bullets! Hehehe...


Actually, its quite simple:
If you can't score yourself a used TD-9 on ebay or local UK offer, your more or less 'readily available option' is a new DTX-502!

Easy, ain't it?

[hairmetal-81]

Ahh even the base 522 is out of my range :/

Okay,
you seem to be really strapped for cash! The good news is: the 502 module and its various kit configurations, including the 522, are the latest and newest.

What this means is:The old precursor kits can be had much cheaper! (this would be the dtx-500 module, and its kits 520, 530, 540 etc.)


Also, Andertons has the DTX-400 kit new, it's a step down from the 502.
http://www.andertons.co.uk/electroni...c-drum-kit.asp

Although, I'd personally hesitate to buy the DTX-400, because you don't get proper bassdrum pedals, all the pads are single-zone only, and you can't adjust and save much on the module itself! - this might would be an option, if a used TD-9 or used DTX-500 kit still don't fit into your budget!

But I strongly advice to look at the used DTX's and TD-9's first!



HTH

[smithamb]

thank you so much man, you have been such a great help and i wish you all the best.

i wont bug you anymore

have a good one

[hairmetal-81]

I don't feel bugged at all!
We like to help, that's why we're all in here!

vdrums.com is quite a family....




EDIT:
I just saw that Anderton's has a 'second-hand' section on their website.
Give me five-six minutes and I'll see if there is something appropriate there for you!

EDIT again:
Was a bit too optimistic, mostly just Guitars there!
But if you could use some decent Gibraltar clamps......

[smithamb]

haha yeah ive seen their site before, nothing much going on with the used section when it comes to drums.
the td9 is at 620 now on ebay :/

if you dont mind me asking, why didnt you like the td3?

and just to be 100%, between the dm10 studio and the td3kw, which one should i get if it was just those two and no others..

thanks

[hairmetal-81]

haha yeah ive seen their site before, nothing much going on with the used section when it comes to drums.
the td9 is at 620 now on ebay :/

Yeah, I feel like I've been had there!
About the TD-9; I just noticed. Bummer really! I guess that one is out of the race...

if you dont mind me asking, why didnt you like the td3?

I just have a gut feeling, that this one is not the one you'll like for pretty long. Not much use in buying something just because it's cheap, then get frustrated and have the hassles to unload it again. Can you follow me?

One of the guidelines I've read over and over again on this forum is: "Buy your second (...or even third) drumkit first!", meaning, buy something that you are content with, has a good sound, and decent amount of tweakability. The TD-3 is 10 years old already, not the latest spec, and as I said, not much ease-of-use!

and just to be 100%, between the dm10 studio and the td3kw, which one should i get if it was just those two and no others..

I'll leave this one up for other members to answer. I wouldn't get either, but save up, until I had double the budget!
It pays off!




HTH