Alesis Surge First Impressions
Вставка
- Опубліковано 26 чер 2018
- Here are the sizes: You get a 10” snare, three 8” toms and a 8” kick. Except for the kick all those drums are dual zone. For the cymbals, they are all 10 inches across. They are single zone but you can get a bell sound by hitting the ride really hard. You get a 4 post chrome drum rack, it comes with the kick pedal, drum key, and drum sticks so you save at least $50 there. I’ve played a lot of $500 electronic drum sets, but there aren’t many that have a 10” mesh snare. It’s a very fun kit to play. The Module has 385 sounds and 40 kits. For ports, it has USB Midi, Midi IN and OUT ports, 2 extra inputs for more cymbals or toms, Right and Left quarter inch outputs, and a aux in port for connect your phone or a laptop so you can play along to songs, headphone port.
As an overall package, this thing has the largest pads for any drumset like it for the $500 price range. It’s biggest weakness might be the sounds though. They are pretty bad, and the hihat just has closed, open, and half open sounds. You’ll want to upgrade the module as fast as possible honestly or use it with drum software. On the plus side it does have the best port selection for it’s range on the back of it, so it’s very flexible. I like the fact that it has the kick tower, that’s not always a given for the $500 price range. I personally would never pay a drumset that doesn’t have a kick tower, that’s really the only reason I don’t like the Roland TD1k actually. That drumset is the same price, and easily sounds twice as good, but it doesn’t have the kick tower, and it doesn’t have a single port on the back, other than headphones, usb, and mix in. That means you have to connect your drumset to a mixer if you want to record yourself because it doesn’t have dedicated outputs.
The main competition for this drumset is probably the Yamaha DTX430k. If you have $500 those are the two drum sets you should choose between. The Yamaha set has better build quality, and will probably last a bit longer, I also prefer the sounds, it has better coaching features, and it even has a dedicated app. You can control the set just from your iPhone. But it’s pads are just hard rubber pads, and the snare isn’t as large as the Alesis kit. This makes the Alesis kit a bit more fun to play.
So basically this set is the largest drumset you can buy for $500, that’s basically Alesis’s MO. It's really fun to play, but probably won’t hold up to 5 years of play. If you know that going in, this set might be the one for you.
Link To Purchase The Alesis Surge Drumset
amzn.to/30hjMup
***This link helps support the channel by earning the channel a small commission at no cost to you
So the biggest weakness is sound but that's easily fixable by downloading some software or upgrading the module. So this drumset looks perfect for me.
It's an amazing drum set if you use it with your DAW on your laptop
@@ChristianBjork Ok so i’ve night the alesis surge
i’ve had it since end august
it’s amazing except for sound
which at first didn’t bother me but lately it has
can you expand on the ‘DAW’ thing and how to add it to my drums?
@@abigailstanley3044 For sure... I never used the native sounds because I honetly feel they're really, really bad. I do love the feel of the mesh drums and being able to drum for fun.
DAWs are digital audio workstations (like Protoold or Cubase on Mac, or others which you can probably find.
I use Logic Pro X and what you need is a USB cable (that goes from the Alesis to your computer/laptop). Then you use the Alesis to "trigger" the (hopefully much better) sounds that your program has.
I haven't watched this video, but something like this should help:
ua-cam.com/video/PGlheikALWw/v-deo.html
@@ChristianBjork Random Internet person, I thank you! This is exactly what I needed! Stay safe and healthy my friend!
How do you download the software bro?!
Was glad to record for you. It was a pleasure meeting you.
@Rohan Reed Actually what?
I've had my surge kit for a year now and for someone that just needs a creative outlet for themselves this is an ideal kit for the price. Based on pros and cons I was looking at this kit was for me. I spent months researching and found that feature wise it had more to offer than other kits in this range and since I just jam for myself so I didn't mind a lesser quality module, personally I think it sounds great, but I only use headphones. I got the 8" add on dual zone pad and single zone cymbal upgrade off of ebay for about 200 and couldn't be happier! Also like the fact that the kick tower has an 8" pad for double bass, other kits either had no kick pad or just a smaller 6" pad throwing the double bass idea out the window.
Even though I wouldn’t buy one, I still enjoy watching these vids. Thanks as always J! 👍
Great review thanks. Glad you touched on the feel and "fun" of playing the kit. Won't be using the module for recording so feel is more important for me. They DO look cool too :)
ThNks for this this is my set and i thought that i cant play my hihat well. Thank you for this video review.
I paused the video to look at the drum module, and just died when I read the "why did you pause..." thing, didn't even see it at first. Well done...
Amazing vid Justin keep up the good work
I've had my Nitro kit for over a year now.. and I love it! The kits that are pre-set are ok and fun to mess around with.. But, a real drummer will take the individual sounds and build his own kit! I have several kits I built and I record with through the Behringer 3D virtualizer and into my ZOOM R16. You are wrong about Alesis breaking down.. My first kit was an Alesis DM-lite that I bought in 2011 or 12 for 300.00 brand new. I beat these things for 8 years and not once did they give me any grief! That is why I bought the nitros last January, great price and way better features. Now I'm starting to get comfortable with these and learning the little secrets..... lol
Love them!
Actually been thinking about buying one of these modules just to expand my already maxed out kit. Thank you for sharing.
Drum Covers by Bill Just in case, it's not very easy to find some modules. I was about to get that surge kit and then buy a forge module, but I couldn't find it. So I bought the forge kit (the last they had maybe) and then upgraded the snare.
I bought my Surge about a month ago. I am 66. Drums thru school turned guitar player. Several bands and playing out. Done with all that. I decided to try one of these to calm my drums jones. I am just loving it. I go upstairs put on my phones and play all I want not bothering anyone. I'm not as critical as Justin. The only thing I miss is you can't get a good bell sound on the cymbals but I'm a happy man.
Thanks for the informative video as always :)
I finally got mine! And I'm loving it! I'm a life-long guitarist/bassist/pianist, and wanted to have my one edrum set, so I got this. A pro drummer might not love it, but I think it feels SO, so good and syncing it with my logic pro on my macbook, I'm having so much fun with it. :)
Yeah, it's hard getting good information for us non-drummers. Like you, I am getting a drum kit so I can lay basic drum tracks, and a lot of these reviews state pros and cons from an exclusively professional drummer's view. Some of these things I hear are likely issues you or I may not have because we're not exclusively drummers. Thanks for your feedback...
@@josephcook1904 Fire this thing through SD3 and you literally have the best sounding e-drums possible. I guess repairs and breaks can be factored into the cheap starting price. Easily replaced. Mine arrive on Sunday, can't wait.
i know its been four years but how is it now
@@tylerAnderson1997 hi man... I've used it on and off, and am about to set it back up again... It's worked amazing for me, both at home and a few small "for fun" shows with friends... can't complain (y)
@@ChristianBjork thanks man i was thinking about getting back into drumming and was researching some good budget friendly options and this came up a lot. thank you so much.
I plan on get this as my first drum set. And even though this is an opinion video I now have more of an insight of what I’m getting into. I’m not looking for something to last me a long time, 2 or 3 years until I can get a better one. Great video. 10/10.
I am a beginner, and the main reason I bought this set is I liked the mesh heads better than the solid rubber ones. I will agree after a while I did start to notice the sounds were not quite up to par. Anyways thanks for the video and the advice as far as upgrading the module. 🤘🏻
Finally an unbiased helpful video to help me choose. I gotta go with the sound and durability on the Roland td1, just wish it had a mesh kick pad
Honestly, the Alesis Nitro Mesh and Surge Mesh kits are an excellent value for beginner drummers and those don't want to spend fortunate on electronic drums. These can be easily had used for $250-$350 cash in mint to new condition. And if you need better sounds, just hook the drums up to a drumming software and you got yourself a killer kit, with killer sounds under for $500 out-the-door!
I just got to play one of these at guitar center earlier today. Coming from a kit that has only rubber pads, it feels better to play. I personally like the sounds because they remind me a lot of the first kit I was given back in 2009. That one had a module with the same sounds and presets as the alesis dm-6 and I played that all the time. I also like the midi input and usb because I've never owned a set with those features. I actually just got the dtx 500 as an upgrade to my Dtxplorer set, but I like this kit because it's small enough that I could set it up somewhere tight if I had to and still play it well. Also, both kits that I currently own only have 2 vertical posts so they aren't as reinforced as a kit like this that has a 4 post rack. I also like the module controls because they are simple enough for a blind person to understand. I'd probably get this as a secondary kit if I could.
Quite frankly, I find the Yamaha sets rather repulsive to look at, and considering the $500 was a lot of money to me, I think it was well spent. Being a new drummer, I suppose my ear isn't trained to know what an aweful drum kit sounds like, because for the money my Surge sounds pretty good. Since I bought it to learn on, and having to share my home with others who barely tolerate my playing it, even as quiet as it is compared to an acoustic drum it, I think it will last long enough for a sixty three year old guy to get a few licks in before he kicks the bucket.
All things are relative, my friend.
I agree with you.
I'm a 50-yr old woman who just started playing drums 10 months ago and I completely agree with you! :)
I play in a couple of bands and was thinking of buying the Surge kit to practice at home without waking up the complaining cat lady who lives 2-doors down. Anyway, I'm not concerned about looks or the authenticity of the drum sounds as long as the heads feel somewhat real. I'll never gig an e-kit. I'm more interested in having a built-in metronome and the ability to play along with mp3s. It may require the use of a mixer, but I'm not sure yet. Thanks for your review. A teacher you might check out on youtube is Stephen Taylor.
There are many other videos that the reviewers give positive comments on the samples. No competition in this price range. I am picking up my new Surge from Redone Music in Montreal next weekend. 😁
@@xtremeshredder If they offer an extended warranty on the Alesis I'd recommend getting one, or buy a Roland- used or new.
I was thinking "hey thats pretty good" and then you hit the HI hAT JFC
As an experienced 14 year old drummer I’m trying to look for kits my parents would be willing to help me pay for😂. I feel this kit is perfect for the price, honestly the sounds aren’t bad. I feel like this kit would be good for pretty much snyone
I paused the video because I love the Easter Eggs that you put in your videos.
I have one plugged into Superior Drummer 3 and it works fine for my needs.
Great job with the review.
I've got one of these, and pretty much agree with your observations. It's great for a beginner or a not-super-committed player on the budget who needs a low-noise alternative to an acoustic set. The module lacks intuitiveness, but @ $400, it's tough to beat.
I insist...if Yamaha had the looks of Alesis it would own the market!
Thanks for the video on free vst and daws...glad i went surge..if i play live ill probly use acustic cymbals and hh
Super helpful, thanks!
Just used it recently in a recording. You the sound module doesn't have the best sounds but put it through superior drummer 3 and it was pretty cool. The drummer wasn't crazy about the hi hat feel, but that's it. It's great for doing midi
Getting this kit very soon.
For practice at home, the Surge exceeds expectations. I love 'em!
Hi. Thanks for the help I got on choosing the drum set. I end up getting the surge kit. But like you referred I’m not that happy with the sound of the module. So, I will ask you to give me some advice about software that I can improve the sound. I’ve used the garage band and got a more decent sound but I still want an app (I’m using iPad) that can deliver more in terms of quality and options. Going through the App Store there’s a quite number of apps available but I really don’t know which the best. Can you give some advise on this? Thanks a lot. Carlos
im thinking of getting this kit (like pretty much about to buy!) dead excited :) Great Video Justin btw
How is it?
“Why did you pause the video to read this” 😂😂😂
Gottem :) :) :)
@@65Drums Justin can you do a review of carlsbro cds600... i need opinions pls pls help
So... its still getting people, 2yrs later
Umm I didn’t I’m still watching
I own an Alesis 'Forge.' Would I replace it with the 'Surge'? Yes, just to upgrade my kit to mesh heads and the extra crash. I prefer my Forge module though (thinking back to one of your assessments). Although, paying $499 doesn't get you a decent HH, or cymbal feel, but these are great for warm-ups and general practice - they do the job!
I've owned one of these for 2 years and no problems
Thanks Justin.. I follow ur videos alot . Good looking drum kit. Just want to know that, can I connect my Roland td4 module to it?
Justin,
I am an avid guitarist and songwriter who has been increasingly investing in additional microphones, a 32-track recording console, a few extra guitar effects, etc. For a while recently, I have been looking very closely and intently at electronic drums. And I am committed to buying something in the next few weeks.
The second time I watched this video, it hit me how negatively you spoke, three times, about the sound quality of this drum kit. To an experienced drummer like you are, I understand that your ear is better focused than 99.9% of all other listeners, and so you have more to comment on, kind of like a "connoisseur". But, personally, I deeply want to get the songs in my head recorded on multi-track, so I can grow them. And I genuinely "need" drums for this. You do go on to state that we can get more/better sounds for the kit elsewhere, and then you even emphasize how much fun this drum kit is to play, which of course is huge to a player of any instrument.
Currently, the price is $549 at Guitar Center, which is right at my sweet spot. So, for me anyway, it seems like this is the perfect starting point for my goals. Thank you for your research and insight. You've got some really good stuff out there!
Cheers!
just got this!!! love it so far!
I just bought one of these, so I'll give you a good review when it shows up. I got it for super cheap and with a warranty, so I'm not expecting much. I'll probably get software for it but honestly I'm only using it for practicing songs in my apartment.
Check out his free software page for elesis drums...free vst and daws..dude u 🎸 🤘 im going to tell everyone about u...u give us what we need...can we donate a bit to u for all the work. Uve saved me hundreds
The alesis had DMtouch witch you could plug in trough a vidcable ,or trough an alesis DMdock on iPad or iPhone
Thanks Justin, 😀✌⭐
Greetings!
I really enjoy your reviews! I’m looking to get this kit for the pads and use them w/ the Strike Multi pad. You mentioned the sounds sounding “shot gun esque” is this due to the sounds that are available or the sensitivity (smoothness) of the teiggering?
Ie would these pads be sensitive enough for realistic triggering for the multi pad or should I buy individual Strike pads instead?
Thank you in advance for your insight.
Ha! Been sitting on a Alesis QS81 weighted keyboard for years I had bought for my studio. I almost sold it till today. Now I can use those drums sounds if I want.
Thanks for playing them like actual drums, everyone always has this bizarre compulsion to play electric kits unnaturally and it kinda defeats the entire purpose.
I've been going back and forth between biting the bullet and practicing loud, or spending a butt load on something I wouldn't have an issue with. I can't argue that the built in samples are crap (only one factory preset I enjoyed), but as a person who has used SD2 for ages, it pairs very well with it. I'm far from a pro drummer, but feel that it serves me very well. The fact that the toms are the same size weirds me out, but that is whatever.
Only thing I would have liked added to this was a more realistic snare, and separated bells one at least one cymbal pad for a ride. I can make do as of now, but still, super stoked for the price.
Hopefully your thoughts on it dying relatively quick to prove factual though :P
Hey Bro great video as allays. I have Komplete Ultamate so I have all there virtual drum sets, I want to use this drum set only as a USB midi controller. My question to you is, can I swap out pieces from Alesis bigger kits like toms and cymbals Im not sure how these drum models work? Also I like the look and feel of these form my home studio but I want bigger later
I picked one of these kits up in like new condition for $330.00. At that price it is totally worth it to a novice drummer like me. I hope if this kit breaks it's in a couple years when I may be in the market for a better drum set anyway.
Been dying to pick this kit up since it was first shown but no one in Canada seems to have any in stock
U should check out the new nitro mesh
Appreciate a review if you can
My son and myself have this drum (along with an acoustic set ) in the garage connected to a PA system. The default module sounds are ok (as it's been said e drums modules this price range are 'meh' but if you take the time you can configure your module sounds and make them sound better.
The only big complaint I have about this set is the high hats responsiveness especially the open /close seems to get stuck at times.
Other than that it is a very fun set to play, I love all the dual zones and the fact you can custom assign them so I'll put an extra crash or tom on the Tom Tom rims. On a few kits we even assigned an extra bass drum on the down close high hat (double bass pedals!) And you still get the high hat sound on the other positions. Hook it up to a daw and you now got an infinite library of drum kits/sounds. So for this price range you can do a lot without having to go broke!
I agree about the hi hat.
I have a surge and it is very annoying that the settings for tempo, click volume/sound and other stuff is not saved. Once you turn it off it resets
I really appreciate the flash of the Surge drink...I miss that drink lol
yo is it better to have a better drum brain to trigger sware or better trigs, i found the rme are killer for low latency, just curious on yop if the brain is the best upgrade first, charz
Quick question... Is the 3 velocity layer issue with the hi hat a hardware issue? I want to know if I buy this E-Drum and plug it up to my computer and use a drum plugin that has more velocity layers for the hi hats is it still just going to trigger at those 3 velocities?
Would this be a decent beginner's drum kit if you plan on using it more as a midi controller? I have been using Superior Drummer 3 with a mouse, but I'd like to start learning how to do it for semi-real.
What chop did you use in the beginning? I loved it bruh
I'm getting a surge and just bought a crimson used module it should hook up fine and I am essentially making a command correct?
Dylan Kowalski holly shit you’re a drummer dude do some covers I like ur bali vids let’s see u behind a kit
I am from Brazil and wanted your help, I am going to Portugal at the end of the year and I wanted to know which one to buy I can pay up to 550 EUROS I am in doubt between alesis surge mesh kit or rolling DMKV V drums kit if I know of any better at these prices, thank you.
This kit or the simmons sd600 for home recording jamming? I'm planning on using this for programming midi tracks and triggering virtual instruments. I'm on a budget and this would be way cheaper than putting together an acoustic kit, cymbals and mics. LMK your thoughts on which kit would integrate better with a daw?
The module looks exactly like the one in the Medeli DD514 (same display, different buttons layout, and the same horrible sounds). Nice pads though, with SD2.0 or AD2 it's got to be fine.
Medeli DD514 kit don't have mesh heads
I like it for superior drummer 3, more zones for high hat would be tight though.
I'm looking into buying this as a midi controller for suppieror drummer 2. How well does it work for that? Dynamics, sensitivity, crosstalk, etc
Thanks for the video Justin! That hi hat though...:/
Ikr
Best thing to do is lower the sound output on the hi hat. It can be very overpowering.
In public im using acoustic cymbals
I have this drum set and I find the volume is really bad. Maybe I’m doing something wrong but not enjoying it. I also have my acoustic kit. Thank you for the video 👍
I bought a Alesis Surge Mesh Drum kit last April and this happened about the Friday before Veteran's day 2019. So I was playing and I think I got through 2 songs before whenever I would hit in the snare zone on the pad it would play the rimshot sound and wouldn't stop. Any suggestions?
Thanks man I just purchased these the sounds are pretty bad I will definitely be getting another module
Hey, Justin, please help. I'm really new to all this and I'm about to purchase the alesis nitro and I just need to kknow from you. Is it good to record original songs, is the MIDI side of the nitro wirth it. Maybe would you recommend another one for that type of thing. My style is Bonham Tame Impala Foo Fighters. That type of fast hard dirty rock sound. Thanks so much, bro. Take care
Using this with easy drummer with that improve the high hats sounds swell and capability of the high had meaning will it sound real thanks
Hey Justin, great video. I wished i watched this video before I bought my Alesis Nitro Mesh kit on Black Friday. however, since i already brought Nitro Mesh kit do you think should I upgrade it to the Surge kit? thank you again for your advice on this.
I believe the only difference is that your heads are rubber and the Surge uses mesh heads. Also, the Surge uses a steel tube rack, whereas the Nitro has an aluminum rack. The module appears to be the same. You can compare the models here: www.alesis.com/drum-kit-comparison
Well, I own the Surge kit and I'm happy with it. The only thing I want to change is the bass drum pad. I wish I could use an acoustic drum with a trigger, but I don't know if it could be possible with the Surge module. At first I wanted the Yamaha DTX450,but AMS don't sent Yamaha or Roland products to Puerto Rico, so I had to get the Surge kit.
Have u been able to figure it out? I was hoping for some answers there because I have always wanted to replace the pad with a triggered accoustic bass drum, just was not sure if it would work with the module! Hope Justin could help us there :p
@@steevenpumbien4304 no,I got stucked with the bass drum pad 😕. But I put it under the tube where the "floor tom" is so the tube is like holding it. I hope you have the idea of what I try to say. English is my second language
@@morganix007 yes I get it. The Surge's bass drum pad is bit of a downer to be honest. I didn't like it in the first place because I thought it was not stable especially when you use double pedals, it keeps moving forward. Even though I managed to find some ways to fix that, the kick pad's trigger just stopped working on me recently. I looked up online and found that actually many drummers have had that issue. I'm glad that yours is still working. I would however recommend you closely watch this though. Maybe you can buy and keep a chrome elite trigger as spare replacement just for when it suddenly happens. I would also recommend you check reviews properly if you decide to buy the Yamaha DTX450, especially if you use double pedals. I saw on some video of 65 Drums itself that Justin related that the DTX450 was fine with a single pedal, but presented some issues registering dual beats on the same level. Wish you best mate and stay safe!
@@steevenpumbien4304 about the double pedal stuff,true! But I think I will buy a DDrum Hybrid bass drum to use it with the Alesis. It is a 20"x20" triggered Birch bass drum. The only thing that is needed is a 3/4" to female XLR plug. Thanks to the guy of 65 Drums for letting me know that.
My Yamaha dtx 450 has lasted 8 years and still works fine
I have an arturia drum brute, id love to hook it up to this as a module...
Hi!, would you recommend this kit as a controller for kontakt?
Thanks for the review though man
Justin, do you happen to know if we can connect a triggered accoustic bass drum on the Surge module? Thanks.
Helpful
What drum program for better sounds do you guys recommend? Or should I buy a different drum module instead?
Hi, did you try the millennium 750. It’s got a good module I think. But no good reviews
Love it
Hey justin.. iam one of your viewers from indonesia.. if i got yamaha DTX720K (new version with KP100 kickpad) for 950$ is that worth to buy? Or if i compare to alesis what type i should compare to? since yamaha never had a mesh head....? Hope you read and reply my comment. Thanks.
I have the nitro mesh which is the same module. It's actually the medelli dd510 or something like that. Output volume in the headphones and the 1/4 jack outputs is very very low so I need a headphone amp just to use it. Sounds are fine for me as a beginner. The Tom's on the surge are the same as the nitro mesh, they are single zone on the nitro mesh though alrhought the jack's are stereo. I have booked it up to my laptop through addictive drums and I think that is the best way to use it. I get a pretty good sound for €160 in addictive drums and a decent beginner kit for €400. It looks like the surge just gives you a bigger snare and an extra cymbal with all the same sounds as the nitro.
Can you confirm that Nitro's tom inputs are dual? Thanks in advance.
In what ways are alesis drum kits more prone to breaking? bag hardware overall?
Looking to get this soon or should I upgrade to the Command mesh kit?
How would you compare the usability of the 2 zone snare vs the 3 zone on the DTX452K?
Best kit for the price
What Alesis "upgrade" modules can I use with my Surge Mesh Kit? Very good videos. Thanks!
All of them that use the wiring harness. Command, Strike, the newer DM10's, etc.
Hey brother, can you just plug and play with Ssd5 or do you need an audio interface?
Question, if you had the choice of a td-20sx for $3000 or a td-17kvx $1700 which would u choose?
Hi Justin, by awful sounds you mean that you heard all those kits with the same pair of speakers or something like that? I'm curious because I own today a nitro mesh kit and I had previously a few years back an old DTX kit with triangled cymbals. How do you compare that? did you recorded both kits with a mixer and did the comparison of the sound samples? please, let me know.
On all of the playing examples I think he was using the ride to avoid the sound of the open hi hat
Will a dm 8 drum module work for this drum kit?
Would this kit be ok if I was just using it to trigger slate drums? or EZdrummer?
man it should be a standard that e drum reviews show a sample of the pads being hit with no drum sound
its so hard to find demos of certain kits loudness..
Can i please ask a question? Because the surge mesh only has on extra 2 zone expansion port, can you split 2zone toms at the tom instead of the module? I hate how this thing has that wire snake instead of individual jacks
Have you seen the new Nitro mesh? when did it come out? I just saw it before I came to this video
Just bought a Surge kit and am loving it. The hi hats do need to be turned down as the stock kits have them too loud in relation to the other sounds. This is easy to do as you build your own kits - and you have a plethora of options to choose from! Best bang for the buck in the under $500 category!
I am a guitar player but would like to buy an electronic drum kit for home recording but wanna use it only as a midi instrument and get the sounds from EZ Drummer or similar software, what would you recommend me with a $500 USD price range?
Can I add a triple zone ride cymbal on the surge module? and if so would the triple zone feature work?
It looks awesome to me.. I don't have a big budget to constitute for playing in my living room.
Thinking of buying one.. is the crash chokeable?
got mine coming in the mail AWESOME COVER MAN! @t
I bought my daughter a nitro which has the same module. It actually sounds better in this video than it does in person.
I played the best sounding couple of kits in the module