Alesis Nitro Max Kit Electric Drum Set with Quiet Mesh Pads, 10" Dual Zone Snare, Bluetooth, 440+ Authentic Sounds, Drumeo, USB MIDI, Kick Pedal

Short StoryFor the money, this is a solid choice, but spend a little more to buy a snare stand. For this 5'11" 200lb guy, this is always going to feel small and cramped. The addition of a snare stand and tweaking the layout makes it workable.Long StoryI started playing drums about 14 years ago on an acoustic kit and never really got beyond beginner stage - one bad teacher sent me off on an "I'll learn on my own" path that amounted to about what you would expect. I sold the kit when I moved into my last house and didn't have a good place to play that wouldn't bother my neighbors. Ever since, I've always wanted to get back into it.I've looked at the electronic kits through the years and never pulled the trigger (no pun intended - sorta) because I knew it was a compromise from what I had before. And let's be honest, this Alesis kit IS a compromise. I have a small house with hardwood floors and close neighbors so an acoustic set is not in my future. I knew an e-kit was my only choice and I'm somewhat frugal so the Nitro Max ultimately won out over a number of other brands (Fesley, Simmons, Donner).As others have stated, the assembly instructions are awful - black and white illustrations of black hardware is worthless although you can mostly figure it out. What threw me was the clamps that slide into a grooved channel and it's not immediately obvious they rotate 360 degrees by turning them somewhat forcefully.Once assembled, I kept moving the snare this way and that, raising and lowering, trying to find a comfortable playing position. A quick search and I found this to be a common complaint. The solution was a cheap snare stand that could accommodate 10-14" snares (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085HLRMCY?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title). That has made a huge difference. Not only does this let me raise the snare up to a comfortable height, but I can move it around the kit. Finally, it helps to reduce the wobble in the kit (more on this later).UPDATE: I play pretty hard and typically bury the beater. As I began playing more, the kick pad just kept walking away from me - to the point that I would have to drag it back mid-song. I bought a neoprene pad to put underneath in hopes of giving it more to dig into but it didn't work. Suddenly it dawned on me the unused snare bracket could be used to stop the kick - note the second pic. While this definitely contributes to a much more wobbly kit, it's better than the alternative.I also ended up swapping the positions for the snare and module which let me open up my playing position even more. This set will always feel a little cramped, but you can tweak things enough to where it's an okay compromise.Let's talk about the rack. The tighter "footprint" the more stable the rack will be. I could bring the side legs in tighter and increase the stability of the rack, but it would be too small to play comfortably. This would work well for kids, but not this old guy. Playing the kit, it wobbles - not a lot and doesn't impact my playing, but it's there. Finally, once you've added toms, snares, and cables, this isn't collapsing into a compact little unit that is easily stowed.The kick pad isn't bad, but the hard rubber bounces far more than a regular kick drum so I've really had to be mindful of my strikes to avoid double beats. Theoretically I can add a double kick to the setup but need to find a pedal with beaters that are close together to hit the small Alesis pad. I don't like the hi-hat pedal. Its spring is soft and you have to be mindful of foot pressure to trigger effectively. Its design forces me to put my whole foot on top of the pedal rather than using my toes or ball of my foot. That will take me a while to get used to.As for the module and the pre-programmed kits, the module does the job and while you can get by with the basics included in the quick start guide, you should really download the full manual. I found I needed to adjust the sensitivity of the different drums as the toms were far too sensitive and the snare not enough. I don't love any of the pre-programmed kits - they all sound fairly electronic-y - but that a minor nit. I do love the bluetooth feature and the various utilities to help me develop good habits.This wasn't a love at first sight or play for me. For the first day or two, I was certain I was returning it. Once I got it to work for my needs, I feel pretty good about the purchase. Had I spent twice as much on the Fesley, would I have gotten a much better kit but twice the set? Probably not. This is a good value and a good start or restart as it were.

I think this is probably the best budget kit available on Amazon. This kit has several HUGE advantages and very few relatively minor issues as far as I was able to notice.Pros:1) High quality construction2) Very good drum module with many features3) A metronome with 3 different sounds to select from - this is HUGE plus! It is also very robust, you do not need to buy any external metronome.4) Bluetooth connectivity works like a charm!5) The module has a holder for phone or tablet, very convenient6) The module allows you to change/assign midi codes for each item in the kit - this is HUGE!7) The module has USB-B midi port, you can use to connect your iPad and leverage on midi integration. This is very useful for games and learning (among other things).8) Additional parts are available for purchasing9) The drums module acts as mixer for your drums and whatever external stereo audio source you may want to use (I usually use Youtube on iPad). In other words, no need to buy separate mixer unless you want to connect microphones or more than one audio source.Cons:1) Included assembly instruction guide is useless. It is impossible to understand anything there. I suggest to watch youtube video "Alesis Nitro Max Mesh Kit setup guide", it should help, but please allocate at least one hour for assembly.2) The kit does not include audio and USB adapters/cables to connect your headphones and tablets (I will list all the additional cables you need below)3) The module does not have standard midi ports, it only offers midi connectivity via USB. Note, only midi can be sent via USB, no audio. For audio connectivity you need to use bluetooth or 3.5mm audio cable.4) Tom-2 has incorrect midi code, you will need to change it in the settings of the module from 45 (low tom) to 47 (low-mid tom)5) User manual for the module is not included, you need to download it from the manufacturer web site6) Audio sound is relatively weak, you may need to buy mini preamp... I am still testing a few options here. This is optional though.7) The electric kit is not completely silent though, people around will hear you hitting toms with sticks. You can buy dumpers for your drumsticks, but dumpers can reduce the noise, not eliminate it.Expansion Pack:I highly suggest to purchase expansion pack from the Alesis, it is called Alesis Drums Nitro Max Expansion Pack.Headphones:You have probably purchased this kit to practice silently using headphones. If you want to teach your child, you may need two pairs of headphones that can be connected to each other, so you can hear your child playing. I picked OneOdio Over Ear Headphone, Wired version. Headphones come with two cords, black (3.5), and red (1/4). You only need the red cord. However, you will need to also buy 1/4 Female Stereo to 2 X 1/4 Male Mono Y Splitter since the module has two 1/4 female mono jacks for left and right channels.For midi connectivity with iPad (mine has lighting connector and headphones jack) you may need:1) USB A Male to USB B Male Cable2) Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter3) I like to use mobile application X Drum - 3D & AR, it has very good midi integration (make sure to change midi code for tom 2 as listed above)For iPad audio connectivity:1) Bluetooth can be used2) Instead I am using 3.5mm stereo male to male Audio Cable to connect module with iPad through iPad headphones jack.My summary and conclusion:I like this kit, and to my opinion it worths its price.