Getting into electronic drum kits used to be a very expensive sport when these instruments first appeared on the market. These days the things are very much different. You can get a rather capable kit for not a lot of money.
In this guide we will show you our top picks for the top 7 best electronic drum kits under $500. Despite being pretty affordable, some of these are among the
best electronic drum kits on the market.
After we go over our picks, we'll discuss what makes this category so attractive and what features you can expect to find.
Top 7 Best Electronic Drum Kits Under $500
What To Expect From A $500 Electronic Drum Kit?
Kits which are available in this price range are still considered entry level by many. That doesn't mean that they are bad. The real affordable segment lies somewhere below $300. However, you won't find too many features on these like you would on the
$1000 electronic drum kits.
So what do these have to offer? Well that will mostly depend on the brand you go with. Some have dedicated modules designed specifically for this particular price range while others resort to other solutions.
The key is to find a kit that best fits your needs. If this is going to be your first kit, we strongly suggest that you look into the
beginner electronic drum kits. There isn't generally much difference between beginner models and what we are looking at here.
In most cases those two categories intersect quite a bit. However, dedicated beginner models come with a bunch of software designed to help you learn how to play faster. With all that said, lets take a look at some defining features you will find on $500 electronic drum sets.
Simple Racks
Racks are the core of any drum kit but also a component that is often overlooked. There are generally two things a good rack needs to do. For one it needs to offer enough support and rigidity to hold everything together without anything moving.
Secondly, it needs to allow for some adjustment. Each person is slightly different in their own way so what is comfortable for you may not be comfortable for someone else. Most racks in this price range will satisfy both of these criteria. However, you aren't looking at over engineered racks that are borderline indestructible.
Those higher end solutions are reserved for more expensive rigs. What matters the most is that these will get the job done just fine.
Pads and Cymbals Design
One of the defining features of the more affordable electronic drum kits are their pads and cymbals. You are mostly going to run into very basic designs but there are exceptions.
Mesh pads are slowly making their way into lower priced models, which is pretty amazing. With that said, cymbals are still going to be single or dual zone in nature.
Additionally both will have decent response to velocity, which is what matters the most. One thing to keep in mind is that you won't get that realistic stick feedback in most cases. Unfortunately, that will take a larger investment.
Modules and Software
Last but not least lets touch upon modules and software that comers with these kits. In most cases you will deal with either modules designed specifically for beginners or modules which are a result of brands stripping down their flagship units to meet the given criteria.
In both cases you are getting a fairly good deal. What you're looking for in a good module is a good interface, a good library of presets and decent samples. All of those features are going to vary depending on the brand you go with.
Since this is a price range where most are looking for ways to make their product as cheap as possible, don't be surprised if you run into compromises here and there. Truth be told, most of the models on our list are packed with great modules which will get the job done and then some.
Conclusion
This particular segment of the market isn't the most exciting one in terms of features and hardware, but it's very competitive. That means that there are plenty of options out there and awesome models for you to choose from.
The ones we've chosen for this list have made the cut thanks to their sound, hardware and overall performance. No matter which of these you go with, you won't be disappointed. As always, we strongly suggest that you get the best your money can buy as that is one rule of thumb that works flawlessly in the world of musical instruments.