Alesis Strata Prime review

Strata Prime is the kit for drummers who want an electronic set that sits and feels like an acoustic one. Alesis lists six all-mesh drums with adjustable tension: a 14-inch dual-zone snare, 8, 10, 12 and 14-inch toms, and a 20-inch kick that suits single and double pedals. The cymbals are acoustic-sized, two 16-inch crashes and an 18-inch ride, all triple-zone and free to swing on standard arms, and the 14-inch hi-hat uses an Active Magnetic controller on your own stand. The module has a 10.1-inch touch screen running the BFD engine with 75 kits, over 40GB of samples and 37 playable zones. For quiet home use, the large kick drum is the main caveat, and you need to supply a kick pedal and hi-hat stand. Alesis shows no price on its page, so we scored value conservatively. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test it.

Who it is for

Advanced drummers who want acoustic-size pads and studio sounds at home

Price

See vendor pricing (USD check pending).

US price check pending. See the vendor pricing page.

Key features

• 14-inch dual-zone snare, 8, 10, 12 and 14-inch toms and a 20-inch kick, all mesh
• Two 16-inch crashes and an 18-inch ride, all triple-zone and 360-degree
• 14-inch Active Magnetic hi-hat for any standard stand
• 10.1-inch touch screen module with 75 kits and over 40GB of BFD content
• 37 playable zones with up to three stacked sounds per zone

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Acoustic-size drums and cymbals for a natural layout
• Strength: Tension adjustable on all six mesh heads
• Strength: Four sound libraries included
• Weakness: Kick pedal and hi-hat stand sold separately
• Weakness: A 20-inch kick takes more space and transmits more beater thump than a small pad
• Weakness: No USD price on the Alesis page when checked

Key facts

• Snare: 14-inch dual-zone mesh
• Kick: 20-inch mesh
• Cymbals: 2 x 16-inch crash, 18-inch ride, 14-inch hi-hat
• Module: 10.1-inch touch screen, BFD engine
• Kits: 75

Where it ranks

Alesis Strata Prime is No. 7 in our Best Electronic Drum Kits verdict.