Pros Of The TD11K :
- It has an impressive build quality
- It can be easily expanded and customized
- Higher quality sounds
- It has mesh electronic drum pads which are a good addition
- It’s easy to use
- Good for drummers of all skill levels for practice and learning
- It’s painless to set up
Cons:
- Its price range makes it not an entry-level kit
- It does not have mesh heads on all drums
- It might be heavy for some drummers
How well do you know the Roland TD11K? Is it something for advanced drummers to thrive on? And is it something beginners can handle? Well, in this review, you are going to learn more about this drum set kit. At the end of it all, you’re going to make an informed decision about whether it is excellent for both beginners and advanced drummers.
The Roland TD 11K electronic drum set is a mid-range drum kit mainly built for experienced or advanced drummers and those drummers who are looking for a nice drum set on a moderate budget. This kit now has additional items that you can’t find in other lower drum kits such as TD 1K and TD 4KP.
There is more to expect about the Roland TD 11K, including excellent quality drum sound, higher quality build, better playability, and additional notable module features.
Who’s The Roland TD11K Drum Kit For?
When it comes to drum kits, you want to buy something that suits you best and allows you to practice at any time seamlessly. To choose the best kit, you need to determine whether you’re a beginner or an advanced drummer. Also, you need to be sure about how much you’re willing to spend on an electronic drum kit.
If the price tag of the Roland TD 11K doesn’t bother you, then you can go for it regardless of whether you are just a beginner or an advanced drummer.
The TD 11K is perfect for those drummers looking for an electronic drum set that will allow them to practice anytime and anywhere. If you’re looking for a kit for recording, then you need one that will bring out a wide range of quality sounds. Such kind of a drum kit will thus allow you to record anything from jazz to metal.
Build Quality
Roland never disappoints when it comes to making their instruments, and this is something we can determine in the Roland TD 11K electronic drum kit. The kit features a highly compact build that is easy to set up and use and produces a wide range of impressive sounds. Those aspects make it a great drum kit for both beginners and advanced players.
The TD 11K is built with high-quality craftsmanship that can be felt. Setting up the drum set may not be the most natural thing you will ever do in this world, but Roland made sure that setting up the TD 11K is as painless as possible. The kit has a higher quality build than the cheaper and options from Roland. It comes with sturdy and robust rack poles that ensure comfort while playing.
The kit has a new addition of the KD-9 bass drum that fits any single pedal easily and can be used on double pedals with ease as well. This bass drum comes with a cloth head on the striking surface of durable rubber pads that you can rely on for comfortable playing experience.
The TD-11K comes with three cymbal pads as a standard five-piece setup. Better yet, the kit allows you to plug in an extra cymbal if you want to increase the size of your kit. The kit also comes with a hi-hat, which functions as a freestanding pedal that connects directly to the TD-11 drum module. This hi-hat pedal can work with both front and back foot triggering. This means that you can open, close or splash, then the pedal with your foot.
The hi-hat cymbal has a CY-8 cymbal pad mounted on the stand and fits perfectly on the MDS-48 drum rack. The cymbal can be adjusted to your preferred feel.
The TD 11K has a dual trigger drum with a fully adjustable mesh pad, namely the PDX-8. The PDX-8 allows you to change the tension of the head using a standard drum key. This 10-inch drum is made from a combination of various materials such as rubber, plastic, metal, and mesh. The drum head, which is comprised of a white mesh, can withstand plenty of playing force, and still, it can function pretty well when the tension is altered to make it tighter.
The PDX-8 has a unique feel compared with other rubber pads on the toms. It has an excellent cushioning which offers a springy, which correctly supports faster playing and multiple bounces. The PDX-8 mesh head is compatible with rim clicks, meaning that you can play a sample that you might need for a specific song by just assigning the rim.
The Roland TD 11K comes with upgraded tom pads known as PD-8A, which is a single-zone that’s not compatible with rims. The tom pads consist of a rubber pad covered with plastic.
The TD 11k has a setup comprised of a space-efficient drum stand that’s compact and supports the whole system. The stand ensures the drum and cymbals stay in place over many hours of extended jamming and practice sessions. However, unfortunately, this drum set should be secured in one place since it’s not portable.
How Does It Sound?
When you start thinking about what makes the Roland TD 11K great, you first have to think of its sound. By just playing the drum module for the first time, you can tell that Roland has indeed upgraded from the lower TD sound engines. The TD 11K features a “supernatural sound engine” as it is referred to by Roland. Due to that high-quality sound engine, the module responds better to trigger input and produces a wide range of quality kit samples.
Due to the diverse sound library of this kit, you will have access to a wide variety of music styles and genres to play along with. Therefore, you can use the diverse sound library to practice and improve your skills or even make tweaks during a live performance.
The kit comes with a display that is large enough to read when you are sitting upright. The main control of the unit gives you access to numerous drum kits, effects, sounds, songs, and exercises that are included in the TD 11K module.
The kits in this module are of higher quality and sound clearer. Also, you will have access to over 190 sounds, which means you will have access to jazz, pop, and even arena drum sets.
With the Roland TD 11K, you can select and set a range of sound parameters for every single drum. You can tune ahead, muffle a tom, change the tone color, or even reduce or increase snare buzz, by pushing three buttons. That’s what is known as sound editing.
Muffling a tom allows you to shorten or lengthen the sound of a particular sample. This will enable you to blend sounds on your electronic drum kit.
Additionally, you can quickly load your songs onto the Roland TD 11K by using a basic USB stick.
Let’s hear a preview of this drumset:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCYfkWCB4ZE
Useful Features
This drum module comes with notable features such as the coach mode, metronome, play-along songs, and the option to add your MP3 player or iPod.
The coach mode or the coaching function helps players regardless of their level of skill to build skills by playing along with songs that come with the module, and they get graded accordingly.
The metronome functions as a standard and can be adjusted using the large dial on the module face.
You have the option to hook up your MP3 or iPod so you can play your favorite albums.
Will the Roland TD 11K grow with you?
When it comes to choosing a drum set, you need to choose something that will grow with you. A drum set should not be thought of as a fixed or finished product, but rather as a platform. The TD 11K allows you to add one or more cymbals. Most drummers tend to work well with four cymbals and five drums throughout their careers. Others, however, might need more than that.
Other electronic drum set kits you might consider instead
There are different drum set kits you might want to consider instead. For instance, you can opt for the Alesis Nitro, if you are looking for something similar to the TD 11K but not as pricey, and mesh heads are not a concern to you.
You can opt for Roland TD 11KV, which is similar to the TD 11K but comes with four mesh heads.
Final Verdict On The Roland TD-11K Drum Kit
Selecting the right drum set kit can be a daunting task, but with this review, the process can be a bit easier. While the Roland TD 11K is a bit pricey, all other things considered, the TD 11K is an impressive drum set kit, and it’s a worthwhile investment.
