If you’re looking to buy an electronic drum kit, you may have come across both of these kits at some point. The Surge and the Nitro are two of Alesis’ best-selling drum kits. The reason for this is that they’re affordable, yet they offer plenty to work with.
We’re going to compare what each of them has to offer so that you can decide which one will be the best fit for you.
The Alesis Surge is a fantastic entry-level electronic kit that offers a full set of mesh drum pads. The main selling point of the kit is the fact that it has dual-zone tom pads. You can trigger two sounds from each tom which is something that most other e-kits in this price range don’t offer.
The Surge module gives you 24 preset drum kits to play with, 385 onboard sounds, and 60 built-in play-along tracks.
Another unique thing about this kit is that it has a 10” snare pad.
It’s important to remember that the Surge is mostly a beginner electronic drum kit, so the quality won’t be as good as the higher-end kits from Alesis, Roland, and Yamaha. However, it’s very high-quality for what it is.
The drum module has an extensive number of features, and the fact that you can assign two sounds to each tom is amazing.
The sound quality of the preset kits is somewhat lacking. That’s to be expected with the lower-end Alesis kits. However, there are about 5 out of the 24 sounds that sound really good. They’re perfectly usable in professional settings.
The standout feature of the Alesis Surge is the shiny chrome hardware. The pads are all connected to a stable chrome structure that gives a cool contrasting appearance from the black pad color. The kit feels quite secure when you play on it, largely thanks to the chrome hardware.
You can hit the pads quite hard without worrying about damaging them. There also isn’t as much wobble from the drums as you may have expected. Overall, the construction of the kit is very good.
The mesh pads can be tuned. This means that you can tighten or loosen them to change how they feel when you play them. Many entry-level electronic kits have rubber pads that are tight and full of rebound.
These mesh pads give you a more authentic response. You can change them to feel very similar to the way acoustic drums feel. Some drummers like the pads to be tight while others prefer a looser feel. You have the freedom to choose!
Another thing to mention about the kit is that you don’t get machine gunning very frequently. That refers to when you play too many notes and the module can’t keep up.
The kit costs just under $600, making it the same price as most decent entry-level acoustic drum kits that come with hardware and cymbals. You’re getting 60 play-along tracks, dual-zone pads, chrome hardware, and tuneable mesh heads all for that price.
Compared to many other electronic drum kits on the market, the price-to-value ratio is incredibly high.
The Alesis Nitro is the cheaper of the two electronic drum kits. It’s slightly smaller and doesn’t have the same hardware features. However, the drum module is mostly the same. The only big difference is that the Nitro module offers 40 preset drum kits to play around with.
The biggest feature of the Alesis Nitro Mesh is that it’s the cheapest electronic kit you can get that has mesh pads all around. Add to that the fact that they’re tuneable, and you have yourself an incredible e-kit.
Since the Nitro Mesh is one of the cheapest drum kits you can get from Alesis, you may think it’s the lowest quality kit. That’s only true when it comes to the hardware. The module isn’t very different from the Alesis Surge module, and the drum samples are the same.
The weakest part of the Nitro Mesh is the kick pedal that comes with the kit. It’s a bit flimsy, making it feel unstable to play on it. The rest of the hardware of the set is quite good in terms of quality.
All the components of the Nitro Mesh are held together by a plastic rack. It’s not as stable as the chrome rack from the Surge, but it’s fairly stable for a plastic structure.
The kit is quite small. However, you can extend the rack far enough to make the kit feel a lot bigger, similar to an acoustic kit.
All the pads are 8” in size, including the snare pad. The cymbal pads are 10” which is the same size as the cymbals from the Surge.
The feel and response of the Alesis Nitro Mesh is exactly the same as the Surge. The only difference is from the snare drum which is smaller. It doesn’t feel as beefy to hit as it has less of a surface area. It’s incredible to have such responsive pads from a drum kit that is so affordable.
You won’t find an electronic drum kit on the market that has better value for the money. The kit costs just under $400, and you get a full set of mesh heads. It’s intended to be a high-quality e-kit that is the perfect option for beginner drummers.
You’re getting so much value from such a low-priced kit. It’s arguably the best entry-level electronic kit on the market.
The biggest difference between the two kits is the hardware that they have. The Surge has a sturdy chrome rack while the Nitro Mesh has a lighter plastic one. The Surge also has a larger snare drum pad and dual-zone toms.
Those added extras make the Surge about $200 more expensive than the Nitro Mesh. The drum modules are mostly the same. They have the same play-along tracks and the preset kits sound the same.
If you want the cheapest kit you can possibly get that still has plenty of value, you should go with the Alesis Nitro. If you have money to spare that you don’t mind spending, the Surge would be a better option.
The general rule with electronic kits is that the higher-priced models are always the better kits to get. The Surge is a better kit than the Nitro Mesh thanks to the dual-zone toms and sturdier hardware. So, it’s highly worth the extra money that you’re going to pay for it.
The Alesis Turbo is even cheaper than the Nitro Mesh. There are a few differences that make it a lower-quality kit. Firstly, the Turbo doesn’t have a dedicated bass drum pad. Instead, it has a trigger pedal. This means you can’t use a typical bass drum pedal with the Turbo.
The hardware of the Turbo is also less study than the Nitro. If you play quite hard, the pads are going to have a fair bit of wobble to them.
Lastly, the Turbo drum module doesn’t have as much as the Nitro module does. It only has 10 preset kits with 120 sounds.
With all that being said, the Alesis Turbo is still a great kit for beginners to get. The biggest limiting factor would be the kick pedal.
Alesis are the electronic drum company that provide the most affordable kits. This often leads drummers to think that they’re the worst drum brand out of the big 3. That isn’t true, as Alesis kits have plenty to offer in terms of quality.
Their entry-level kits are way more affordable than the ones from Roland and Yamaha, making them more accessible to beginner drummers. Their top kit, the Alesis Strike Pro, is also a great kit that competes with some of the top kits from other brands.
The Alesis Surge and Nitro Mesh are fantastic kits to consider getting. They both are excellent choices for your first electronic drum kit. They’re entry-level kits, so don’t expect them to have professional sounds and features.
However, they both have excellent value for the money you pay for them. The Nitro Mesh is the cheaper option. So, get the Surge if you have money to spare. Otherwise, the Nitro Mesh is a great choice.
Drum Teacher
Brett Clur has a Drum Performance Diploma from Trinity College London has been playing drums for over 20 years. He is passionate about advanced concepts and uses his years of experience to teach his students about them. While he is a full-time drum teacher, he is also working on growing a YouTube channel where shares his insights. You can see him playing there, or on Instagram where he posts daily videos.
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