The 5 Best Electronic Snare Drums (2024)
An electronic snare drum is one of the most important items of your set. Drummers often consider upgrading their electronic snare drum for improved sensitivity, larger pad size, and more triggering options (e.g. dual-zone or 3-zone pads).
If you are thinking about upgrading your electronic snare drum, there are many options to consider from top-tier electronic drum set manufacturers like Roland and Yamaha.
My top recommended electronic drum snare is the Roland PDX-12 Dual Trigger Mesh Snare Pad. This is an all-around, tunable head by a well-renowned manufacturer.
My second recommended electronic drum snare is the Roland PDX-6 V-Pad Snare. This is an affordable option with great value for money.
Contents
- The 5 Best Electronic Snare Drums (2024)
- 1. Roland PDX-12 Dual Trigger Mesh Snare Pad
- 2. Roland PDX-6 V-Pad Snare
- 3. Roland PD-128S Snare V-Pad
- 4. Yamaha DTX XP80 3-Zone 8" Drum Pad
- 5. Alesis 12" Mesh Head Pad
- How to Connect an Electronic Snare Drum to Your Module
- Different Types of Electronic Snare Drum Heads
- Where to Use Electronic Snare Drums
- How do Tunable Electronic Snare Drums Heads Work?
- Summary
The 5 Best Electronic Snare Drums (2024)
Let’s compare these in more detail.
1. Roland PDX-12 Dual Trigger Mesh Snare Pad
My top pick is the Roland PDX-12. This 12” dual-trigger mesh snare pad is one of Roland’s best V-series electronic snare drums. It has dual trigger sensors, giving you the ability to easily play any rolls or rimshots.
Pros
- Good for stick work and rimshots
- Compact design with great playability
- Excellent value for money
- Renowned manufacturer
Cons
- Not much!
What makes the Roland PDX-12 dual-trigger mesh snare pad great is the tunable head. This way you can control the rebound of your drumstick. The 2-ply mesh material hits the sweet spot between resistance and rebound.
All in all, this is a great large pad for anyone looking to get a quality-made electronic snare drum for their e-drum kit.
2. Roland PDX-6 V-Pad Snare
If you’re looking to get a quality-made snare drum but not splash out tons of money for it, the Roland PDX-6 is the way to go. The value for money with this pad is unprecedented. Plus, it’s a Roland product!
Pros
- Dual-trigger pad
- Excellent value for money
- Compact, small design
Cons
- The 8″ pad is rather small for some
This is the smallest of the V-series snare pads. It’s an 8” snare pad with a mesh head with triggers on the head and the rim. It’s a great option if you’re looking for a decent upgrade for your e-kit.
This is a great buy for any house practice set and a great buy for any beginner to learn the basics of drumming. Overall, when it comes to beginner-friendly and budget-friendly options, you’ll unlikely find something better for the price.
3. Roland PD-128S Snare V-Pad
For a pro, you want the best the market has to offer and Roland’s PD-128S is among them. This snare pad is as close to the real acoustic snare drum as you can get, both visually and playing-wise.
Pros
- Natural, high-quality feel and sound
- Interchangeable shell wraps
- Dual-zone, tunable mesh design
- Advanced triggering
Cons
- Pricey
- Many new models overshadow this one
It’s a dual-zone triggered 12” mesh pad. The triggers are in the rim and the head, with the rimshot playability as close to acoustic snare drums as you can get. The Mesh head is tunable of course, giving you the ability to adjust the sensitivity of the head for your playing style.
Also, wrappings on the shell are interchangeable, so you can adjust the look of your snare drum to your drum kit easily. The high-end, high-quality item that’s made to be used by professionals, with both high levels of sensitivity and build quality Roland is known for.
4. Yamaha DTX XP80 3-Zone 8" Drum Pad
Yamaha is a household name in electronic drum equipment and their DTX series proves as a very worthy contender. The Yamaha DTX XP80 3-Zone 8″ Drum Pad is a great and modestly-priced option to consider.
Pros
- Compact, three-zone design
- Multi-compatible pad
- Good value for money
Cons
- Rather small pad for some
Some drummers love the feel of the Yamaha DTX silicone heads. They are less bouncy than mesh heads but still provide a very strong acoustic feel to them. This 8” pad has three trigger zones. Since it’s 8”, it’s compact and doesn’t take up too much space.
All in all, this is a compact, 3-zone pad that is multi-compatible with other electronic percussion controllers and has a good value-for-price ratio.
5. Alesis 12" Mesh Head Pad
The Alesis Mesh Head Pad is a multi-applicable drum pad that can fit any slot on your e-drum kit, whether it be a snare or tom. At a modest price range, this well-rounded black pad offers an acoustic feel and a solid upgrade if you’re looking for one.
Pros
- Multi-applicable pad
- Dual-zone black mesh
- Tunable head
Cons
- Not the best longevity
- Sensitivity could be better
This is a tunable head that can be adjusted with any standard drum key and features a dual-zone, velocity-sensitive design. Additionally, you get an L-arm, clamp, and a 1/4″ connection cable included with the purchase.
Alesis has been known for producing high-quality e-drum kits at a very modest price range so rest assured, this drum pad is a worthy consideration.
How to Connect an Electronic Snare Drum to Your Module
Connecting your electronic snare drum is done in the same way as you would connect any other electronic drum. You can connect it to your drum module by a standard 1/4” cable. All of the snare drums on this list use this same connection. Most drum modules use 1/4″ cable connection types for drum pads and cymbals.
Different Types of Electronic Snare Drum Heads
As you may have noticed, there is a difference in the type of drum head materials different producers use for their products.
Roland always uses their mesh for their premium drum heads. Mesh is the type of artificial material that emulates the real drum head.
Yamaha DTX pads use TCS heads (Textured Cellular Silicone Head). In the end, it all comes down to your personal preference, because both will do great for any setup.
Where to Use Electronic Snare Drums
Electronic snare drums can be used both as a part of a drum set or as a standalone instrument. As a part of your electronic drum kit, you can always replace and upgrade your snare drum to get a better sound when playing.
Of course, you don’t need a full drum kit to make use of your electronic snare drum. You can also use it as a part of your live performance if you’re into electronic music, by connecting the snare drum pad to a drum trigger module or sample pad.
How do Tunable Electronic Snare Drums Heads Work?
Tunable electronic drums allow players to adjust the sensibility of the drum head. This means that by turning your key you can tighten or loosen the drum head, giving you better rebound or less of a rebound of your drum stick when playing the drums.
Summary
I hope that this article has helped you learn something new about the electronic snare drum market. Whether you’re looking for a simple upgrade for your home kit or a professional buy for your studio setting you can find something for yourself on this list.
My top pick is the Roland PDX-12 Dual Trigger Mesh Snare Pad, an all-around, tunable head by a respected manufacturer.
My budget pick is the Roland PDX-6 V-Pad Snare, an affordable, good-sounding option with great value for money.
