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Gear Review: Roland TD-17KVX2 E-Drum Set

By Magesh MageshContributing Author

Photo Source: Roland

The Roland TD-17KVX2 is a versatile mid-level kit. It is impressive because it has advanced features for a drumset in this price range. Different-sized pads for the snare and toms help it feel like an acoustic kit. Not only does it have 70 preset kits, but it also allows users to create 30 of their own kits. This is an outstanding feature for people who like to customize their own drum sounds.

Roland TD-17KVX2 E-Drum Set see price

The Pads

Having a snare drum pad that is 12 inches in diameter is great for all levels of drummers. The TD-17KVX2 tom pads are 8 inches in diameter. This helps make this kit feel like a real drum set. It is super quiet to play as all the pads use mesh heads. The dual-triggered snare is also great for assigning multiple sounds like wood blocks, cowbells, or rimshots.

Cymbals

The Roland TD-17KVX2 E-Drum Set comes with hi-hats, crash, and ride cymbals. It also has an extra cymbal input in case you want to add another cymbal later on. I like how the ride cymbal is physically bigger than the crash cymbal at 14 inches in diameter. Again, this made me feel like I was playing an acoustic kit. Although it is now commonplace to have dual-triggered cymbals, I felt the response was amazing when playing the crash cymbal. There was never even the slightest amount of latency.

Hi Hat Pedal

The Roland TD-17KVX2 has a real hi-hat stand with 10-inch hi-hat pads. Although hi-hats on an acoustic drum kit are usually 14 inches, I didn't notice the smaller size. If anything I felt it was an advantage as I could move my snare drum closer to my knee without over reaching for it. The stand is made from solid metal and is very sturdy to play even when I was playing rock beats at a loud volume.

Bass drum pedal

The TD-17KVX2 has an extra large bass drum pad. This is perfect if you want to add a double bass drum pedal for playing heavy metal music. The pad is made from a super durable light rubber, which is quiet to play with and can really take a beating! A lot of bass drum pads move while practicing which is incredibly frustrating. This isn't the case with the TD-17KVX2 kit! The bass drum pad is solid metal with heavy-duty spurs at the bottom. This is ideal for playing on a carpeted surface.

The Rack System

The TD-17KV X2 has a very flexible rack. Having 8-inch tom pads is an advantage, especially for younger drummers. These pads can be positioned in a way where you don't need to fully extend your arms to play a beat. The flexibility of the cymbal; stands also gives you the ability to play your crash or ride on virtually any angle.

The Module

Having over 70 preset kits makes playing the TD-17KVX2 a joyful experience! Although I found creating kits just as much fun. Probably the most impressive thing for me about the module was the level of control I had over each individual drum. I could muffle the snare as if I was playing a song from the 1980s or let it ring like a James Brown funk beat. Having the ability to change the depth of each drum isn't something usually seen on kits of this price range. This means you can make your snare 8 inches deep which is good for heavy metal or 2 inches deep for drum n bass beats. The module is user-friendly with few buttons and simple-to-follow prompts.

Notable features

The Roland TD-17KVX2 E-Drum Set has many notable features. I think it's cool to be able to use a double kick pedal on an electric kit. Having bigger pads for the snare and ride cymbal also helped my experience as a user. Although my favorite feature was being able to program my own drum kits. This allowed me to be extra creative in not just playing drums but also having control of what sounds I was to play.

Rating

Build quality: 9/10

Price: 9/10

Functionality: 9/10

User experience: 10/10

Roland TD-17KVX2 E-Drum Set see price

Read our review for Roland TD-1K Entry Level, Roland TD-07KV, and Roland TD-02KV​​​​​

About Magesh Magesh

Magesh is a musician and producer who has worked with Rihanna, Lionel Richie, Ricky Martin, Chris Brown, The Pussy Cat Dolls, Nelly Furtado, and Vernon Reid of Living Colour. He released an instructional drumming DVD called "Unique Beats" where he mixed the drum kit with electronics and Indian hand percussion. He recently moved from Australia to the UK to explore new musical opportunities.
Website: mageshdrumteacher.co.uk

Contact Magesh Magesh at magesh.magesh7@gmail.com

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