Monitors/Speakers for electric drum kit

My wife is the drummer, I am not. She has an electric kit that is about two years old and she’s been using a old guitar amp as the speaker. Technically it works, but it sucks. She has headphones, but I want to get her something new (speake/monitor? I don’t know which would be better) she can play out loud and that has good bass. An acoustic kit is not the answer for us because we also need to be able to keep it quiet. This speaker or monitor will not be used for any shows or public performances, just here at home in the music room. I’m looking to spend $200-$300ish. Could go a little higher if needed but don’t really want to. Just want something durable that she can plug her kit into, hear it clearly, feel the bass and that won’t break easy. Any suggestions?
 
Headphones all the way!
Or get a drum throne thumper to add.
In order to feel electronic drums without headphones they probably need to be louder than acoustic drums.
 
Headphones all the way!
Or get a drum throne thumper to add.
In order to feel electronic drums without headphones they probably need to be louder than acoustic drums.
Loud is what we want. We have headphones, which she uses when needed. But I am looking for a speaker/monitor that would be a good choice for when it’s ok for the music to get loud and hit hard. Any suggestions based on experience? I will also check into the dry throne thumpers. Thanks.
 
I've done a ton of research on this same topic looking for exactly the same thing in the same price range. You've got a few options:

1. Keyboard amp. They are plentiful, not terribly expensive, and can be found used very affordably. They are essentially a 'mini pa' in that they usually have multiple channels, some degree of EQ, and a powered speaker, all in one unit. Bass amps cover lows, guitar amps cover highs... Well, you need both for drums and keyboard amps cover both.

2. Alesis strike amp 8. This is similar to what I explained above except it's 1 channel, no eq, and made for edrums. This is typically around $220

3. Simmons da2108. Basically the same as the above alesis offering with a few key differences: this one has eq, has Bluetooth, and is a bit cheaper at usually around $200, BUT it has lower wattage then the alesis offering.

I was about to pull the trigger on either the Alesis or the Simmons until a friend let me long-term borrow his Roland keyboard amp.
 
I've done a ton of research on this same topic looking for exactly the same thing in the same price range. You've got a few options:

1. Keyboard amp. They are plentiful, not terribly expensive, and can be found used very affordably. They are essentially a 'mini pa' in that they usually have multiple channels, some degree of EQ, and a powered speaker, all in one unit. Bass amps cover lows, guitar amps cover highs... Well, you need both for drums and keyboard amps cover both.

2. Alesis strike amp 8. This is similar to what I explained above except it's 1 channel, no eq, and made for edrums. This is typically around $220

3. Simmons da2108. Basically the same as the above alesis offering with a few key differences: this one has eq, has Bluetooth, and is a bit cheaper at usually around $200, BUT it has lower wattage then the alesis offering.

I was about to pull the trigger on either the Alesis or the Simmons until a friend let me long-term borrow his Roland keyboard amp.
Thanks for all that info and advice. So the Roland keyboard Amp allows you to feel the thumps pretty well?
 
Thanks for all that info and advice. So the Roland keyboard Amp allows you to feel the thumps pretty well?

Is it going to rattle your walls... No. But it's got plenty of low end to be perfectly serviceable for solo and/or small band rehearsal. It also would work fine as a personal monitor for live on stage performance but definitely not the primary amplification for a large gig. My understanding is that the only way to really achieve the 'gut punch' lows from an ekit are with a sub. If she is not gigging, any of the above options will work great, not take up a ton of room, and not break the bank. If she is gigging or transitions to gigging at a later point, any of the above will still work for her to hear herself on stage but will certainly want a larger speaker set up with a proper sub.

I really like the flexibility of the keyboard amp in that I can have a guitar and/or keys player over to my house and we can all jam through 1 amp.
 
These are some very helpful videos pertaining to the Alesis and Simmons amps:

And, when in doubt, @electrodrummer is probably the best resource we've got around here for info about edrums, edrum amplification, etc.
 
My what speaker post if it helps :)

Home: headphones (or a PA if you *really* need speakers)
Rehearsal: a PA
Live: a PA
Minimum of 12" woofers, speakers on stands, tweeters at ear height. Test by playing Prodigy's Firestarter thru at full pelt.
(as for make and model - that depends on your budget and what's available - you can get great stuff 2nd hand)

Avoid cheapo things with Bluetooth and don't be swayed by things advertised as "drum" amps as most are just overpriced active floor wedges/speakers with a badge stuck on.

Oh, and if you see something that says 2000W output - see what its power consumption is 😉

In the UK you can get good bargains:

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If you arn't playing gigs you don't need as much volume. Studio monitors with a sub work AMAZING.

I have a set of KRK Rokit 8's with a 10s sub. beats the pants off a PA system when it comes to sound quality. it still goes REALLY loud and can shake my house.

Id take studio monitors over a PA for an ekit any day, VST's sound better than built in sounds. (those together sound like an acoustic kit)
 
I use the yamaha DBR10 powered PA speaker and it works well for me.
 
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