Alesis Nitro MAX Review

Alesis has launched a brand new electronic drum kit in late 2023, focusing on the starting drummer: the Alesis Nitro Max.

The kit is attractively priced and therefore suitable for musicians who want to discover the world of drumming and at the same time do not want to pay the top price.

Curious about what this kit has to offer? In this review you can read my experience with the Alesis Nitro Max, which I ordered from Thomann.

Alesis Nitro Max

The Alesis Nitro Max is one of the most popular electronic drum kits of the moment. This 8-piece kit has mesh heads, a real kick pedal and Bluetooth.

– Kasper (E-Drums)

Playability

Sounds

Functions

Value for money

Review

The Alesis Nitro Max is an affordable electronic drum kit that is perfect for beginning drummers, but also suitable for more experienced drummers. The realistic 10-inch snare pad is definitely a highlight together with the Bluetooth connectivity. Despite minor drawbacks such as the unstable rack, this kit offers good value for money and I am not surprised that this electronic drum kit is so popular.

4.5

Pros and Cons of the Alesis Nitro Max

The Alesis Nitro Max Kit has a number of advantages and disadvantages:

I found the 10″ snare drum to be one of the highlights of this kit. The 10 inch size makes the snare play just like an acoustic snare. You can also change the tension of the mesh head to your own preference. The strikes feel super realistic, partly due to the rubber edge which also makes rimshots possible.

Since all the parts are loose in the box, assembling the drum kit takes approximately 30 minutes. The rack can be assembled with an included Allen key. The manual will help you easily assemble the kit.

The kit comes without a drum throne, meaning you will need to purchase one yourself ( click here for an overview ). Headphones are also not included.

The Bluetooth function in combination with the smartphone holder is very handy to play along with your favorite music wirelessly. Connecting your smartphone is super easy and takes no longer than 5 seconds.

While playing I noticed that the rack of the Alesis Nitro Max is quite unstable. Especially the snare drum requires a lot of weight, which makes the whole thing not always feel solid and moves while playing.

What's in the box?

The packaging contains:

• 10" dual zone snare pad
• 3 x 8″ single zone tom pads
• 3 x 10″ cymbal pads
• Kick pad and kick pedal
• Hi-hat pedal
• Nitro Max drum module
• Rack and cables
• Drum sticks
• Manual

Alesis Nitro Max

Alesis is an American company and manufacturer of musical instruments. In the digital drum area they focus on drummers of all levels, from the Alesis Debut Kit to the Alesis Strata Prime .

Alesis is an American company and manufacturer of musical instruments. In the digital drum area they focus on drummers of all levels, from the Alesis Debut Kit to the Alesis Strata Prime .

The sounds in the module are composed with BFD Drums, which promises a big improvement in the quality of the drum sounds. The quality of the sounds can also be heard directly while playing.

Drum pads and cymbals

The 10-inch Dual-Zone snare pad is a noticeable improvement compared to the older Nitro Mesh or Alesis Turbo Mesh Kit . The design is different and now offers the possibility to produce different sounds on the drum head but also on the rim (for example cross stick ).

The tom pads are 8-inch rimless, have a similar design and are just the right size with their size. Here too you can adjust the tension of the head.

The 10-inch cymbals with choke function (meaning you can mute the cymbals by grabbing them with your hand) appear unchanged, but they are still functional and familiar to those who have played Alesis drums before.

Hi-hat and kick

The hihat pedal of the Alesis Nitro Max is similar to the previous model and offers a good response. However, the sound is a bit loud for the environment, but that is the case with almost all electronic drum sets. Also read these tips to solve noise pollution .

The kick pedal is, in contrast to the Turbo Mesh Kit, a full-fledged kick drum pedal, which makes playing feel much more realistic. The pedal is a standard Alesis model and is fun to start with, but of lower quality than other kick pedals on the market .

The kick pad has enough space for a double bass pedal , so rock or metal lovers can also get started with this kit.

Aluminum rack

The Alesis Nitro Max comes with an aluminum rack , which is lightweight and convenient for moving and storing.

Due to the light weight, the rack feels less sturdy and stability deserves some attention. Especially because some parts have plastic clamps that feel a bit fragile. Therefore, be careful when tightening these clamps.

Nitro Max Drum Module

The Alesis Nitro Max's drum module is notable for its built-in Bluetooth functionality . This allows you to wirelessly connect to devices and play along with your favorite songs on Spotify, for example.

The 440 sounds in the module are from BFD, which is definitely an improvement over previous models. The addition of a smartphone/tablet holder on the module is very useful for drummers who take online lessons.

The module contains 32 different kits ranging from rock to jazz and from metal to world music.

Expandable with Expansion Pack

The standard version of the Alesis Nitro Max Kit comes with a crash and ride cymbal. However, that is not enough for most drummers.

For those who want to expand their playing, there is the Expansion Pack , which allows you to easily expand the kit with an extra tom and cymbal.

What alternatives are there?

If the Alesis Nitro Max isn’t quite your drum kit, there are alternatives to consider. These two electronic drum kits come closest in price and features:

Roland TD-02KV

Roland is known as one of the best manufacturers of electronic drum sets. The Roland TD-02KV is the most affordable option to enter the popular V-Drums series.

The kit has a sturdier and more stable rack than the Alesis Nitro Max, but not all toms are mesh heads. The kit does have Bluetooth (with an adapter).

An extensive comparison can be found here: Alesis Nitro Max VS Roland TD-02KV .

Millenium MPS-450

In a slightly lower price range you will find the Millenium MPS-450 . This electronic drum kit from Thomann's own brand has the same setup and features mesh heads.

The kit doesn't have Bluetooth, but it does have a real kick pedal. This kit also has a 10-inch snare drum.

Conclusion

The Alesis Nitro Max is a new electronic drum kit with the basic functions for the starting drummer. The kit is compact in size and equipped with various functions, with the Bluetooth function being unique for kits in this price segment.

With the realistic snare drum and high quality sounds I can see why this kit is so popular. The Alesis Nitro Max is a kit for everyone, no matter your skill level or age.

While the rack can feel a little unstable (which can be remedied with a snare stand), Alesis has produced a top-quality electronic drum kit at an attractive price.