When you search for a electronic drum kit for beginners you can hardly avoid the Alesis Nitro Max back; this is an all-round electronic drum kit that offers a lot for little: a real kick pedal, hesh heads, Bluetooth and a 10″ snare.
After the release of the Nitro Max, Alesis came up with an upgrade in September 2024: the Alesis Nitro ProIn this comparison we explain the differences between both models and make the choice easier for you.
What are the differences?
How do these kits differ from each other? In the table below we list the biggest differences.
| Alesis Nitro Max | Alesis Nitro Pro | |
| Mesh head snare | Yes | Yes |
| Mesh head toms | Yes | Yes |
| Snare pad | 10″ | 10″ |
| Deeper boilers | No | Yes |
| Rack | Aluminum | Steel |
| Kick pedal | Small | Large (mesh) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Drum kits | 32 | 36 |
| Add additional pads | Yes | Yes |
| Where to buy? | View price | View price |
The Alesis Nitro Pro has a distinctly different look, thanks to its deeper shells with red accents. The rack is also made of steel, making the kit more stable than the Nitro Max. The kick pad is also larger, making it a double bass pedal can be connected better. This is also possible with the Alesis Nitro Max, but the space on the kick pad is limited, which means that triggering does not always work properly.
- Alesis Nitro Max: Best choice for drummers looking for an electronic drum kit with a good price-quality ratio. The kit contains many functions, sounds, Bluetooth, real kick pedal and has mesh heads. And all that for an attractive price.
- Alesis Nitro Pro: Ideal for drummers looking for a more realistic playing experience. With deeper shells, a larger kick pad for double bass, and a stable steel rack, this is the perfect choice for drummers with more playing experience. The Nitro Pro is also more suitable for drummers who play a lot with double bass.
Alesis Nitro Max
The Alesis Nitro Max is an electronic drum kit that has become popular with beginning drummers in a short time. This is due to its good price-quality ratio and the module that is easy to operate.
A notable feature in this price range is the real kick drum pedal, which like an acoustic drum kit, kicks directly against the pad. The hihat, however, is controlled by a trigger pedal.
The cymbals are all 10” and single-zone. This means that no matter where you hit the cymbal, you will always hear the same sound. The cymbals do have a handy choke function, which allows you to muffle the sound by grabbing them.
The mesh heads on the toms and snare provide a more realistic playing feel and also reduce noise pollution. The snare, which has a larger size of 10”, I personally found a great advantage while playing.
The Alesis Nitro Max module offers 440 drum sounds, 32 of which are preset kits. In addition, you can create up to 16 of your own kits. Thanks to the integrated Bluetooth easily play along with your favorite songs.
The Alesis Nitro Max is currently available for a price around 400 euros.
Alesis Nitro Pro
And now the Alesis Nitro Pro. This kit has basically everything the Nitro Max has, but more. We will name the biggest differences:
First of all the 10″ Two-zone snare, which looks extra realistic and professional thanks to the deep shell. The tightness of the skin can be adjusted to your liking, just like with the toms.
What is even more noticeable is the larger kick pad of 8″. Thanks to the mesh head, the kick is not only quieter than the Nitro Max, but connecting a double bass pedal is now also more efficient. Ideal for drummers who like to play harder music styles such as punk, rock or metal.
One point of annoyance with the Alesis Nitro Max was the rack that had a tendency to move while playing, mainly due to the heavy 10″ snare. Alesis has found a solution for this with the Nitro Pro, namely mounting the pads on a steel rack. Kits like the Roland TD-02KV also feature a steel rack, which makes the kit heavier but more stable on the ground.
A final difference is the number of sounds and kits in the module. The Alesis Nitro Max has 440 sounds and 32 kits, the Nitro Pro has 500+ sounds and 36 kits.
The kit is available at the time of writing for just under 800 euros.
Conclusion
You could see the Alesis Nitro Pro as an upgrade to the Alesis Nitro Max (which is an upgrade to the Alesis Nitro Mesh). Alesis is known as a brand that offers good electronic drum kits for every level, so don't worry about buying a poor quality kit.
Both the Alesis Nitro Max if the Alesis Nitro Pro are good choices, but the final decision depends on your own preference. Are you satisfied with a kit that provides the basis for you as a beginner drummer? Then the Alesis Nitro Max is suitable.
For drummers looking for a more stable kit and who like to play double bass, the Nitro Pro is better.
