Roland TD-30K V-Pro Series Electronic Drum Kit Review

Okay, so the price on the Roland TD-30K V-Pro Series is intimidating. So, it’s natural for you to want to find out if this kit is really worth all that money. And we’re guessing that’s why you’re here. Well, you’re just in time because that’s what we’ll be doing today.

Alright, first off, let’s assuage your fears a little bit. The Roland TD-30K V-Pro Series is a masterpiece. It’s one electronic drum kit that we know very closely emulates what you get from an actual acoustic drum kit. But still, it maintains all the pros of an electronic kit thereby giving you the best of both worlds.

But beyond these basics, there are still loads of bells and whistles that the Roland TD-30K V-Pro Series has to offer. Care to find out? Well, we will be examining those in a bit. So, make sure you stay with us.

Our rating: (4.2 / 5)

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What’s In The Box?

Now, at first blush, this doesn’t look any much different from a regular inexpensive, budget electronic drum kit. However, you only need to set this up to immediately notice the difference between this and the average drum kit.

First off, it looks more professional than the average kit. The drum pads actually look like real shells in depth and surface. And then the sound module is quite huge too.

Sadly, you’d notice that this kit does not include a hi-hat stand and a double bass pedal. You’d have to get those yourself which we agree is a bummer.

Nonetheless, what we really love about this kit is not just the looks, but how that Roland put in an exceptional quality of craftsmanship into making this kit. It’s so amazing and one of the reasons this kit remains one of our favorite electronic drum kits till date.

A Quick Overview Of The Roland TD-30K V-Pro Series

The sound module of the TD-30K uses Roland’s SuperNatural technology which is absolutely amazing. The software has the ability to change your tone and volume in line with how you play just like you have it on an acoustic drum set.

Plus, this sound module also comes with a Behavior Modeling which further adds to the authenticity of sound and feel as you get them from this kit. So, in simple English, the cymbals sound and feel like actual metal cymbals. And buzz rolls and rimshots sound realistic too.

Furthermore, this drum kit is super sensitive to your unique playing style and technique. So, you can customize the sound to what you want by simply adjusting the tension of the pads or mounting the pads in a number of ways.

And guess what? The sound module packs over 1000 different sounds of different instruments. And there are still 20 slots for you to input yours as well. More so, the USB/MIDI port also ensures that you can play along to your own favorite tracks simply by connecting any external device of your choice.

When you play this kit, it’s glaring that the technology here is many years ahead of the average Rock Band setup. There is an obvious difference in feel and sound between the rim and mesh head when you strike the cymbals or the snare or the toms.

Moreover, with the 10 inch mesh head V-pad toms, you can achieve a dual-mount. The entire setup of this kit is so easy to setup and take down which makes the pads super flexible to mount.

Now, although this does not come with a double bass pedal, the V-kick Trigger pad is compatible with double bass pedals. You’ll also be able to adjust the tension to your tastes as well.

Who Is The Roland TD-30K V-Drums Series Electronic Drum Kit For?

The quality of craftsmanship and the level of quality this drum kit gives are super amazing. You can hardly ask for anything else after owning this. The sound quality is excellent and the drums feel so real.

Therefore, if you’re looking for a quality electronic drum kit to play on stage, or something to record with, this is it. The high quality sounds and organic feel are all you need to achieve a powerful recording session or to rock your gig to the max!

For any drummer who wants to unleash creativity, the Roland TD-30K is for you. The kit opens up a whole world of possibilities to such drummer.

That said, we won’t readily recommend this kit to a beginner for the fear that it would be too much for them. In fact, this kit would be too much for a beginner, there’s no doubt about that.

First off, they won’t be able to use any of the customization options just yet. Plus, all the sound nuances, levers and knobs will be overwhelming to them too. So, it’s quite easy for them to get frustrated with the entire setup and quickly too.

But then again, setting this up isn’t something you can’t learn. There are loads of tutorial videos on YouTube about that. However, the average beginner couldn’t care for all those extras right now which is why this won’t be our first recommendation for the student.

Features Of The Roland TD-30K V-Drums Series Electronic Drum Kit

Drum Pads

The Roland TD-30K is a full mesh set up which consists of a 12 inch snare, a 12 inch kick pad, and three 10 inch tom pads. And in the setup, you also find four cymbal pads which you can assign to any combination of your choice, whether hi-hats, crash or ride cymbals.

Compared to older Roland models, like the KD-9, the kick pad in this set up is a huge improvement. The drum is way bigger plus it feels solid and weighty which gives the true feel of a bass drum. At least, closer to an acoustic than the one on the KD-9.

Furthermore, mesh heads mean that you can now get a truly immersive and realistic feel from your Roland electronic drum kit. Moreover, there’s also a tuning key in the setup. So, however you like your sound, you now have the liberty to adjust your drums for the right tension.

Alright, let’s return swiftly to the bass drum for a bit. Because of its large size, this drum will work with a double bad pedal whatever its beater size. But then again, because this is mesh, you want to be careful with the kind of beater you go for. Hard rubber, for instance, is a no.

Moving on to the snare, this is a 12 inch drum which is much better than the tiny 8 inches that most other setups come with. Plus, the drum boasts improve sensitivity and triggering all through the drum. You’ll also find that you’re able to achieve rim clicks with this drum thanks to its larger size.

Lastly, the toms… They are three in number with new and improved mesh heads which give a better response and are also much more playable.

Cymbals

The hi-hat here measures 12 inches in diameter and is also dual-zoned too. It can work on a regular hi-hat stand. And by securing the clutch, you can get this hi-hat to work just like a regular acoustic hi-hat would.

Besides the hi-hat, you also have the ride cymbal and two crash cymbals. The ride cymbal measures at 15 inches while the crashes are 13 and 12 inches respectively.

That said, all the cymbals in this setup are super sensitive and chokable. And because they are larger than most other cymbals you find in some electronic drum kits, they have a much better feel.

Hardware

Roland chose a real solid rack for the TD-30K and you can feel it when you begin playing this kit with some force. You’d hardly notice any wobble. But amazingly, even at that, this kit is still quite easy to fold away.

So, in all, you can count on this kit being easy to set up and take down.

With the ball joints all over, it’s super easy for you to angle your toms to your tastes. This is especially important if you’re a tutor as it makes it easier to give lessons.

The cymbal stands are also high quality which gives a solid playing experience.

Furthermore, we really appreciate the tidiness of the setup here as the kit is super portable. But beyond that, they also allow you to store the cables internally. This way, your setup comes out neat and non-obstructive.

Keep in mind though that you won’t find a hi-hat stand, bass drum pedal or drum throne here. So, make it a point to get these yourself.

Also see: 2BOX D5 Drum It Five Electronic Drum Module Review

Sound Module

The sound module on the TD-30K is super easy to understand and navigate as all the buttons come labeled. The interface though, might seem a little difficult to understand by then again, YouTube videos are always there to help.

That said, there are more than a thousand different sounds in this module which range from rock to metal to pop to fusion. There are even some silly ones too like the jungle and rockabilly.

Of course, in addition to this plethora of sounds, you also get space for your own custom drum kits.

Now, while many sounds are great, what we love even more is that you get to adjust the sounds here to your tastes. And it’s super easy to do that too. In fact, you not only get to adjust your sound, you can also adjust the drums themselves. You can actually change the shell type of shell depth!

And there’s much more this module can do but space won’t let us get into it. You really should get this kit and try it out yourself.

Pros Of Roland TD-30K V-Pro Series Electronic Drum Kit

Cons Of Roland TD-30K V-Pro Series Electronic Drum Kit

Conclusion

The Roland TD-30K V-Drums Series is a professional electronic drum kit that’s hard to beat. Though expensive, it’s a joy to play on and gives a quality of performance that’s great for recording and live sessions. In our honest opinion, the kit is totally worth its price tag.