Drum Amp 101: Tips & Tricks

Let’s talk amplifiers for electronic drums.

Sure, most folks buy electronic drums because they can practice with headphones—but what if your neighbor wants to come over and jam? What if you want to play out?

Drum amps run the gamut from simple designs best for home practice to more elaborate amps best for live performance.

As a drummer who’s played on both electronic and acoustic kits, I can attest that picking an amp can be a challenging task. One aspect folks often overlook: connections. If you are playing live, you will want an amp that can do double duty as a monitor (for the drummer) and also output sound to a mixer board. Yet some amps are missing that crucial output connection.

Another factor: can the amp be pole mounted? Yes, most drummers use an amp as a monitor to hear themselves and perhaps the monitor mix from the front of the house. But you can also pole mount some amps . . . and that is great for smaller venues where you don’t need an elaborate set-up.

A couple of tips and tricks for drum amps:

• Cords are often not included. Nothing ruins the excitement of having a new amp more than realizing it doesn’t include cables to hook it up to your kit.

• Bluetooth or no? Some electronic kits have built-in Bluetooth so you can play along with a track from your phone or tablet. But if your kit doesn’t have Bluetooth, consider a drum amp with Bluetooth. 

How did I test drum amplifiers? One way I got to sample many brands is to attend music industry trade shows, where I also marveled at drum kits like this one from Crush:

Ok, enough of the fancy drum kits, here are the best drum amps:

Best For Home Practice: Alesis Strike Amp 8 – 2000-Watt Drum Amplifier

This amp is impressive for packing an amazing amount of sound in such a small package—and yes, there is a 8″ subwoofer in there for good bass response. While this is an excellent amp for home practice, it also has an XLR output in case you want to take the show on the road.

What We Liked

• Impressive sound for small footprint.

• 8″ subwoofer provides decent base.

• Good connections include combo XLR/quarter-inch inputs for drum kit.

• Portable with handle.

What Needs Work

• No cables are included.

• Inputs are mono, so you may need a splitter to hear right and left if you are inputting music from your phone.

Best Budget Friendly: Donner Electric Drum AMP 35-Watt Electronic Drum Amplifier

Most affordably priced drum amps either have subpar sound or lack important features like Bluetooth for playing a track to drum along. This one impressed us with its overall sound and features . . . at a price that is easy on the wallet.

What We Liked

• Good low-end bass response.

• Portable.

• Bluetooth for play-along tracks.

• Mic line-in for vocals.

• Great for home practice.

What Needs Work

• No XLR output. Yes, there is a single 1/4″ output . . . but that isn’t great for playing out.

• A bit tinny on the high end.

Best For Small Stages: Roland PM-100 Compact Electronic V-Drum Set Monitor

Roland is the tried and true brand name for electronic drums (I’ve played on Roland kits for years and can attest to their overall quality and response), so it’s not a big surprise this drum amp came out tops in our tests. At 80 watts, this amp is perfect for home practice or playing at small venues. 

What We Liked

• Brand has a good quality reputation.

• Excellent sound.

• Cymbals sound crisp.

• Bass response is excellent.

What Needs Work

• No Bluetooth.

• Pricey.

• No XLR outputs. If you need that feature, consider this next pick.

Best For Professionals: Roland PM-200 Compact Electronic V-Drum Set Monitor

This monitor is similar to the PM-100 reviewed above, with a couple of key differences: the 200 is more powerful (180 watts versus 80) and has two XLR output to the sound to a stage mixer. Hence, this amp is great for professionals who need a good amp for both practice and playing out.

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