Looking for the best amps for your electronic drums?
Looking for the best drumsticks for your electronic drum set?
Perfect, you're in the right place! In my latest expert drum guide you'll learn:
- Which kind of amp do you use for electronic drums (are they all the same)?
- How do you properly hook up an amp to electronic drums?
- My top 5 picks drum amp picks (from my personal experience)
- And much more!
Below is a quick list of all my top products. Keep scrolling to learn more about how to choose and use the best amps for electronic drums.
| Image | Product | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
My Top Pick  | My Top Pick | Roland PM-100
|
| View on Amazon |
Best Budget  | Best Budget | Coolmusic DK35S 50W Personal Amplifier
|
| View on Amazon |
Best High-End  | Best High-End | Yamaha STAGEPAS 400BT Portable PA System
|
| View on Amazon |
 | DDrum DDA50 Electronic Percussion Amplifier
|
| View on Amazon | |
 | Anker Soundcore Motion+ Bluetooth Speaker
|
| View on Amazon |
My Overall #1 Rated Pick
Updated 3/28/2020
Out of the products I’ve reviewed, the major standout for me is the Roland PM-100
Why?
With its sturdy build quality and superior sound quality at a competitive price point, this is an amplifier you should definitely check out.
Making it my ‘Top Pick’ of Electronic Drum kit Amplifiers for 2020.
Roland has been making electronic instruments and amplifiers since the 1970s and has a reputation for reliable and great sounding equipment.
I personally use many of Roland’s products and V-drums, all of which are excellent in design and functionality and the Roland PM-100 is no exception.
It may not have the extensive connectivity of some other amplifiers (no Bluetooth, DI output or USB). However, what it lacks in connectivity it makes up for in sound and reliability.
If you’re looking for a solid, no-frills, great sounding amplifier for your electronic drum kit then you can’t go wrong with the Roland pm-100.
Top 5 Best Amps For Electronic Drums
In a hurry? Check out my top 5 picks below! Keep reading to learn more about these best amps for your electronic drums.
What Is An Amp For Electronic Drums?
An amplifier for electronic drum kits is simply a speaker that allows the drum sounds from your electronic drum kit to be played out loud, without the need for headphones.
Electronic drum kits are very convenient for drummers for practice, band rehearsals and gigs.
In all of these situations, it’s essential that you and other musicians are to be able to hear the sounds coming from the kit itself.
This is where a dedicated amplifier for your electronic drums is essential...
Read Also: What are the best drumsticks for your electric drum set?
What Are The Different Types of Amps For Electronic Drums (Are They All The Same)?
There are a few different solutions for amplifying the sounds coming from your electronic drum kit...
Electronic drum kit specific amplifiers
These are amplifiers that have been specifically designed for amplifying the sounds created by an electronic drum kit.
In general, they are designed to accurately reproduce all the frequencies created by a drum kit,
which range from very high pitched ‘sizzling’ cymbals to low end ‘booming’ bass drums and toms.
Depending on your needs these can range from small personal practice amplifiers to big and powerful amps designed for gigs and loud musical situations.
PA Systems
A PA (Public Address) system is what is used to amplify any number of instruments simultaneously.
If you’ve ever been to a gig or seen a band live, they’ve most likely been amplifying most of the instruments through a PA system (especially the vocals).
Many companies offer small portable versions of these PA systems that are ideal for amplifying the sounds from an electronic drum kit...
Read Also: What are my favorite kick pedals for an electronic drum set?
Keyboard amplifiers
Keyboard amplifiers can be a good option as they include all the features of a drum kit specific amp. However, cheaper options can sometimes struggle with some of the low frequencies from the bass drum.
Compared to electronic drum kit specific amps you can generally get keyboard amps that are more powerful, which means you can play at much bigger volumes if needed.
Also, in comparison to guitar amps, keyboard amps tend to deal better with a wider frequency range making them more suitable as electronic drum amps.
Portable music speakers
Portable music speakers (usually Bluetooth) are designed for playing music from your mobile device, mp3 player or computer...however they can also be used for electronic drum kits.
Often these have the benefit of being much cheaper than drum kit specific amps or PA speakers.
However many of these speakers will struggle to deal with the low-end frequencies an electronic drum kit produces, and they don’t have any EQ options or volume controls that allow you to tweak your drum kit sound....or tame those unwanted frequencies.
I would only use these if you are on a very tight budget and want something for personal home practice.
Here’s a great video highlighting some of the main differences and advantages/disadvantages of different types of amps for electronic drums…
How Much Do Amps For Electronic Drums Cost?
Electronic drum set amplifiers can range from $40 to over $500 depending on your specific needs.
The price depends massively on the volume and quality of sound you’re looking for.
Electronic drum kit specific amps and keyboard amps generally range from $100-$500
Powered PA speaker systems can range dramatically in price but for use with electronic drum kits, you would probably be looking in the range of $200 to $500, depending on how powerful you need the system to be.
Portable home music speakers are mostly available for under $100.
How Do You Hook Up An Amp To Electronic Drums?
Hooking up your electronic drum kit to an amp couldn't be simpler!
Generally hooking up an electronic drum set to an amp is no different than plugging in a guitar to a guitar amplifier.
For electronic drum kit specific amplifiers and PA systems, all you will need is a ¼ inch jack cable (the same used cables are used for guitars and keyboards).
You simply plug one end of the cable into the main output (line out) in the back of your electronic drum kit ‘brain’. The other end will then go into the main input of the amplifier. Simple!
However, if you’re using a small portable speaker system, often these will use smaller ⅛ Inch headphone jack cables.
In this case, you plug one end into the headphone output of the drum kit and the other end into the ‘aux in’ of the portable speaker.
What To Look For In The Best Amps For Electronic Drums?
What to look for in amplifiers for electronic drum kits all depends on what you intend to use the amplifier for.
All amplifiers have a specific ‘Wattage’ (shown as a ‘W’). Simply put the bigger the Watts, the louder the amp!
If you’re only going to be using the amp for personal practice and quiet rehearsals then there’s no need to get a big powerful 200W beast. A small 50W-80W amplifier will do you just fine.
However, if you’re looking to compete with your guitarist’s wall of amps or project to an audience, then a bigger 200W (or even higher for PA’s) amp is what you’re after.
The main thing to look out for in any amplifier system is that it should have a built-in EQ (equalizer) system.
This will allow you to fine-tune the high, mid and low frequencies to make sure the drums sound as they should, without any excess low rumbling or harsh tinny cymbals.
In general most electronic drum set amplifiers won’t have a dedicated sub-woofer as they only include a single speaker. Therefore often some of the cheaper amps struggle to reproduce the deep low-frequency created by the bass drum.
With this in mind, looking for amplifiers that have better bass frequency response will give you a more satisfying ‘thump’ when you lay into that kick drum!
Another thing to keep in mind when selecting an amplifier is that you may need to transport it to gigs and rehearsals. Therefore heavy-duty construction and a carry handle will be essential so it won’t get damaged when you’re loading in and out of cars and venues.
My Reviews Of The Best Amps For Electronic Drums
A custom 10” speaker and tweeter, 80W of power and an added ⅛ inch cable input for smartphones and music players means it’s an ideal choice for home practice and quieter rehearsals.
Roland has a fantastic reputation in the electronic instrument industry, I have owned and used many Roland products over the years and they’ve all been excellent!
I have found some reviews commenting on this amp distorting, however in my experience, this is often when people try to push the amp too loud and expect too much from a smaller 80W amp.
Luckily if you’re looking for more volume Roland makes a 180W version (Roland pm-200) of the same amp for that very purpose!
Pros
- Made by a trusted E-drums brand
- Optimized for electronic drum kits
- Sturdy construction
- Built-in 3-band EQ
Cons
- Slightly higher price point than equivalent amps
- Not very loud for 80W
Ddrum DDA50
Ddrum has become a staple in the acoustic drum set market in recent years, as well as making various drum ‘triggers’, and have gained a reputation for solid, well built musical instruments and electronics.
This amp sits in the ‘mid-range’ price point making it a good option as an upgrade from a budget amp or as a first e-drum amplifier.
All this makes it an ideal choice for home practice and band jams in the garage.
Pros
- Designed for electronic drum kits
- Built-in 3-band EQ
- Good connectivity
Cons
- Poor bass sound
- Limited volume
Coolmusic DK35S 50W
Like many e-drum specific amplifiers, this amp by Coolmusic has an angled 10” speaker with 50 Watts of power.
It has excellent connectivity which includes 2 ¼ inch jack inputs, 1 XLR (microphone input), USB and Bluetooth connectivity (great for playing backing tracks!) as well as a built-in DI output allowing you to record directly from the amp!
All this encased in a sturdy cabinet makes it a good choice for drummers looking for an affordable multi-purpose e-drums practice amplifier.
With all these extensive features at such a low price point, this makes the Coolmusic DK35S my ‘Best budget’ amplifier.
Pros
- Excellent connectivity
- Affordable
- Built-in 3-band EQ
Cons
- Distorts at higher volumes
- Not the best sound quality
- Some issues with reliability reported
Yamaha STAGEPAS 400BT Portable PA System
If you’re looking for a portable yet powerful amp solution for your electronic drum kit then look no further than the Yamaha STAGEPAS 400BT PA system.
With two 8” speakers and a mighty 400W power amp that delivers up to 125db of volume, this PA system would be an ideal solution for e-drummers needing the extra volume for gigs and louder rehearsals.
It incorporates a clever ‘stowaway’ mixer that neatly clips into the back of one of the speakers, as well as Bluetooth connectivity making this an excellent all-round portable electronic drum amplifier solution.
It also has the benefit of having 8 inputs, meaning you could theoretically have the whole band plug in and play!
You could also use one of the speakers to play to the audience and the other as an electronic drum set monitor by your feet so you can hear the rest of the band.
Pros
- Powerful
- High-quality sound
- Excellent connectivity
- Portable
- Ideal for gigs and loud rehearsals
Cons
- Expensive
- More setting up required
- Takes up more space than a stand-alone amplifier
If you’re looking for an amplifier that will simply allow you to hear your e-drums without using earphones, that won’t break the bank or take up much space, then the Anker Soundcore Motion+ is for you.
Pros
- Highly affordable
- Portable
Cons
- Not designed specifically for electronic drum kits
- Limited EQ capability
- Not very powerful
My Top Pick: Roland PM-100
My Top Pick is the excellent Roland PM-100.
Outsider Pick: Powerwerks PA system (PW50)
Here’s another example of an electronic drum set amplifier that didn’t quite make the list but is definitely worth checking out…
Straddling the line between dedicated electronic drum kit amp and PA system, the Powerwerks PA system (PW50) is another super affordable and highly portable option.
It has two dedicated channels, meaning you could plug the drum kit into one and have a guitarist or bassist join you and plug into the other. Making jamming with others even easier.
With a simple 2-band EQ, sturdy casing and carry handle and portable size...it makes this amplifier a great multi-function option if you’re tight on space, money or just need something for ‘on the go’ drumming!
Final Thoughts On The Best Amps For Electronic Drums
So there you have it! Whether you’re looking for a small combo amp for basement jams and solo practice, or need a punchy PA for those gigs out in town, here at Your Music Insider we’ve got you covered.
Be sure to check out more impartial expert reviews, helping you find the ‘best of the rest’ and make the right choice for your music equipment needs...
