Alesis SR16 Digital Drum Machine

Old technology but nothing yet better

This unit uses old technology but there is no newer tech stuff that is as simple and as adequate for live gigs. Midi just hasn't changed. So, this unit will remain adequate for my drum sounds when a versatile electronic drummer accompaniment is needed in my gigs, unless a real drummer comes along! I just plug it into my amp, select the song beat, press the foot switch on (foot switch not included), then we're live! Press foot switch again to end the beat, or another foot switch to fill-in the beats. Or, I midi in a file from a sequencer and sync is automatic. Love it. If screen had more contrast, it'd be a 5-star review but that's the manufacturer's fault.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: altomusic

Great sounding drums, but...

There are some great things about the SR-16 that I really like. It has excellent digital drum and percussive sounds, and the drum fill functionality is a plus. The unit also has a large blue back-lit display. Unfortunately, I felt the unit to be less than intuitive when programming sounds, The responsiveness and volume control of the drum pads also seemed inconsistent, IMO.Read full review

classic old-school drum machine, in 24 bit

classic drum machine, in a 24 bit version. slightly dated, and the touch sensitivity of the drum buttons differs from that of a piano keyboard, but it's a versatile unit that's helped people make plenty of music over the years. my dad bought a 16 bit version in the late 90s but had to sell it, and I bought this for him. came in great condition as advertised.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: pre-owned • Sold by: jazgirrl

Alesis SR-16 Drum Machine - Awesome

I've been using this machine for many years. Had to buy new because the old one finally gave out after years of consistent use. Very reliable, many drum types, percussion sounds and so much more. AAA +++.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: e2genesis

Awesome sound!

I have been a musician all my life. I play guitar, bass, drums, and electric keyboards. I presently lead worship for a well known church in Hawaii. I would wish to say that the Yamaha DD-6 is fun to play with, but not even close to realistic sound. It is not so much more than a toy.

On the other hand, I have never heard a more realistic drum set than the Alesis SR16! This machine does so many things, it will keep you busy discovering what all it can do. It is also arranged in a manner that is so easy to understand and operate. If you don't have a drummer handy, and you need some drums in your mix, you will find this machine most exciting! Check it out!Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: pre-owned • Sold by: ramzsemporium2

More punch for the pound

The sound of this machine has always intrigued me, since they first came out in the '90's... The first one I ever saw was at a music store plugged into an amp and going through the 'demo'. I looked around to see where the machine was, and the store clerk pointed to a little white box with buttons, about the size of a video tape. "THAT thing is making those drum sounds?!" He said, "it's an Alesis" (I don't know what model) and I was hooked on the idea of having a tiny device crank out sounds so real you could feel the punch!

The Alesis unit has changed a bit since I first discovered it... but it is still impressive to me. - jefRead full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: pre-owned • Sold by: foreverplus7

Somewhat disappointed with this SR-16 drum machine...

I purchased the Alesis SR-16 to use for botrh practice and performance as a single or with a duo.
It arrived in a well-packed box, but when I plugged it into the sound system I realized that all of the cymbal sounds were missing (hi-hat, ride, crash, etc.). I tried a number of things with the settings but could not get the correct sound response on any setting. I finally sold it to my favorite pawn shop with the understanding that the basic rhythm patterns worked but the cymbals were missing.
I love the SR-16, but I need all of the sounds and frequencies to be present and working.Read full review

good starter machine

I have used this machine for many years both as an accompaniment, and playing it live. It is a really great machine, however this particular machine I purchased did not live up to my expectations as buttons were constantly double-triggering, so I sent it back and eventually purchased a different machine brand new that does the same exact thing except it includes bass riffs too. Really cool.Read full review

Good Bang For The Buck

This drum machine is capable of any drum beats for any genre of music.
Once understanding the programming procedures, it becomes more user friendly.
The quality is very good.
I would recommend this unit to anyone wanting to practice along with quality drum beats or and use this machine for a live performance.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: pre-owned • Sold by: usgle_eorxm

Great drum machine

The SR 16 is one of the most popular drum machines out there. It's quite versatile, has over 200 drum sounds and both preset and user definable patterns to choose from The drum sounds are quite accurate. It has a somewhat steep learning curve and takes some time to set up personalized drum sets. For use with MIDI, it does not conform to the GM or GS standard so if you're feeding it General MIDI drums, you'll have to create a drum set for it. There are also a few drum sounds now commonly used like Vibra-slap that are not on the SR16.

The cymbal sounds are better than some electronic drums I've heard and the touch sensitive pads are great for playing your own drums. All in all, a great value!Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: pre-owned • Sold by: kevadilla1