Paxcess Electronic Drum Set Review: For Beginner Drummers Of All Ages
This article takes an in-depth look at one of the best-selling e-kits on the market today which is made by Paxcess. While it functions as a normal e-kit, it looks like more of a practice pad than your traditional drum setup.
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So what makes people flock to this model? Are the sounds amazing? Do people desire its uber-portability? Can you customize it to your heart’s content?
Follow us down the rabbit hole as we explore what makes this kit tick.
At a Glance – Our Initial Thoughts
The Paxcess Electronic drum kit is a space-saving design that rolls up to the size of a yoga mat and can be carried around a bag or backpack for easy transport. It is a flat pad that returns some decent sounds and flexibility, aiming to fill the niche of the beginner drummer market. As it is battery operated, you can play on it for hours without having to recharge, and you aren’t tied down to only using it in rooms that have a power source.
Paxcess has stuffed it with external speakers (although headphones can be still be used for those quieter moments) as well as multiple kits, songs, and various connections that add some much-needed flexibility. Priced to move, anyone that is looking to get started in drumming should consider this cool little kit.
What’s In The Box
Paxcess includes all the things you need to turn this small electronic pad into a full-size drum kit.
Measuring 17 x 11 inches, and standing less than 1/4” thick, the total weight of this model is under 2.5 lbs., making it one of the most lightweight drum sets you will ever come across.
The rubber pad is an attached to a drum module which is not only the brain of the unit, and also the largest piece. It provides all connections that give you a lot of flexibility in how you can use the kit.
On the back, you will find multiple connection ports. The MP3 port is your “auxiliary input”, which is where you plug in your phone or tablet. This allows you to play along with the music on your phone, or any drum practice apps that you have loaded on it, and it requires a 1/8” cable (aka 3.5mm).
Next to it is the Phones input, which is where you will plug in your headphones. It too uses a 1/8” / 3.5mm cable, and it can double as a Line Out if you want to connect it to an external speaker.
There is also a port to plug in the foot pedals, with both pedals sharing the single connection input.
Finally, charging and recording is taken care of with the micro-USB input. A button allows you to switch from USB to MIDI, meaning you can either record the sounds from the kit into your computer, or you can use the pads to trigger software kits via MIDI. When the 2400 mAh battery is drained, plugging the unit into any USB power adapter (the one that comes with your phone works well), will provide you juice. A 2-3 hour charge time allows for between 8 and 10 hours of playing.
The module will allow you to pick your kit style and play along with pre-loaded demo songs, a metronome will help keep you playing in time, and 2 included speakers give a surprisingly loud and well-rounded sound when you don’t want to plug in your headphones.
As for the pad itself, you get all the parts you would find in your standard drum kit – 3 toms, a snare, hi-hats, as well as ride and crash cymbals. The open/close function of the hats, and the kick drum, are controlled by 2 separate foot pedals that can be placed anywhere you wish. There is virtually zero kit customization, but there is a button to switch around the snare and hats pads to suit your style.
How Does It Stand Out?
Roll It Up
The portability of this drum kit is its main selling feature, as you have the ability to literally roll up the rubber pad, stuff it in a bag, and go. It doesn’t get much more portable than that! Its small footprint makes it easy to set up a full drum kit on virtually any flat surface, and if there is no power source where you are, you can still play it for hours due to the longevity of its battery.
Convenient Connections
For such a small unit, there are plenty of included connections that give it a big-time feel. Lots of flexibility is built-in so you can plug your device to the unit and play along with songs or drumming apps. You can also send the signal out to an external speaker to really “fill the room”, or use it as a tool to craft demos on your computer with its USB/MIDI support.
The Price Is Right
There is a reason this is a best-selling e-kit model. It not only operates well and sounds decent, but with a price under $75, you are almost getting this thing for free. It is a small financial investment that can reap huge rewards in the long term and can help kids and beginner drummers learn a craft without breaking the bank.
FAQ
Does the unit come with a charger?
Does it come with a warranty?
Can I customize the kits?
Does it have Bluetooth?
Our Final Thoughts
While this electronic drum kit probably isn’t going to win any awards, it wasn’t designed for that purpose. What it was designed for is to provide an easy and portable practice pad that can suit beginner drummers of all ages.
It’s not without its issues. Compared to other e-kits it has very limited sounds and overall customization. The metronome is not adjustable and only has 3 tempo settings. The foot pedals are a bit noisy and shift around at times, and a charging adapter isn’t included.
Even still, if you are looking for something to keep your kids entertained, if you have an interest in drums but want to “test the waters” before making a huge financial commitment, or if you are an amateur musician looking for something you can record basic drum sounds with, this could be a perfect option for you.
If this electronic drum set is not what you were looking for, check out our Best Electronic Drum Set post.
