Alesis SR-18

Easy to use. Very intuitive for those who've owned the Alesis SR-16. Many new features that make it a real pleasure to use. I was getting in a rut having used the Alesis SR-16 for so many years. This is the "new and improved sound" I've been waiting for.

Features are all described on their website. Also, check out the user reviews from other dealers selling this unit. I did my homework: read the reviews, listened to the sound samples, and bought it. I am NOT disappointed. This will keep me busy for a good many years to come...or until the next version comes out in the next 15 or 20 years.

The sounds are similar to the SR-16. Perhaps a little more realistic. The ability to add reverb, compression, etc., as well as change sounds and drum kits is a big plus!
I always had to add effects to the drums while recording, but now I can send the drums directly into the board. I think the critical reviews below, are from folks who are expecting what only a "live" drummer can produce. C'mon! This is a drum machine. It sounds awesome for what it is. I use this in a "live" setting and it sounds like I DO indeed have a drummer behind me.

Have only owned it for a few weeks, but if it's like my SR-16...it'll last.

Haven't had the need to contact them. Have a waranty, and I know that the dealer will back the product as well. Again, no problems ever with the SR-16. Expect the same quality.

Alesis' reputation is well known. The fact that the SR-16 has been the industry standard for so many years says a lot. This new SR-18 is fun to use, easy to understand, and sounds great "live" or on a recording. More presets and more useable styles make this a "must have" for any musician desiring to create their own songs, dial up drums to play cover tunes, or just use as a backing track to jam with. The addition of bass guitar is a blast to jam with. I've been performing and recording for over 30 years and have listened to a variety of other drum machines. They all pale in comparison to the SR-16 and SR-18. If you own the SR-16, you owe it to yourself to check out this new drum machine. You'll be smiling after just a few minutes of playing with this unit.

well, as with anything electroic the machine has its own logic. once you have this figured out, while its tedious, is still capable of learning. i havent had experience with other drum machines so i cant make that sort of comparison, however in-itself there are certain things i would like to do with time changes are a little more technical to get into and use. sometimes i feel like there has to be an easier way.

presets are good, dont use them though.

manaul is really pretty sound for this device. some things could be arranged differently, but it is thorough.

excellent features. built in effects unit is neat, especially if you have no other effects to hook it up to. one totally awesome thing about this unit is that it hooks up quite easily to my pedal board, and so every effect that i have with that comes through perfectly through the device. i absolutly love this about the machine. in terms of its features, it does everything i want it to.

sounds are excellent!!! very real sounding drums and alot of options. there are alot of different ways to mix and match drums sounds and create ones own drum sets which makes for very unique and original sounding kits. there is alot of freedom as far as tone use. you can tune each individual drum, percussion, and bass sound.

seemingly very reliable so far, however there is a little fuzz sometimes in one of my input jacks. not sure though, could be the patch cord but i dont think it is.

dont know.

good solid piece of equipment with lots of options. does everything i need it to.

Raised on the SR-16, the SR-18 is nothing new in "Ease of Use". A couple of extra features ( the Bass accompainment, and Insturment input)I will not even use. So, to write patterns and songs....nothing has changed.

Again, pretty much the same features as the SR-16 + 24bit samples and the Bass lines. I really wish they would have included a software editor. You'd think after 20 years they would have developed a software editor for this thing.

24-bit what can you say...they sound great.

I just got it. I turned it on and hey...what do you know it works! I could throw it off my roof to see if it still works but I don't want to have to buy a new one just yet. If it's anything like the SR16 then it should last a couple of more decades!

I just emailed asking why, after 20 years they didn't think to include a software editor/ libraian. No reply yet....

The drums in 24-Bit sound great. The method in how you are required to build patterns and songs hasn't changed. One thing that I wish would have changed or that some programming guru would provide is a software editor/ pattern/ song creator. Why not? Don't tell me "But it's so easy on the SR-18 / SR-16!" Software always makes things easier! You would think Alesis after waiting 20 years to follow up the SR-16 they would have gone just a little bit further and provided some PC/MAC editior...this is the 21st century right?

Don't get me wrong, the presets are great. But an editor would have made this piece of gear over the top!

This is the new SR-18 and I've just taken delievery of it in the first few weeks of it's launch. The sounds on this are very realistic - the bass is veryy bassy and the drums very drum-like. In it's default mode it puts some reverb into the output that makes it sound very much like palying in a studio. But you are able to switch this out and play dry. The 100+ patches are quite good and with a bit of practice I think you could just use the patches and a couple of foot switches to toggel between pattern A and B (B is slightly changed - like a drummer does in verse one and two) and then it has fills you can switch in and again there's an A and B version - so it's not too samey.

The manuals are good and clear - although I also downloaded the PDFs from the Alesis site as these can be printed up larger - 14 pages in the "quick-start" and 30 in the Reference Manual. Pretty clear what you need to do to programme it and should be any secrets here as you can go to the Alesis site and download them long before you decide to buy.

Looks like you can save your setting if you have a midi cable. Not too many features - I rather liked it compared to the Boss offering as it was just focused on producing a bass and drum line and didn't do much for anyone wanting loads of guitar effects and the like. You can still plug your guitar into it - but really only as a way of pushing your instrument signal through the same amp as the SR-18.

This box is focused on drum and bass tracks. I'd guesss that's where the money went on this and that's the way I liked it. If you've had an SR-16 - this is the natural next step and there will be a short learning curve.

What can you say - it sounds great. very realist sounds, 500 drum sets to chose, a percussion set to create if you want, and great sounding bass sounds. I think there's 50 of those, so all the usual, click, slap, pop, pick, finger sounds are all there.

Although the top is plastic it has a steel casing underneath. There's even one of those little holes for putting one of those security locks into it so you can attach it to some nearby plumbing or the foundations of the building to stop it getting taken away. So i guess Alesis feel the chassis is quite strong. Anyway all the buttons, knobs and controls feel very solid. I'll give it a predictive 8 as I've only had it a week - but I don't think it looks like it will ever fail.

Haven't done any of this so can't comment.

This is a huge step up for me from my old Dr110 Boss from 1982. So far it all looks very exciting and I'm planning to use this live, in the studio and for teaching. Definately buy another if I need a new drum machine or recommend one. I'll give it a nine overall cause it's so new to me. But I have a feeling it will be heading for a 10. I'll post again in a month.