$290/£200 used

The SPD20 has been around for sometime now and the newer SPDS has more or less taken its place by offering sampling facilities as opposed to a fixed sound ROM. However the SPD20 has an enormous and impressive sound range  - some 700 or so covering just about every percussive sound you could think of plus a fair amount of other sounds as well. It can also be picked up at bargain prices too - Check out the Edrum stores.

The 8 pads have 2 layers each allowing for realistic playing. e.g. layer two types of snare drum on the same pad or even a tambourine and depending on how hard you hit it either one or both can trigger allowing for very expressive playing. The same techniques work equally well on cymbals and cymbal bells.

There are four external trigger outlets, two of which can be used to control a hi-hat pedal and kick drum pad such as the KD-8 and FD-8 leaving the other two for mesh heads or cymbal pads for example. You are not restricted to using Roland gear either. Mount the pad on the pricey purpose built PDS-10 or better still use a snare drum stand and your ready to Rock n Roll. Oh you'll need an amp of course. and we'll be looking at those soon

The SPD20 Is "V Drums in a box" and yes these are V drum sounds. It gives the drummer an opportunity to play in some of the smaller "volume challenged" venues and get one up on the drum machine duos. Alternatively use it with an acoustic kit and let your creativity run riot.

Pros

• Brilliant sounds
• Portable
• Expressive
• External triggering

Cons

• Pad noise irritating
• Paramater/value control tedious to use