This new tech from Zildjian may be the next big thing in e-drumming!
Electronic drums have come a long way, but achieving a truly natural and responsive feel —especially with cymbals — has remained a challenge yet unanswered; until now. Enter the Zildjian Alchem-E, a revolutionary e-drum set poised to twirl sticks around this problem — keep reading for my thoughts!
What’s New?
The Alchem-E breaks new ground with its E-Vault sound library and proprietary trigger technology. This translates to a playing experience that feels incredibly close to a traditional acoustic kit. The E-Vault boasts a massive collection of high-quality drum, cymbal, and percussion sounds, including the legendary Zildjian cymbals themselves. But it’s the cymbal triggers that steal the show, for these aren’t your average e-cymbals; they feature a first-in-class 3-zone design that captures bell, bow, and edge strikes, along with 360-degree triggering and choking for a natural response.
The Alchem-E comes in three configurations: Bronze EX (compact), Gold (standard), and Gold EX (full-size)
The cymbals feature a first-in-class 3-zone design that captures bell, bow, and edge strikes, along with 360-degree triggering and choking for a natural response.
Key Features
The Alchem-E comes in three configurations: Bronze EX (compact), Gold (standard), and Gold EX (full-size)
All configurations boast real wood(!) shells with stunning finishes, giving them a premium look and feel. Each drum pad features three zones for triggering head, rimshot, and rim sounds, ensuring a playing experience that can fit the needs of any drummer. The Alchem-E lets you expand your kit with additional drum and cymbal inputs, making it perfect for drummers who crave a customized setup — and best of all, Zildjian can push new sounds to the kit in something as simple as a software update — genre-benders, rejoice!
The Audio Interface
The brains of this operation is the E-Vault module; this feature-packed module houses the absolutely massive sound library and offers a variety of connectivity options like Bluetooth audio for jamming along to your favourite tracks, USB for hooking up to your computer, and traditional MIDI In/Out for integrating the kit with recording software or external sound modules. The E-Vault module also features an onboard audio interface, allowing you to record each drum and cymbal independently for maximum control — be it in the studio, or live at a concert. Even better, the Vault is the same model across the kit tiers, ensuring uniform sound and easy portability (if you’re the kind that keeps one e-drum kit at home, and another at the studio.)
Also read: BOSS Introduces Bassist Oriented Gears : ME90B and Katana Bass Head
Verdict: A Worthwhile Investment?
All in all, then: the Zildjian Alchem-E is a game-changer in the world of virtual kits. With its groundbreaking cymbal technology, expansive sound library, and endless feature list, it delivers a playing experience that successfully bridges the gap between acoustic and electronic drumming. While the price tag might raise an eyebrow (or two), particularly for the top-tier Gold EX configuration, the Alchem-E is a serious investment for drummers seeking a truly exceptional e-kit.
