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.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
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.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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 +++.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
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!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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. - jef
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
The Alesis SR-16 is a wonderfully fun and powerful drum machine. I have not used the sequencer functionality at all. Instead I have programmed MIDI patterns in my DAW and triggered my custom drum kits in it. The sound output has an element of noise and that definitely affects its use as a truly professional instrument. To get around this and also to really make your drums mixed properly, I recommend recording each drum sample, denoising them, and loading into sampler instances in your DAW. This way you can adjust the phase of each sound to fully gel and also you can process individual sounds as well. My only complaints beyond the noise floor are that the pitch adjust range is not a full octave up and down and there is no decay parameter like those of the Alesis SR-18 & Akai XR-20. The drum samples are quite good and, for a machine that is over 30 years old, sound good for a multitude of genres. I have made techno and electronic tracks with it and, while the drum sounds lean acoustic, they are varied enough and have enough character for serious work. Let's see if Alesis will be making this in another 30 years. I'd almost be surprised if they didn't.Read full review
Verified purchase: No
I bought the prior-generation Alesis HR16 in 1990. It really got the job done, but finally "left" me last year. It was very user-friendly, and although (as many other reviewers have stated) the SR16 is a great little machine, it is a bit more cumbersome to program than was its predecessor. This is a temporary issue, which will go away with some repetition on your part. Alesis still offers a great little drum machine for anyone needing good percussion for home recording or live performance without spending buckets of money. Since my HR16 served me well for 23 years, I expect to be enjoying the new SR16 until I am too old to care, or am dead. Overall, a nice selection of realistic percussion sounds, and well-worth the cost, which is relatively low no matter where you come from. P.S. If you are buying 'New', do yourself a favor and check Adorama Camera on eBay. Easily the best price I could find, and includes free shipping...Read full review
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.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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