Ion Audio iED04 Desktop Digital Drum Station

8 velocity-sensitive drum pads. Built-in professional drum machine with 50 preset / 50 user drum kits.

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Ion Audio iED04 Desktop Digital Drum Station reviews

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22 People rated this product : * * * * * * * * * * 5 out of 10

 

7 People wrote reviews

Read all Ion Audio iED04 Desktop Digital Drum Station reviews...
* * * * * * * * * * 8 out of 10

"The ION desktop drums are a wonderful bargain, fun to work with and a way to learn about percussion."

Feature:
No USB but that was not the purpose of this unit since it is for fun and the hobbyist market even though there are some professional features. One can set up the pads for congas and hand percussion and the triggers seem fine with finger tip tapping.

Quality:
One disappointment was that the kick pedal socket takes only a foot switch not an actual trigger pedal. ION should not use the word foot pedal or triger but only foot switch. One would expect the hihat socket to take a foot switch but by ION using the term pedal one can be mislead. Still just using a foot switch for a kick sound seems OK after awhile. For most pop and rock stuff a consistent level is what is desireable so being limited to one fixed level shouldn't be a problem. If one wants subtle kick inserts choose a soft kick sample as a tradeoff. Having an input to mix a MP3 or CD feed works nicely. There are actually two audio outs in pairs. Another somewhat disappointing discovery was when hooking up a pedal switch for a kick sound the pad assigned for a kick sound is not "freed up". You don't gain a pad for other samples to be assigned to it. the samples are most likely the same for the SR16. Midi documentation is very sparse so don't expect this unit to be an answer to inputting a complex interface with your computer even if you buy a separate USB interface. It is a very attractively priced percussion station for fun and education.

Value:
Worth every cent of the $130!! The package is complete and should be a wonderful introduction to pad drumming. Fun at parties particularly if one puts it on a high stand and plays the pads with fingers. I believe one can assign trigger modes to the samples so when you cup slap a conga it should cut off the ring if setup that way.

Desirability:
I highly recommend this for responsible curious hobbyists.

Sound:
This unit if used responsibly will be a useful learning tool and performance vehicle. The unit I worked with before turning it over to the person receiving it as a surprise gift was fine. The pad feel was a little britte but certainly no worse than the more expensive yamaha desktop drum units. I experienced no cross triggering. The brain is a somewhat dumbed down SR-16. Remember that drum machine did not have a foot closing hi hat sound!

Ease of Use:
I think programming it would be quite daunting to hobbyists who are reluctant to study owner/operator manuals but those familiar with the Alesis SR-16 will be fine.

Support:
It is highly unlikely that the company ION would dedicate any staff to mollify the customer base who picks this up for $130. Those who stated the pads failed are most likely decibel junkies and expected too much from the build integrity. Play it lightly and it should last. For the price I wouldn't be afraid to open it up and cut out the pads and mount them separately. I assume there are standing piezo transducers glued and wires leading to the CPU. If so it could be repaired.

Overall:
Excellent bargain.

Submitted: 12/9/2007

Style of Music: all styles.

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* * * * * * * * * * 8 out of 10

"ION iED04 looks identical to the new Alesis Performance Pad. Also looks like it is designed around an Alesis SR-16 Drum Machine."

Feature:
I like that it has footswitch inputs to control the kick-drum and hi-hat. I use two VFP-1 piano pedals, which work great with the ION. One thing I don't like is the footswitch triggers are activating two of the top 8 pads, rather than activating two entirely separate pads. So you can either strike the pad on top or press the footswitch and you will get the exact same sound. If you change the pad's sound, you also change the footswitch sound. I wish the display were angled so I could see it better, and wish it had a backlight. Also wish it had a MIDI in/thru and USB connection.

Quality:
Seems like a well built unit so far. The case is made of a hard plastic, and the drum pads seem like they will last. Only time will tell.

Value:
I bought mine used for $50. Considering it's basically an Alesis SR-16, it should be worth at least as much as the Alesis.

Desirability:
It's a pretty nice looking unit.

Sound:
This unit appears to be built from a modified Alesis SR-16 drum machine. On the back of the ION it states "powered by Alesis". I have an SR-16, and the buttons, display, and sounds are identical to the ION. So the sounds are very good! Very realistic sampled drums.

Ease of Use:
Using the ION is fairly simple. As I stated, it's basically an Alesis SR-16 drum machine with larger drum pads.

Support:
No opinion. Never needed service.

Overall:
Overall I would say I'm very happy with it so far. If it were to break, I might try to find another used one. One other thing to mention is the ION iED04 appears to be absolutely identical to a new product by Alesis called Performance Pad. The main difference being the Alesis is black and the ION is white. If you go to the Alesis website you can download the Performance Pad user manual, and it will likely be fine for learning to use the ION.

Submitted: 9/17/2008

Style of Music: Classic Rock

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Read all Ion Audio iED04 Desktop Digital Drum Station reviews...

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About This Product!
Description
From Our Catalog
The iED04 features eight drum pads and a built-in electronic drum machine with professional sounds and features. You can create and record your own beats from scratch or play along with the built-in patterns. With the Digital Drum Station, you can practice quietly with headphones, or plug it into an amplifier to jam with other musicians. Drum sticks and headphones are included!

Features
8 natural feeling, velocity-sensitive drum pads

Built-in professional drum machine so you can record and play back your own beats

50 Preset / 50 User drum kits with 233 sounds assignable to any pad

Built-in rhythm patterns to complement your playing

Large LCD display with easy-to-navigate interface

Dynamic Articulation stereo samples with reverb and ambience for realistic playing

2 inputs for external kick and hi-hat pedals (sold separately)

Stereo input to play along with your CD or MP3 player

MIDI output to play external MIDI devices

High-quality 24-bit stereo and headphone outputs

Lightweight, durable enclosure

Drum sticks and headphones included
Eight velocity-sensitive pads give natural, responsive feel on 50 preset kits. Build 50 more of your own with 233 onboard sounds, then sequence your own patterns or play along with prerecorded rhythms. Includes headphones and drum sticks.

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