Alesis’s Nitro has long occupied the entry-level side of its electronic drum lineup, and the Nitro Max updated that formula with mesh heads throughout and Bluetooth. The Strike Max is the newest kit in that general range, but it arrives with a different name and a notable partnership: Zildjian cymbal sounds in the module, the Zildjian logo on every cymbal pad, and an expanded collection of Zildjian sounds for BFD Player. For this month’s Product Close-Up, I built one up to see what all of that adds to the experience. What’s in the Box?Aside from the drum module and its cable snake, the Strike Max ships with a 10” dual-zone mesh snare pad, three 8” mesh tom pads, a 6” kick tower with pedal, a 10” hi-hat pad, a 10” ride, and two 10” crash pads. The hi-hat runs off a remote controller pedal. All four cymbals mount on boom […]

October 2026 Issue