Paired up with the Alesis SRP100 headphones at NAMM 2014, the DRP100 are ‘extreme isolating’, specifically for electronic drum monitoring but we can see these being used with many uses within the studio or during everyday activities. “Drum reference phones” (hence the DRP) are made specifically to fine tune the frequencies when mixing drum sounds, which is important considering each piece of a drum set has it’s own tone — if your drums aren’t easily distinguishable, they can sound a bit blended and not as clear. They also aren’t just passive isolation: they’re monitor headphones. The 40mm drivers are pretty standard but are higher quality than a lot competitors — they help with the overall quality with some other cool new features and tech. Let’s check out the DRP100 isolating headphones.
Main features of the Alesis DRP100
The DRP100 has a nice clamp that isn’t too strong to cause fatigue and the headband is a sweat-proof silicone. The cable is interchangeable and extremely convenient in case your cable ever breaks (8″ diameter). Being that they’re around the $50 range starting retail price, these are affordable and preferred for those on a budget. Otherwise if you’re looking for a professional pair of cans, check out our best studio headphones article for some more ideas. Here’s an overview of the DRP100:
- Made specifically for those who monitor drum sounds
- Design is over-ear for isolation and comfort while wearing them
- 40mm full range drivers
- Comes with a stereo mini-plug (3.5mm) and adapter (6.3mm)
The overall comfort of these is really what we’re concerned with because of their price; and Alesis always brings us some comfortable, well-built equipment and these aren’t an exception. They’re recommended for drummers performing as their isolation is great as to not allow the other sounds on stage bleed through, but we can also see these being used for recording tracks too.
A headphone amp is always a plus if you’re to fully power your pair of headphones; although the DRP100’s impedance isn’t quite high, buying an amp or DAC will only improve your sound.
The final word with the Alesis DRP100 headphones is that they’re relatively confided to a specific audience; drummers (both with real drums and electronic) who record and most importantly, perform on stage and need that extreme isolation to help with concentration to give you that optimal performance. Compare prices on Amazon and if you think you can use em’, grab them because they’re pretty cheap! Plus we really like the aesthetics, the blue and black look very cool and don’t stand out too much, especially if you’re on stage and need to be a bit incognito as to not distract the crowd. Although, if you want the opposite; you can always paint them pink!
