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At a Glance

For seasoned drummers seeking an authentic, nuanced experience, the Roland TD-27KV2 stands as a superior choice, with its extensive sound variety and sizable drums. On the other hand, budget-friendly yet robust, the Roland TD-17KV2 caters perfectly to intermediate drummers, offering a solid drumming experience without breaking the bank.

Roland TD-27KV2 vs Roland TD-17KV2 (2024) Head to Head

Roland TD-27KV2
vs
Roland TD-17KV2

Roland is a premier brand in electronic drum sets, featuring models like the high-end TD-27KV2 and the mid-range TD-17KV2. Both provide excellent sound quality through innovative technology but cater to different musicians. The TD-27KV2 is designed for professionals while the TD-17KV2 is an excellent, budget-friendly option for intermediate players.

Key Differences

The TD-27KV2 has a larger, acoustic-style, 14-inch (triple-zone) snare compared to the 12-inch (dual-zone) snare pad of the TD-17KV2. Ultimately, a larger (acoustic-style) snare offers better playability, the same as a conventional acoustic drum set.

The TD-27KV2 comes with a significantly larger number of sounds (728) than the TD-17KV2 (310). This means the TD-27KV2 is more versatile, offering more creative sounds and options to play around with.

The TD-27KV2 uses a 14-inch acoustic-style hi-hat stand while the TD-17KV2 uses a 10-inch electronic hi-hat pedal. Again, larger, acoustic-style components offer a better feel and placement possibilities.

The TD-27KV2 offers a larger ride cymbal pad size (18-inch) and an additional crash cymbal pad compared to the TD-17KV2 (14-inch ride cymbal pad size and only 1 crash cymbal pad).

The TD-27KV2 also has larger tom pads (10-inch tom pads) in comparison to the TD-17KV2 (8-inch tom pads).

The Roland TD-27KV2 is equipped with the TD-27 Drum Module, while the Roland TD-17KV2 uses the TD-17.

Snare Pad Size
14-inch
12-inch
Number of Sounds
728
310
Drum Module Name
TD-27 Drum Module
TD-17

Key Features in Common

Both drum sets offer a tower kick type with a 5-inch kick pad size.

Both models provide Bluetooth connection, MIDI connectivity, and audio-over-USB for recording so connectivity and recording options are the same.

Both kits offer custom sampling through an SD card so you can import your own drum samples.

Both kits also have the same helpful additions like the metronome and onboard recording (of internal sounds) features.

Kick Type
Tower
Tower
Kick Pad Size
5-inch
5-inch
Bluetooth Connection
Yes
Yes
MIDI Connectivity
MIDI-over-USBMIDI-5-Pin
MIDI-over-USBMIDI-5-Pin
Audio over USB (for recording)
Yes
Yes
Custom sampling
sd-card
sd-card

Check out the Roland TD-27KV2 in action.

And here's a video of the Roland TD-17KV2.

Price Comparison Between The Roland TD-27KV2 and Roland TD-17KV2

Use the below to get up-to-date prices for both the Roland TD-27KV2 and Roland TD-17KV2

Roland TD-27KV2
vs
Roland TD-17KV2
We have included a head-to-head comparison of the features on both the Roland TD-27KV2 and Roland TD-17KV2.

Hi-Hat

Hi-Hat Size (Inches)
14-inch
10-inch
Hi-Hat Type
Acoustic-style hi-hat stand
Electronic hi-hat pedal
Hi-Hat Model
VH-14D
CY-5

Cymbal Pads

Ride Cymbal Pad Size (Inches)
18-inch
14-inch
Ride Cymbal Zones
Triple-Trigger
Triple-Trigger
Ride Cymbal Pad Model Number
CY-18DR
CY-14R-T
Number of Crash Cymbal Pads
2
1
Crash Cymbal Sizes
12", 14"
12"
Crash cymbal choke
Yes
Yes
Crash Cymbal Pad Model Numbers
CY-12C-T, CY-14C-T
CY-12C-T

Toms

Tom pad sizes
10", 10", 10"
8", 8", 8"
Number of Tom Pads
3
3
Tom Pad Material
Mesh
Mesh
Tom Zones
Dual-Zone
Dual-Zone

Drum Module

Number of Sounds
728
310
Drum Module Name
TD-27 Drum Module
TD-17
Additional Features
Integrated 28-channel USB audio interface, Built-in practice functions
Bluetooth audio for wirelessly streaming audio from your smartphone to the TD-17 module, Coach functions support your daily exercise and warm-up routines
Display
Graphic LCD 256 x 80 dots
128 x 64 dots graphic type LCD (with backlit)
Bluetooth Connection
Yes
Yes
Metronome
Yes
Yes
On-Board Recording (of internal sounds)
Yes
Yes
Additional Pad/Cymbal Inputs
4
2
Audio Outputs
2 Main Outputs(Left and Right) 2 Direct Outputs
2 Main Outputs(Left and Right)
Audio Input (Auxiliary Input)
1/4" inch
1/8" inch
Effects and Sound Editing Capabilities
High
High
MIDI Connectivity
MIDI-over-USBMIDI-5-Pin
MIDI-over-USBMIDI-5-Pin
Audio over USB (for recording)
Yes
Yes
Custom sampling
sd-card
sd-card
Number of Kits
100
100

Snare

Snare Mount Type
Snare Stand
Mounted to Rack
Snare Pad Size
14-inch
12-inch
Snare Pad Material
Mesh
Mesh
Snare Zones
Triple-Zone
Dual-Zone
Snare Pad Model
PD-140DS
PDX-12

Kick

Kick Type
Tower
Tower
Kick Pad Material
Mesh/Cushion
Mesh/Cushion
Kick Pad Size
5-inch
5-inch
Kick Pad Model
KD-10
KD-10

Verdict

Roland TD-27KV2
vs
Roland TD-17KV2

Both the Roland TD-27KV2 and the TD-17KV2 provide a strong drumming experience, with the differences largely reflecting the needs of different types of drummers. The high-end TD-27KV2 stands out for its more extensive selection of sounds, larger drum sizes, and sophisticated drum module, making it ideal for professional players. The TD-17KV2, while not as fully featured, offers great value for its cost, making it an excellent choice for intermediate drummers or those on a more limited budget

Photo of author

Berk Oztuna