[don11817]

I personally have a Roland TD-10 V-Session drum set (4 toms, KD 120 Kick, snare, hi-hat, ride and 2 crashes). I loved this kit wen I got it and purchased it for exactly the same reasons you are looking at electronic drums as an alternative now.

They certainly can be used for live performance or recording but I found them better suited to practice (gotta keep the chops up but the cops out!) The cymbals (as you described your affinity for them) are nowhere near as nice as the real thing and are, in my opinion, the biggest weakness that electronic drums have no matter the manufacturer. There is just too much data, too many different sounds that one cymbal can make, and today's technology would be hard pressed to reproduce one cymbal accurately with all the nuance, dynamics and overtones available across its surface-- let alone a whole kit of them.

Next biggest weakness is the need for a PA that can handle the bottom end of the kit if you ever want to use them to play live. Big wattage is necessary so you could spend a small mint just getting the setup playable live.

However, if you are just looking to rehearse and keep your chops up the electronic drums are wonderful for doing it quietly. On my kit I can plug in a CD or mp3 and play along with a mix control for volume--great for practicing cover tunes etc. There is a built in programmable sequencer that you can play along with (say you need to work out some 5/4 or 9/8 grooves and are having trouble counting it) no problem the sequencer will click it out and you can see where you are in the measure on the screen. You can also make drum loops etc for background tracks that you can play along with as well...

I think the electronic drums give you greater versatility overall, but I just recently had to purchase a new acoustic kit for the gigs I'm playing. Sound guys love the E drums but acoustics have far better articulation and I LOVE real cymbals--always complimented for my cymbal work and found that I could do less than 10% of it with the E drums....