Roland TD713 Review: Flagship V71 Six-Piece Kit

Who Should Buy It

Key Specifications

Overview

The Roland TD713 sits at the top of Roland's reimagined V-Drums line, and the listing frames it as a rethink of the format rather than a yearly refresh. It is a six-piece kit built around the new V71 module, with newly developed digital snare and kick pads at the center of the playing experience. At the premium tier, it competes with the best kits from every other maker rather than with mid-level sets like the Roland TD-07KV or Yamaha DTX6K.

Roland describes the V71 as an expandable sound engine, which means the onboard library is intended as a starting point rather than a closed set. The sounds were created in collaboration with DW, a company best known for acoustic shells, and the kit ships with the DW Soundworks software instrument for computer-based playing. That software is tied to a Roland Cloud Ultimate membership.

The product listing is short on hard numbers. It does not publish pad sizes, cymbal count, hi-hat type, connectivity ports or the kit's footprint, so a good portion of this review explains what the published description implies and where a buyer should look for confirmation before ordering.

Pads, Feel and Response

Roland says the TD713 uses the latest Roland pad technologies, and the only two pads the listing describes directly are the digital snare and the digital kick. In Roland's vocabulary, a digital pad carries a multi-sensor design and connects to the module over a dedicated digital link rather than a single analog trigger line. That approach is what lets the module read finer position and pressure information from the playing surface.

For the player, a digital snare generally means a more accurate response to where the stick lands, cleaner separation between head and rim, and more convincing cross-stick and brush behavior. The listing does not state the snare's diameter, head type or number of zones, so those should be treated as unconfirmed. Mesh heads are typical of Roland's upper kits, but the listing does not say mesh.

The tom pads are mentioned only as part of the six-piece count. Their size, head material and zone layout are not published. On paper, a six-piece configuration points to a snare, kick and four toms, which is a larger drum count than the five-piece layouts found on the Roland TD-17KVX or the Yamaha DTX6K.

Drum Module and Sounds

The V71 module is the real headline. Roland calls its library all-new and multi-sampled, and it was produced in collaboration with DW. Multi-sampling in this context means each drum was recorded at many velocities and often at several strike positions, so the module can play a different recording as the player hits harder, softer or closer to the edge of the head.

The word expandable matters as well. Roland positions the V71 as a platform that can take on additional instrument content over time, which fits with the DW Soundworks instrument being bundled through Roland Cloud Ultimate. The listing does not state how many preset kits, user kits or individual instruments are onboard, nor whether sample import is supported, so those figures should be confirmed in Roland's own documentation.

The DW tie-in gives the sound set a specific character. DW shells are a studio and stage standard in acoustic drumming, and sampling them for a dedicated engine suggests a library aimed at recorded-drum realism rather than electronic textures. Buyers who want a broad palette of processed and synthetic kits should check the full instrument list, because the listing does not describe that side of the engine.

Kick, Hi-Hat and Cymbal Pads

The kick is the second newly developed digital pad named in the listing. A digital kick pad can report beater position and intensity in more detail than a basic trigger, which helps the module articulate the difference between a buried beater and a quick rebound stroke. The listing does not say whether the kick is a tower pad or a full-size shell, and it does not say whether a pedal is included.

The hi-hat and cymbal pads are not described at all. There is no published hi-hat type, cymbal count or cymbal size. For a flagship kit it would be reasonable to expect a stand-mounted hi-hat controller and multi-zone cymbals with choke, which is how Roland's upper kits are generally configured, but nothing in the TD713 listing confirms that.

• Digital kick pad listed, size and format not stated
• Kick pedal inclusion not published in listing
• Hi-hat type not published in listing
• Cymbal count and sizes not published in listing
• Six-piece count implies four toms alongside snare and kick

Practice Tools and Features

Nothing in the published description mentions a metronome, coach mode, song playback or any onboard practice function. Roland modules have historically shipped with a coaching suite, and the DW Soundworks bundle points toward computer-based practice and recording, but the TD713 listing itself is silent on this. Buyers who care about structured practice should verify the module's feature list.

What is promised is a software instrument for a seamless transition to computer-based playing. That phrasing suggests the kit is intended to function both as a self-contained instrument and as a controller for a computer rig. The DW Soundworks instrument is included through Roland Cloud Ultimate, and the listing does not say how long that membership runs or what happens to access when it lapses.

Expandability is the other feature worth weighing. An engine that can grow with downloadable content keeps the kit relevant longer than a fixed library, provided the owner is willing to engage with the cloud service. Players who prefer a module that never needs an account or an internet connection should factor that into the decision.

Build, Rack and Footprint

The listing gives no information about the rack, the stands or the kit's overall dimensions. Six drum pads plus cymbals generally require more floor space than a compact five-piece set, so buyers in a small room should measure before committing. Whether the TD713 uses a tubular rack, a hybrid of rack and conventional stands, or acoustic-style shells is not stated.

Build quality at Roland's premium tier has a long track record, and the mention of newly developed pads suggests fresh hardware rather than carried-over parts. Even so, the materials, finish and mounting hardware are not described. The weight of the kit is also not published, which matters for anyone planning to move it between rehearsal spaces.

On paper, the digital pads are the one build detail with real implications. They rely on dedicated cabling to the module, so cable management and the number of digital inputs on the V71 become part of the setup story. The listing does not specify how many digital pads the module can host at once.

Connectivity and Recording

Connectivity is a gap in the published data. There is no mention of audio outputs, headphone jack, MIDI, USB, Bluetooth or a mix-in for backing tracks. For a flagship module it would be unusual to lack multichannel USB audio and MIDI, and the DW Soundworks bundle implies a computer connection of some kind, but the listing does not confirm the port list.

The software instrument angle deserves attention from anyone who records. A kit that can switch between its own engine and a computer-hosted instrument gives a producer two different sound sets from the same performance. Whether that connection is over USB MIDI alone or also carries multitrack audio is not stated, and that difference affects how the kit fits into a recording workflow.

Buyers who plan to use the TD713 on stage should also confirm the output configuration. Direct outputs per drum, a dedicated click output and balanced main outs are typical requests from working drummers, and none of them are mentioned in the listing.

Setup and Daily Use

A six-piece kit with digital pads will take longer to assemble than a compact mesh set, and the listing provides no guidance on what is in the box beyond the module and pads. It does not say whether a kick pedal, throne, sticks or headphones are included, and premium kits from Roland frequently ship without a pedal. Plan on budgeting for those items separately until confirmed.

Daily use will revolve around the V71 interface and the cloud connection. The listing does not describe the display or controls, but an expandable engine implies some routine of downloading and managing content. For a player who mainly wants to sit down and practice, the kit should still work as a self-contained instrument.

Noise is another unknown. Mesh heads and rubber cymbals are quieter than acoustic drums but still produce stick and pedal noise, and the listing does not describe any noise-reduction design. Apartment drummers should look elsewhere in Roland's range, where a dedicated quiet design kit exists, if low noise is the primary need.

Who Should Buy It

The TD713 makes the most sense for an experienced drummer who wants the newest flagship engine, values digital snare and kick triggering, and will put the kit to work in a studio or on stage. The six-piece layout suits players who want four toms without adding pads later. The DW library and the bundled software instrument also appeal to producers who record drums regularly.

It makes less sense for a first-time buyer, a player in a small room, or anyone who needs a complete spec sheet before spending at the premium tier. Those buyers are better served by a well-documented mid-range kit such as the Roland TD-17KVX or the Yamaha DTX6K, and they can step up later once the TD713's full specification is published.

Verdict

The Roland TD713 reads as a serious flagship on paper. The V71 engine, the DW collaboration, the expandable library and the new digital snare and kick pads are the features that matter most to advanced players, and all four are confirmed in the listing. The six-piece configuration adds a drum count that few competing kits offer out of the box.

The caution is simply that the published description stops short of the details. Pad sizes, cymbals, hi-hat type, ports and accessories are all unstated, so a buyer is relying on Roland's reputation for those elements. For drummers who are ready for a premium kit and willing to confirm the hardware list, the TD713 is a strong candidate for the top spot in a home studio or rehearsal space.

Strengths and Limitations

Alternatives to Consider

Yamaha DTX10K-X

A working drummer who wants a wood shell electronic kit with Yamaha's TCS feel, studio-recorded sounds and the individual outputs needed for live mixing.

Read the Yamaha DTX10K-X review →

Yamaha DTX8K-X

A drummer who wants a premium wood shell electronic kit with Yamaha's TCS feel, full-size cymbals and a large editable sound library for home studio and rehearsal use.

Read the Yamaha DTX8K-X review →

Roland VAD516

A serious drummer who wants an acoustic-looking full-depth shell kit with Roland's digital snare, ride and hi-hat pads and the V51 engine for studio and stage use.

Read the Roland VAD516 review →

Questions Buyers Ask