Yes, you read that headline right. Alesis has released an amp specifically designed for drummers with electronic kits. Supposedly you plug your electronic kit into the amp to hear yourself. The hook is that this amp apparently has an iPod dock built in to the frame. Another one of the alleged draws is that this will apparently afford the drummer less cables to use when playing to tracks… somehow. This just seems impractical to me. To me, the only real purpose for this is in personal practice settings. At that point, wouldn’t just plugging in your headphones to your iPod (or other sound source) be much easier? Who knows? Maybe it’s just me, but does this also seem gimmicky? Maybe I’m just a bit cynical these days.

Alesis announces the TransActive Drummer, the first practice amplifier for drummers with a built-in dock for iPod. The TransActive Drummer will make its debut in Alesis’ stand, B 21 in Hall 5.0 at Musikmesse, April 1 – 4, 2009. Held in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Musikmesse is the world’s largest fair for musical instruments, live music and the music business.

The TransActive Drummer is the practice amp designed for today’s electronic drummer. This complete, active system contains a powerful two-way speaker wedge with two sets of inputs, stereo outputs and a dock for iPod. Drummers will find the TransActive Drummer to be perfect for practicing alone or with a band.

The TransActive Drummer enables musicians to connect their electronic drumset as well as an auxiliary source such as a metronome, sequencer, drum machine, CD player or any other audio playback device. The built-in dock for iPod enables drummers to mix and play along with their music, with no need for additional cables or mounting devices.

For twice the power and stereo performance, drummers can easily link two TransActive Drummers together with a common 1/4-inch TRS cable. The TransActive Drummer also has line-level 1/4-inch stereo outputs so drummers can connect it to a PA system or record their sessions using an external recording device or their computer.

Designed for easy control, drummers can access the TransActive Drummer’s front-panel controls for system volume, three-band EQ, iPod level and plug in headphones on a 1/4-inch stereo jack.

The TransActive Drummer has a large, 10-inch woofer that plays low frequencies even below many kick drums. Its one-inch tweeter makes cymbal sounds sparkle, and the 50-watt amplifier provides plenty of power even when turned up.

“I’ve never really been happy with the performance of a keyboard amp for amplifying electronic percussion,” said Jim Norman, Product Manager, Alesis. “The TransActive Drummer was designed specifically for the drums and it has the right combination of inputs, outputs and even a built-in dock for your iPod.”

The TransActive Drummer will be available from musical instrument and professional audio retailers Q3, 2009.