Simmons SD600 Review: Still Worth Buying Used in 2026?

This guide contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Read our affiliate disclosure

The Simmons SD600 was the kit that made a lot of people take modern Simmons seriously. When it came out in 2019, it gave you a 10-inch mesh snare, dual-zone mesh toms, a 12-inch ride and a mesh kick tower for less than most rivals charged for smaller pads. It was also the first Simmons kit with Bluetooth MIDI.

It is also no longer made. That changes the question. In 2026 you are not asking “should I buy an SD600,” you are asking “is this used SD600 a good deal, and what should I check.” This review answers both, based on the SD600 manual, retailer spec sheets, published reviews and owner ratings, including the expansion pack question that owners ask about most. We did not test the kit ourselves.

Our score: 7.0 / 10. Great pads for its age, solid module, dated connectivity. A good used buy, not worth near-new money.

SD600 status: discontinued

The SD600 is no longer part of the current Simmons lineup. It does not appear on the electronic drum kits page at simmonsdrums.net, which now lists the Titan 20, Titan 50, Titan 50 B-EX, Titan 70, Titan 75, SD1250 and Titan 90. Musician’s Friend marks both the SD600 and the SD600 Expanded kit as discontinued, and the SD600 Expansion Pack listing at Guitar Center was sold out when I checked in November 2026.

Simmons still hosts an SD600 product page and the manual, and Guitar Center and other sellers list used and open-box units regularly. So support information is still there, and the kit is easy to find secondhand.

One warning if you check that product page. When I looked in November 2026, its specifications block listed Titan 50 numbers (187 sounds, 25 preset kits, Bluetooth audio, a 2×2 USB audio interface and a scoring practice mode), which contradict the features block on the same page and the SD600 manual. Trust the manual and the retailer spec sheets: 336 sounds, 35 preset kits, and MIDI-only USB and Bluetooth. A seller quoting the Simmons page may be passing that error along.

The closest current Simmons is the Titan 50 B-EX. It has the same size snare and toms, a newer module with USB audio and Bluetooth audio, but single-zone toms and a 10-inch ride instead of 12-inch. If you want the SD600’s bigger ride and dual-zone toms in a current kit, the Titan 70 and Titan 75 are the closer match, at a higher price.

Where the SD600 came from

The SD600 arrived in 2019 as the middle kit in a three-kit family with the SD200 below it and the SD1200 above. Simmons’ own history page names it as the first Simmons kit with Bluetooth MIDI, and the same year brought the SD1200 and the DA2012B drum amp. In Europe the trio was sold through Thomann, and the German site bonedo covered the launch there in February 2020, describing the SD600 as the mid-range model with mesh heads on all pads, 35 preset kits and a tablet holder.

It fit between two very different kits. The SD200 was an entry kit with about 100 sounds. The SD1200 was the big one, with metallic-finish pads, 764 sounds, faders and sample import. The SD600 took the middle path: real mesh pads and a kick tower without the SD1200’s size or price. The SD1200 was later replaced by the SD1250, which is still current. The SD600 was not replaced by a direct “SD650”. Instead, the Titan series took over its spot from 2022, starting with the Titan 50.

The SD600 module is from before the Titan redesign, which is why its connectivity looks dated next to a Titan module. The pads, though, are a step up from the Titan 50 on paper: dual-zone toms, a 12-inch ride and a kick tower. It also cost a little more when it was current, around the $500 line, which puts it in the $500 to $1,000 bracket when new, while the Titan 50 B-EX sits in the $300 to $500 bracket.

Is a used SD600 good value?

I do not quote exact prices because used prices move all the time and depend on condition and what is included. A few rules of thumb help.

A used SD600 should cost clearly less than a new Titan 50 B-EX on sale. The Titan has a newer module, a two-year warranty, USB audio and Bluetooth audio. My rule of thumb: a clean SD600 is a good deal at roughly 60 percent or less of the B-EX’s sale price that week. Closer than that, buy the new kit.

An SD600 that includes the expansion pack, a throne or a drum amp is worth more, but only if those parts work. You will often see used SD600s bundled with a Simmons DA50B monitor or another drum amp.

Guitar Center’s used and open-box listings are a safer bet than a random marketplace seller, because you can see the condition grade and you get a return window. Check every pad either way.

Who the SD600 is for, and who it is not for

Good fit

• Beginners and returning drummers buying used who want bigger pads than a budget kit and do not need the newest features.
• Parents looking for a full-size kit for a teenager without paying new prices.
• Players who will use MIDI to drive drum software on a computer or iPad. The SD600 does USB MIDI and Bluetooth MIDI.
• Anyone who finds an SD600 with the expansion pack already installed at a good price. That is a six-piece mesh kit for the cost of a new budget five-piece.

Not a great fit

• People who want to record audio over USB. USB on the SD600 is MIDI only. To record the kit’s own sounds you need the line outputs and an audio interface.
• Anyone who wants to stream music over Bluetooth. The SD600’s Bluetooth is MIDI only. Use the 1/8-inch aux input with a cable instead.
• Players who want a ride bell or ride choke. The 12-inch ride is single-zone.
• Buyers who want a warranty. A used kit will usually be outside the two-year Simmons warranty, which only covers the original owner anyway.

What came in the box

From the manual and the Guitar Center and Long & McQuade spec sheets:

The rack uses custom T-fittings and rubber feet. Engadget’s beginner kit roundup noted the rack arrives largely assembled, which makes setup quicker than most kits.

The module and sounds

Specs

From the SD600 manual and retailer spec sheets:

What the sounds are like

The SD600 uses the Simmons Signature Sound Library, the same library the brand introduced around 2017 with Dave Simmons involved in the sound design. The module uses what Simmons calls Variable Attack Response (V.A.R.), with randomized samples on the snare and ride so repeated hits do not sound identical, and stereo cymbal sounds.

Retailer listings describe the 336 voices as including percussion and electronic sounds, not just acoustic drums. You get Simmons’ vintage electronic sounds in there too.

How good are they? Engadget’s roundup, which had two drum instructors play kits side by side, found the SD600’s conventional drum sounds less realistic and detailed than the Roland and Yamaha kits in the test. That is fair. They also ranked the SD600 as the instructors’ top pick overall, because the pads and value outweighed the sound gap. That matches what I see in owner ratings: people like the kit more than the sounds.

If the sounds bother you later, the USB and Bluetooth MIDI let you trigger drum software on a computer or iPad instead. That can make an SD600 sound like a much more expensive kit.

Editing

The utility menu covers trigger settings, MIDI note settings, MIDI local, auto power-off and factory reset. You can build kits from the 336 voices into 10 user slots. The free Simmons iOS app (at launch, the Simmons Drums app) connects over Bluetooth MIDI and makes kit editing faster than the front panel. It also works with apps like GarageBand.

There is no practice-scoring coach like the newer Titan modules have. You get the metronome, the sequencer with 3 demo songs and 10 user songs, and recording to the sequencer.

Pads and feel

Snare

The 10-inch dual-zone, dual-ply mesh snare is tensionable with a drum key. That was a big deal in 2019 at this price, and it still holds up. Rimshots trigger the rim zone, and the 10-inch size gives you room to learn proper stick placement.

Toms

All three toms are 8-inch dual-zone mesh. That is something the newer Titan 50 does not have: its toms are single-zone. With dual-zone toms you can assign a second sound to the rim. Engadget’s testers found the dual-zone toms a bit of a gimmick for beginners, and I agree that most people will not use them much. For players who do, it is a small plus.

Ride

The 12-inch ride was the SD600’s headline at launch. Engadget noted it was the only 12-inch ride in their test. A bigger ride gives you more room for ride patterns and is easier to hit cleanly.

The catch: it is single-zone. No bell zone, and no choke. You get one ride sound, with velocity layers. If you play a lot of ride-bell patterns, you will miss it.

Crash and hi-hat

The 10-inch crash has a choke, so you can grab it to stop the sound. The hi-hat is a 10-inch single-zone pad with a separate foot controller. The manual says the hi-hat acts as open when the pedal is released, closed when pressed, and semi-open in between. That is more than a pure switch, but like most budget hi-hats it is not as smooth as a real one.

Kick tower

The kick is a proper tower with a mesh pad, and it takes your own pedal. The included beater pedal is basic. A tower with a mesh head feels more natural than the small rubber kick pads on many budget kits, and it accepts double pedals as long as they fit the tower width.

Hardware and footprint

The SD600 rack is steel with T-fittings and rubber feet, and owners and Engadget’s testers describe it as sturdy and easy to adjust for different players.

I could not find official assembled dimensions or weight for the SD600. Simmons does not list them, and none of the retailer pages I checked did either. For scale, Simmons recommends about 52 x 32 inches of floor space for the similar three-tom Titan 50, plus room for the throne. The SD600’s kick tower and 12-inch ride need a few more inches than that. Measure the kit before you pick it up if you are buying used.

If you are fitting it into a small room, our guide to how much space electronic drums need helps you plan.

Noise and apartments

The mesh pads are quiet. Tapping on mesh is much quieter than rubber, and someone in the next room will hear a soft thud, not drums.

The kick tower is the issue. Any kick tower or pad sends vibration into the floor, and that is what neighbors downstairs hear. The SD600’s kick is a full tower, so it moves more air and energy than a small kick pad. For apartment use:

• Put the kit on a dense drum rug.
• Use a decoupled platform under the kick and throne at minimum.
• Play with headphones.

Our guide on how to make electronic drums quieter covers platforms, rugs and pedal tricks in more detail.

Connectivity and apps

This is where the SD600 shows its age.

What that means in practice

• To play along with songs, connect your phone to the aux input with a cable. Bluetooth will not carry the audio.
• To record the kit’s own sound, run the line outputs into an audio interface. USB will not carry audio.
• To use drum software, USB MIDI or Bluetooth MIDI works well. This is the SD600’s strongest use with a computer.
• To play out loud, connect the line outputs to a drum amp or powered speaker. There is no built-in speaker.

Our guide to connecting electronic drums to a computer explains the MIDI and audio routes step by step.

Newer Simmons kits like the Titan 50 B-EX fix both of these gaps with Bluetooth audio and a USB audio interface. If those matter to you, that is a good reason to buy new instead.

The SD600 expansion pack

This is the SD600 question I see most, so here is everything I could verify.

What it is

The Simmons SD600 Expansion Pack adds two pads to a standard SD600:

• One 8-inch tensionable dual-zone mesh tom
• One 10-inch crash cymbal with choke
• All the mounts, clamps and trigger cables needed

That turns the five-piece SD600 into a six-piece with four toms and two crashes. The Musician’s Friend “SD600 Expanded” kit was simply the SD600 sold with this pack.

Will it work with my SD600?

Yes. Guitar Center’s listing calls it “plug ‘n’ play” because the SD600 module already has the inputs. The manual shows the module’s two 1/4-inch inputs on the back panel, labeled Tom 4 and Crash 2. Plug the new tom into Tom 4 and the crash into Crash 2, and the module recognizes them. You do not need a new module or a firmware update.

Can I find one?

New, it is hard. The Guitar Center listing for the black SD600 Expansion Pack was sold out in November 2026, and with the SD600 discontinued I would not count on restocks. Your options:

• Used or open-box listings on Guitar Center, Reverb or eBay. Search for “SD600 expansion”.
• A used SD600 Expanded kit, which already includes it.
• Build your own. Since the inputs are standard 1/4-inch jacks, many owners of budget kits use any compatible single or dual-zone pad and a cymbal arm and clamp. The module settings let you adjust the trigger response. This is a workaround, not something Simmons documents, so match pad type and test before you commit.

Is it worth it?

If you find it cheap, yes. A fourth tom makes fills feel more natural, and a second crash is something most players want sooner or later. If it would cost you a large share of what you paid for the kit, skip it and save toward a newer kit instead.

Note that the Titan 50 expansion pack is a different product, built for the Titan rack and module. Do not assume it fits the SD600 hardware.

What owners say

Musician’s Friend shows the SD600 at 5.0 out of 5 from 12 reviews and the SD600 Expanded at 5.0 from 2 reviews. The review text was not visible on the pages I checked, so I am working from the ratings and the published reviews.

What owners and reviewers like

• Pad sizes. The 10-inch snare and 12-inch ride come up again and again.
• Mesh everywhere on the drums, including the kick tower.
• A sturdy rack that is quick to set up and easy to adjust.
• Value. Engadget’s two instructors made it their top pick in a group that included pricier kits.
• The module layout. Engadget called it large and easy to use, with a built-in phone or tablet holder.

What they do not like

• Drum sounds that are less detailed than Roland or Yamaha.
• A single-zone ride with no bell and no choke.
• Only three play-along songs built into the module, with more through the app.
• Basic included kick pedal.

I did not find Reddit threads I could open and verify for the SD600, so there is no quoted owner block here.

Buying a used SD600: what to check

Since used is now the main way to buy one, here is my checklist.

1. Power it on and play every pad. Hit each drum in the center and on the rim, every cymbal, and the kick. Make sure every zone triggers.
2. Check the hi-hat pedal. Open, closed and half-open should all sound different.
3. Inspect the 25-pin cable. Bent pins or a damaged harness can kill several pads at once.
4. Look at the mesh heads. Dents or tears mean replacement heads.
5. Check the rack clamps. Stripped wing nuts and cracked T-fittings are the common wear points.
6. Ask for the power adapter. The module uses 9V DC at 600mA. A wrong adapter can damage it.
7. Ask if the expansion pack is included, and test those pads too.
8. Do a factory reset after you buy, so you start with clean settings.

Our full guide to buying used electronic drums goes into more detail on pricing and red flags.

Problems and fixes

A pad stops triggering. The Simmons FAQ suggests trying a different cable, then resetting the module. On the SD600, check the 25-pin connector seating first.

Crosstalk between toms. Adjust the trigger settings in the utility menu, and make sure the pads are not touching the rack or each other.

Bluetooth will not connect. Press the Bluetooth button to start pairing. The LED flashes until paired. Bluetooth MIDI devices usually connect from inside the Simmons app or your MIDI app, not from the phone’s Bluetooth settings screen, so try pairing from the app.

Need a manual or parts. Manuals for older Simmons kits are on the Simmons manuals page. Parts can be requested by phone at (888) 621-4008, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MST.

Upgrades worth buying

1. Headphones. Closed-back headphones keep the sound in and let you hear detail.
2. A better kick pedal. The included one is basic, and the tower takes any standard pedal.
3. A drum throne if the kit did not come with one.
4. The expansion pack, if you can find it at a fair price.
5. Drum software. USB MIDI makes this the single biggest sound upgrade for an SD600.
6. A rug or riser for apartments.

Alternatives

Simmons Titan 50 B-EX. The current kit at a similar level and the one to buy if you want new, with Bluetooth audio, a USB audio interface, four toms and two crashes. Toms are single-zone and the ride is 10 inches.

See our Simmons Titan 50 review, which covers the B-EX, and the direct comparison on the Titan 50 vs SD600 page.

Simmons Titan 70. Closer to the SD600 in spirit, with dual-zone toms and a 12-inch ride that adds a bell and edge zone. Our Titan 70 review covers it.

Simmons SD1250. The bigger mid-range Simmons with a 12-inch snare and 14-inch three-zone ride. Read our SD1250 review.

Alesis Nitro Max. The common non-Simmons rival with a 10-inch dual-zone snare and Bluetooth audio. See our Alesis Nitro Max review.

For the whole Simmons range, current and discontinued, see our Simmons brand guide.

Final verdict

The Simmons SD600 was a strong mid-range kit when it came out, and the hardware still holds up: big mesh pads, dual-zone toms, a 12-inch ride and a sturdy rack. Its module sounds fine for practice, and MIDI makes it easy to upgrade the sound with software.

Where it shows its age is connectivity. No Bluetooth audio and no USB audio means more cables and an extra interface if you want to record. That is fine on a used kit at a used price. It is not worth paying close to what a new Titan 50 B-EX costs.

My advice: if you find a clean SD600, ideally with the expansion pack, for well under the price of a new comparable kit, buy it. Otherwise, go new with the Titan 50 B-EX or step up to the Titan 70.