Superior Drummer: A Complete Buyer's Guide

Buying a virtual drum plugin is a significant decision. This guide covers everything you need to consider, from system requirements and library storage to the question of whether the investment is justified for your specific workflow.

What You Are Buying

Superior Drummer is sold by Toontrack as a plugin and standalone application. The purchase includes the software licence and the base SDX library — New York Studios Volume I — which provides a large, professionally recorded kit in a renowned studio environment. Additional SDX expansion packs are sold separately. The plugin itself runs on Windows and macOS as VST, VST3, AU and AAX.

System Requirements

Superior Drummer 3 requires a reasonably modern computer. Toontrack specifies a minimum of Windows 10 or macOS 10.13, with at least 8GB RAM recommended. The minimum storage requirement for the base installation is approximately 22GB. If you plan to install additional SDX libraries, budget significantly more — large expansions run 30–80GB each, and a fully expanded installation can occupy several hundred gigabytes. A dedicated SSD for the sample libraries is strongly recommended; loading large kits from a mechanical drive produces latency and streaming glitches.

Authorisation and Licensing

Toontrack uses iLok for licence management. You do not need a physical iLok dongle — machine authorisation is available through the Toontrack Product Manager — but you do need a free iLok account. Each licence can be authorised on up to two machines simultaneously, which is adequate for most setups. If you work across more than two machines regularly, check the current terms before purchasing.

Pricing and Bundles

Superior Drummer is priced at a premium over Toontrack's entry-level EZdrummer. Toontrack runs promotional sales several times a year, typically around major music production events and at the end of the year. If budget is a concern, waiting for a sale can reduce the cost substantially. Toontrack also offers upgrade pricing for existing EZdrummer owners, which makes the transition considerably cheaper for existing Toontrack users.

SDX Expansion Packs

The real long-term value in the platform lies in its expansion library. SDX packs cover everything from vintage studio kits to modern metal productions, film scoring, jazz and country. If your primary genre requires a specific sound — a bright, roomy 70s rock kit, for example, or a tight, contemporary R&B kit — check that an appropriate SDX exists before committing to the platform. Most SDX packs include dozens of kit pieces, multiple room and mic options, and pre-configured mixer settings.

EZdrummer vs the Full Version

EZdrummer is cheaper, lighter on system resources and easier to learn. It covers the needs of many songwriters and producers well. Upgrading to Superior Drummer adds a more flexible internal mixer, more microphone channels, the Tracker audio-to-MIDI conversion feature, and access to the full SDX expansion range. If you are primarily writing songs and need convincing drums quickly, EZdrummer may be sufficient. If you are producing music at a level where the detail of the drum sound matters — mixing individual mic channels, crafting specific room sounds, or capturing live drum performances — the upgrade is well justified.

Where to Buy

Toontrack products are available directly from the Toontrack website and through authorised retailers including Sweetwater, Andertons and other music technology stockists. Physical media is no longer standard; most purchases are download-only. Buying directly from Toontrack or an authorised retailer ensures you receive a genuine licence and any entitlement to upgrade paths.

For a technical overview of the plugin, see the full guide to Superior Drummer. Beginners should also read the beginner's guide.

Frequently Asked Questions