# SR-18 vs PO-32 tonic: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the SR-18 (Alesis) and PO-32 tonic (Teenage Engineering) among drum machines. PO-32 tonic is the cheaper of the two at $89.

## Side by side

| Spec | SR-18 | PO-32 tonic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $399 | $89 |
| Brand | Alesis | Teenage Engineering |
| Released | 2008 | 2017-04 |
| Sound engine | Sample-based ROM drum, percussion and bass-synth playback | Sonic Charge Microtonic-derived digital drum/percussion synthesis engine (co-developed with Sonic Charge) |
| Voice count | 32 | 16 sound slots (unlimited additional sounds via Microtonic VST data transfer) |
| Sequencer steps | Variable pattern length, 1-128 beats (no fixed step grid); 16th-note default quantization/resolution | 16 |
| Sample playback | Yes | No |
| Onboard effects | Reverb, EQ and compression (switchable per-sound send/insert processing) | 16 real-time performance/parameter effects (beat manipulation and sound distortion) |
| Output count | 2 (1/4in stereo main pair) + stereo headphone | 1 (3.5mm audio I/O) + built-in speaker |
| Midi support | Yes | No |
| Battery powered | Yes | Yes |
| Pad count | 12 | 16 |

## Key differences

- Sound engine: SR-18 Sample-based ROM drum, percussion and bass-synth playback vs PO-32 tonic Sonic Charge Microtonic-derived digital drum/percussion synthesis engine (co-developed with Sonic Charge)
- Voice count: SR-18 32 vs PO-32 tonic 16 sound slots (unlimited additional sounds via Microtonic VST data transfer)
- Sequencer steps: SR-18 Variable pattern length, 1-128 beats (no fixed step grid); 16th-note default quantization/resolution vs PO-32 tonic 16
- Sample playback: SR-18 Yes vs PO-32 tonic No
- Onboard effects: SR-18 Reverb, EQ and compression (switchable per-sound send/insert processing) vs PO-32 tonic 16 real-time performance/parameter effects (beat manipulation and sound distortion)
- Output count: SR-18 2 (1/4in stereo main pair) + stereo headphone vs PO-32 tonic 1 (3.5mm audio I/O) + built-in speaker
- Midi support: SR-18 Yes vs PO-32 tonic No
- Pad count: SR-18 12 vs PO-32 tonic 16

## Sources

- SR-18: https://www.alesisdrums.com/multipads-and-drum-machines/sr18/ (alesisdrums.com, verified 2026-08-01)
- PO-32 tonic: https://teenage.engineering/products/po-32 (teenage.engineering, verified 2026-08-01)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/drum-machines/alesis-sr-18-vs-teenage-engineering-po-32-tonic/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, SR-18 ($399) vs PO-32 tonic ($89) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/drum-machines/alesis-sr-18-vs-teenage-engineering-po-32-tonic/
License: CC BY 4.0.