The presenter has the most authorative voice on the planet, and he's so ridiculously erudite and precise in his descriptions. I'll trust anything he says about drums.
Dude is Adam "Nolly" Getgood, former bassist of Periphery and one of the most consistent sound engineers I've ever heard. His mixes, especially those of acoustic drums, are some of the most musical and dynamic ones around. He's not a drummer but he knows what drums are supposed to sound like, especially when mic'd up. You're correct in saying you should trust his advice on drums
I just bought this kit over the weekend. For the price point I'm blown away by the sound and quality. I've owned a gretsch and pearl kit before, and I'd say the armory series beats them both coming in at a lower price. Swapped out the stock Tom heads with evans g2 clears, made a huge improvement. I would definitely recommend this kit to anyone in the market for some new drums.
Hi Chris, thanks for sharing your experience with us. It is most appreciated. And the tip on the heads. Sharing this type of information is so useful and why we set up the channel/ website in the first place. Thank you for watching/subscribing. Best wishes, DR
Let me add: Gretsch Catalina and renown shells have gaps in the plies and often ship with incorrectly cut bearing edges. They are not as tightly quality controlled as mapex.
At last! A review channel that isn't about pushing paid promotions. Hooray!!! Really like the balanced, intelligently expressed views of the good and weak points of the gear being reviewed, and the sound quality of the demos is outstanding. Kudos to the drummer - excellent player, playing with a range of dynamics and styles to show what the gear can do. Keep it up guys!
Many thanks for your comments and for watching/subscribing. Our whole ethos is impartiality and well balanced comments, so we are pleased you like the format. Best wishes, DR
After the price of this kit caught my eye at a drum shop and after playing it while then along with some considerable research, I bought this kit. It just arrived today. After a thorough examination, here is my review. I decided to fit the kit with Remo emps batters and ambs on the rezos. An amb x on the snare (Daisy Cutter) batter and amb snare on the rezo. A powerstroke 3 and Evans emad on the kick. So the toms...They have plenty of projection. The kit lives in a higher timbre than maple. Which is a good thing if you want it to be... It definitely eq's out. The kick is loud, again, in a higher frequency. It can be tuned way down, but it plays a trick on your ears. An example would be, put a maple kick next to it and they BOTH would sound great. Just different. The Daisy Cutter is a better all around snare than the Tomahawk. The Tomahawk is really brash. Its way loud and thats it. Not much else this snare can give you but volume...The DC has more desirable tones. Deeper tone but still cuts and more versatile. The lugs are decent quality, they look ok. They have a middle of the road design I would say. The chrome plating is good except for the rims.. Not good at all. Not smooth. Looks like they skipped a step in prepping. They have a pitted texture that is visible from a foot away. Doesn't match the finish of the lugs. The suspension system leaves something to be desired too. The hang loosely and have a rubber bumper on the nodal point of the shell. I dont think a different suspension system would make them sound better, but they definitely saved some costs with these. Bearing edges were really good. Smooth and consistent. An appropriate amount of filler in the shells for this priced kit. I did see some gaps here and there between the butt ends..nothing too bad though. The veneer is freaking me out though. The Desert Dune looks great. But it almost looks fake. Way smooth. There is absolutely no texture to these shells. I would swear its a print. I cant remember off hand what species this is. But being a woodworker, I know the difficulty in making wood mirror smooth. It takes conditioners, sealers and high build clears and buffing etc. So hats off to the finishing department. (Robots) lol. In conclusion, its worth the money.. Its not a pro kit though. Dont let the other reviews fool you. It could be your work-horse gigger. They would be ok in the studio, they tune up easy. Or they could be a couple steps up from your first kit you got 10 years ago. I hope you find this review useful. I will enjoy playing this kit for sure. Peace to you
I've just packed my Olive Wood veneer desert dune fast shell Armory as it's getting too hot. I'm going to be using my 2nd hand kits for the hot days. I already had my Emperors and Ambassadors waiting for the the kit. I've bought a 22" cymbal bag for the brand new heads that came with the kit to be stored in perfect condition. I'm a Mapex bloke all the way but no reason why female drummers wouldn't like the kit. I got the Exterminator with my kit.
There's no such thing as a pro kit. Most pros I see don't rock DWs. Also, even Quest Love use his own signature Ludwig Breakbeats, a sweet kit coming in at 500 bucks. I personally never spent more than 650 on a kit - OK, it was a *ridiculous* deal (90's Yamaha Rocktour in African mahogany, matching snare included)... I could get a set of beech Yammies for 550 CAD in great state... and the best deal I ever found?! 900 CAD for a Custom birch absolute kit. You do NOT find ANY custom birch absolute kit that isn't a nouveau - I'm talking sakae-made shell. F***. Bottom line is... buy used. I like those demos tho :) Another thing is... keep in mind Mapex has a lot of budget to invest in machinery in order to smooth the wood. It might be fake tho, but who cares? It's not a collectible instrument.
I have to say you guys do the most honest reviews on TH-cam. I like the way you tell it how it is and politely highlight things you don't like and and are sensitive to the price / value for money. You have the balance right. I came looking for a review on these drums when I came across a new kit at a great price. Your review sold me and I can now say that after receiving them I totally agree with what you found out. Thanks for honest reviews and keep them coming!
Hi Andy, I’m glad you find our advice helpful. We feel this honest and transparent approach is the way forward. Thank you for taking the time to comment and your valued feedback which is always encouraging and helpful. Thank you for watching/ subscribing DR.
I should add that the groove played at 2:13 on is the real gem in here -- all other demo videos I've seen have the 'drummers' wearing ear plugs / muffs and literally playing FFFFFFFFFFF full blast 2200% %. So, kudos for playing something tasteful, sensible, and dynamic.
You can't not respect Nolly. His mixes on Periphery are a masterclass and he is a true master musician. He's absolutely spot on. I had a 6 piece Armory Rock Shell pack in Walnut and it was just sublime for the money. If you're looking to upgrade to a larger kit on a budget, you can deck out a full kit with all the cymbals and hardware for no more than £1250
I've been looking for a new set for 2 years. After watching every TH-cam video, I find Drummer's Review the best all around. No hype, you're not selling: honest and direct. Very good playing gives a realistic sample of what the drums sound like. I don't need to hear a soundtrack or watch a super chops exhibition. I was so impressed with this video that I decided to go with the Ultra marine version of this set. Love it. Beautiful finish, solid hardware and Sonic Bearing Edge lives up to its reputation. There drums tune up easily and stay there. I did replace batters with Aquarian 2-ply heads right away. Had the set for a few days before I used them on a 4 hour gig. Absolutely great sound. Bass drum is a beast. Toms have a full rich sound. Tomahawk snare really is a pleasant surprise, a bit metallic sounding but a nice sound overall. Most importantly, band loved the sound of the set and I felt super comfortable playing them. Yeah, I heard better sounding sets on Drummer's Review, but they cost 3-4x as much as the Mapex Armory. At this price, I've got an excellent drum set and I'm totally happy.
after watching allot of videos of high end drums, I wanted to go back and hear this kit again, and I am impressed with the sound of this kit. definitely a nice sounding kit for the money. it sounds better than many kits that cost allot more.
I bought this series last year... Amazing kit..I've tried every head imaginable...they all sounded great...I ultimately went with a G1 coated tops, G2 clears on bottoms There's no muffling on my kit while recording...they sound amazing..the snare is OK..I put a set of die cast hoops and a pure sound snare wire 24 strand...it really helped it Best kit for the money I ever spent.
Great review on a great kit! I kick myself every day for selling this kit! On the upside, I sold to the school where I teach and I still get to play it from time to time and get to hear how amazing this kit sounds!
I have a set of these and they are incredible. I was able to find a matching 8 and 13 inch tome and they sound as good as any high end set i have ever played. I put coated Evans G2's on them along with an E-Mad. Awesome drums and sound.
Thank you. We do our best to provide a free and impartial guide to aid drummers in the gear buying process, so thank you for your comments and for watching/subscribing! Best wishes DR
I have 2 mapex kits, maple saturn 5 , and I grabbed an armory for a practice kit, and yes to my surprise the 6 piece kit for a 1000 bucks is unreal. These kits sound amazing once you get the heads changed (Evans 360°'s in black) and tuned they are badass, I got the black dawn. It looks really nice with the armory hardware in black and meinl dark series cymbals. It's been gigging more and more. 🥁🤘☠
Thank you for review this Kit! I’ve had the Mapex Armory red finish since 2016 and was always curious how it compared in a professional setting. I now use Aquarian Clear response 2s for the tom batter heads. You are correct that the sensitivity of the drums increases with different heads. Great review!
I already have this kit since january this year same colour, I found it very good for this priče Just put on Remo USA emperor coated on toms and snare, proper tuning and it Will be awesome. I recommend also hardware pack from Armory series.
This review sealed the deal for me to get a Mapex Armory kit over others I was considering at the time in this price range. I changed tom batter heads and they sound even better. Great kit for the price and I highly recommend it.
I found these drums recently. They come in a very cool matte purple haze color with black hardware. I'll be getting a set as soon as I can after hearing your favorable review
Love this kit, 8 months learning to play, replaced the drum heads with Evans Hydraulic and it sounds freaking thick and punchy (think Kiss Creatures of the Night depth). The more I play it the more I love it, not very convinced with the snare drum...but still working my way to get my kind of tune before I get something else. Great review true to the product !
your recording quality is stellar -- the sound really comes through. Manufs should pay you to demo their drums. No kidding: Compared to all other demo youtubes I've yet found, from theirs I would run away and not buy, but from yours I have bought. You guys should profit from that, too. Again, stellar!
East Ghost many thanks for watching and we are so pleased you find our reviews helpful. This was our stance from the beginning with being impartial reviews. Thanks for watching/ subscribing, best wishes, DR
Can't stop watching this review. I'm currently over half way in buying this kit on Lay-by with the hardware pack. I was going to Lay-by a Saturn V in deep water deep burl finish with smoked black chrome for the lugs and hoops, etc. This vid changed my mind. Thanks Nolly. Respect from South East Queensland, Australia. Peace. S
I would love to see a review of the full line of Armory series snares from you guys! When you purchase this kit Mapex allows you to trade in the one that comes with it for any other Armory snare drum!
I have a DW Almond kit. I love that brand because of the consistent quality in tone. This kit is beautiful. It’s sounds perfect for Latin style drumming and gospel music as well as contemporary. The fact that there’s very low frequency in the floor toms is awsome because I always want to drop it as low as possible without getting that mashed paper sound. I’d definitely get one of these if I wanted a more expensive kit but had a limited budget. Or the DW design series kit
+Drummer's Review Excellent review, gentlemen. And I agree...It's a fantastic kit for the money! I've owned my Armory kit in this exact configuration as you've reviewed, but in the Transparent Walnut finish since just after it was released, and I'm still very pleased with it. The Tomahawk snare is a great all-around snare for the money as well. I've upgraded to the Mapex Equinox snare that you've also reviewed, and it's one of the best + most versatile snare drums that I've ever played. :) As mentioned, a good set of heads will bring this kit to even another level, and depending on the sound I'm after, have gone with a full set of Evans UV1 Coated heads or Remo's Diplomat Fiberskyn heads, including on both the batter & reso side of the bass drum! Fantastic sound with both! I also purchased a separate 9"x13" rack tom as an option for versatility. Then I found a smokin' deal on a matching 18"x22" bass drum, which I've cut down to 8" x 22" and added a rail mount for a rack Tom and a mount/clamp for a bass drum-mounted ride cymbal arm to use as a more compact "bop" kit for smaller gigs & venues. This cut-down bass drum sounds surprisingly fantastic as well. :) Anyway, it's good to hear that other pros find this to be a fantastic kit as well, irregardless of its very affordable price. 👍 And I found my kit on sale for 22% Off so it was an even better deal! Couldn't be happier. Thanks again for a great review. 👍 Oh, and props again to Chris for his great playing and thorough demo.
Many thanks for sharing your experience. It's most helpful we feel to share with other drummers, and why we set up DR. Many thanks for watching/ subscribing and commenting. Best wishes, DR
@Bill Perri Get just about any inexpensive kit...I might suggest a used PDP Concept Maple or a used Catalina...even the Mapex Mars kits, but it could be anything that you find and like that's in decent condition. Then sand all of the bearing edges down like a baseball bat end...round-over both the inside and outside bearing edges leaving a just thin, 1/16" wide flat edge in the top center of the bearing edge. Start with 120 grit and finish with 220 grit sandpaper. Make sure to keep the bearing edges flat & even...avoid creating any dips in the edges of the shell like scooped out snare beds. It's best to put a large sheet of 100-120 grit sandpaper on a perfectly flat surface like a Marble or Granite table or countertop and rotate the drum's bearing edge back and forth by hand on top of the flat sandpaper surface. I've used a flat, 26" square by 3/4" thick sheet of MDF wood in the past...available at your local home/building center. Then smooth and finish gently and evenly with 220 grit sandpaper by hand. Rub in a just bit of beeswax to the sanded edges. Then fit coated 2-ply Emperor or G2 heads on both the batter & reso sides. You'll definitely achieve your, warm, dark, fat tone. ;-)
I own a Mapex Mars from the former era, about 2015, the one in Nightwood with blacked out hardware. Also a 6Pc with a matching 14x6.5" snaredrum. This kit kicks ass! It has almost the same hardware as the armory, minus the floortom legs and the fancy bassdrum spurs, but it sounds killer after I swapped the heads for Remo Pinstripes on the toms and a CS coated reverse black dot on the Snare along with puresound wires. They have that nice wet Mapex attack punch to them. Only thing they lack is... well, maybe the inner wood ply isnt thaaaaat cleanly worked, but thats pretty much it. All tension rods run smooth, tuning is a breeze, the hardware in general just works, Mapex is just amazing in terms of big quality for small money. I only now look at the armory because I realized that a completely black kit disappears on most stages and I really love the emerald burst of the current Armory line up.
a couple years ago this demo really sold me on this particular kit, was eying the desert dune, and they definately sound just like that when processed.
I bought a Mapex Saturn V kit in Deep Water Burl. Awesome kit, from a private seller who needed to get rid of it to save his marriage 😄 I have a Gretsch Renown Maple as well at double the price. And although they sound different, the Mapex is every bit as great!
I have this set in Photon Blue. About 2 years now. Changed to Aquariun heads except for snare which has Genera HD. I changed out the snares for 30 snappy snares. Great sound. Oh ! My BD came 20X22. ! Oh sounds huge. Good value. I use a tune-bot for spacing correctly. I haven't changed the snare yet but I'm looking. ALL together quality is good. Finish stain with sparkle looks great.
High Efficiency Communication Hi. Sorry I took so long. I had the house alone today so it was a good time to check my tunings. They were off but now good for me. When you hit the drum when handing on stand you get a freq. These are my freqs. 10" 3D. Freq 147 top lugs 206. Ok next. 12" 2B. Freq 124 top lug 174. 14" 2G. Freq. 98. Top lugs 137. 16" 2D. Freq. 73. Top lugs 103. I didn't mess with the bottom head. I tuned them to the guide a while back. The tops tuned right up anyway. Sound good. Re did the snares ...They had slipped some. Sounds great now. Bass drum is good at 60-60. I lowered mine some. It's 20x22. Cannon with a Trick Bigfoot ! I'm selling my Yamaha DTX-M12 multipad. I boxed it up today. I can't figure it out. I have the mount and heavy stand. I also bought a DT-50 kick trigger . Very nice. I'll sell everything for $700 plus shipping. I live in Panama. Hope these help
I have loved MAPEX since I was a kid and I always dreamed of purchasing my own drumkit. I got this kit last year, but the "Transparent Walnut" model which is, sadly, no longer available, which is absolutely beautiful and sounds just great. The Armory "Tomahawk" snare with a "Remo Controlled Sound" (coated) on is just killer. Thanks for this video: makes justice to MAPEX.
I love the wrap on this kit! I'm currently jamming with a 94' 3 piece US maple kit! They sound great but pieces / parts can be hard to come by. The Armory Fusion Kit offered here in (Western, NY) has a 20x16 bass drum and 14x14 floor tom. Could be my next kit. Nice review!
+Rich Eichelberg Just FYI, the kit in this review does not have a plastic "wrap" finish. It is an actual olive tree wood ply veneer on the outside that is coated with a satin lacquer. Real wood, mate, not a "wrap". :-) I have the exact kit & configuration shown in this review, but in the older & no longer available "Transparent Walnut" gloss lacquer finish. It is a darker walnut stain applied to the outer birch wood ply, then finished with a gloss lacquer. The fit & finish is exceptional. Beautiful looking and sounding kit, and EASILY worth its price! Hope you've had a chance to play one! Cheers!
Bought a 7pc kit based on this review. I can report that versus a maple shell kit, these maple+birch shells are brighter, and more compressed into the midrange, not really responding as well as maple at light playing, and kind of wilting (becoming flat sounding, not resonant) when really slammed. But, when played in the middle ranges of power, wow. Just wow. This is with the stock China-made heads. I will report back if/when I've switched over to others.
The emerald Burst finish is dazzling! Totally killer. Virgin kick! A metal snare that works well vs a lame wood snare other kits have. This just became my intermediate kit of choice!
That's great. We found this to be a great kit, so we hope you enjoy it. Feel free to leave further comments once you have it on this review, and hope our analysis helped and compares when you get it. Best wishes DR and thanks for watching /subscribing
Bought my Mapex Armory kit in Caribbean Burst finish, I feel they easily match up with anything that Tama, Pearl, and DW produce. I replaced all the stock batter heads with Evans Black Onyx on the snare and toms to eliminate all the overtones and give e more defined sound. Evans Emad2 and Evans black resonance with port are what I have on the kick. Zildjian S Series cymbals round out the set up.
I rented one to see what it would sound like...couldn't get it to sound as good as this demo...would love to hear them without the room mics. They sound amazing in this demo. "Everything feels lovely and smooth" 7:57 ...just awesome.
I got an Armory kit (in Photon Blue) with an Exterminator snare* when they first came out and I don't see myself ever needing to buy another kit again! Absolutely amazing sound and looks, and it's pretty much everything you could ever need in a drum kit. *the snare is good, but I tend to use my Black Panther "Blade" 😁
Dear Sir, I'm interested in which model of Mapex you reviewed, I'm planning to buy it and I'm interested in the finish because there are different shades, thanks, regards
I'm on my 2nd armoury kit. I had one when I lived in the UK and only sold it as it was just too expensive to ship back to Australia. I bought another one prior to moving back, value for money there is no competition at this price point imo. They'll only sound better with good quality heads on them as well.
Hi Jason, we look for what is current, as we can provide impartial insight, especially if drummers are looking to buy something new. We also try to cover all aspects of pricing too, so that products that we feature can appeal to all types of budget. Hope that helps, and thanks for watching/ subscribing. Your comments and others like yours, motivate us further to continue to provide this free platform for drummers. Best wishes DR.
What tuning intervals did you use for the toms? And, did you tune by ear or use a tuning device such as a tune bot? Thanks! I have this kit in transparent walnut. Bought it in the U.S. for under $550.00 brand new. I just can't find the sweet spot for where these toms should be tuned.
I totally agree with his assessment on this Mapex kit. I heard what he heard even on my iPhone’s speakers. This kit from Mapex is a killer value. I’m thinking about buying this kit for my son, but he likes the Tama Star Classic Performer kit a bit more. It’s a bit more money with one less tom, so we’ll need to do a little more research. TFS!
Thank you for this in-depth and very pleasant to watch review. Very informative. I never subscribed any channel but in hoping it might help you and since you've output very nice other reviews I just did to your channel. Thanks for the great work. As you stated in the end it doesn't seem to make much sense to get one of the more expensive Saturn kits regarding "a good sound" and quality or features. But I wondered though if the Saturn kits simply do have a different sound. Meaning they provide a mainly deeper (maybe punchier, fuller and more low-end) sound than the Armory kits due to the walnut rings. Watching - or rather listening to - other reviews of these two kits it seems the Armory kits have a drier, maybe more vintage kind of sound, which indeed seems to be great. But simply different. Did you feel this way too when testing/playing the kits or do you think there is not really much of a difference and/or that you can get the same sound out of both? Thanks!
I really believe that the sound of this kit is down to the outside round over bearing edge. It really makes them super easy to tune and gives the toms a nice deep tonality without a lot of ringing overtones.
Hi John, good question. Nick your thoughts on how these two kits felt in comparison? (Nick is the product demonstrator for DR). He will comment on this later. Thanks for your question, and for watching/subscribing. Best wishes, DR
Hi John, I think it compares really well - sound-wise, there wasn't that much to choose between them, although the Yamaha maybe sounded a little fuller (but personally I think that was down to it being supplied with slightly better quality heads). With regards versatility, I think both would work well in many different settings: I've seen lots of clips of both kits being used in everything from jazz to metal, and both seem to work really well...obviously different heads and tunings would make a world of difference when it comes to different styles, but as a starting point I think both are very decent. In terms of build quality, both were extremely good - perfectly round shells with smooth, well-machined bearing edges made for easy tuning, and both held their tuning really well throughout the sessions. The thing I would consider is the price - the Armory is (roughly) half the price of the Yamaha, especially when you factor in that you get a six-piece configuration from the Armory whereas the Tour Custom is only a four-piece shell pack (the 14" floor tom in the review was an add-on and would set you back a further £200-250). Hope that helps, thanks for your comments and hope you enjoy more of what we're doing here! Best, Nick (product demonstrator).
Are these toms processed? or is it the raw sound? because if it is these toms sound amazing ! I hope they are because I just ordered this Kit !! Sounds Incredible and for under 1000 bucks?? Insane, Cant wait to get mine !
Do drop us a message if you get one one this review and let us know how you got on. Thanks for your comments, and for watching/ subscribing. Best wishes, DR
If tight for space get the fusion kit, a 20x16 bd is punchy and versatile, I play a 13x12 tom on a snare stand tuned low instead of my 16x16 floortom and it works a treat, try it!
The presenter has the most authorative voice on the planet, and he's so ridiculously erudite and precise in his descriptions. I'll trust anything he says about drums.
I dunno Morgan Friedman and James Earl Jones the top two in my book
Wonder what happened to Nollie?
Dude is Adam "Nolly" Getgood, former bassist of Periphery and one of the most consistent sound engineers I've ever heard. His mixes, especially those of acoustic drums, are some of the most musical and dynamic ones around. He's not a drummer but he knows what drums are supposed to sound like, especially when mic'd up. You're correct in saying you should trust his advice on drums
I just bought this kit over the weekend. For the price point I'm blown away by the sound and quality. I've owned a gretsch and pearl kit before, and I'd say the armory series beats them both coming in at a lower price. Swapped out the stock Tom heads with evans g2 clears, made a huge improvement. I would definitely recommend this kit to anyone in the market for some new drums.
Hi Chris, thanks for sharing your experience with us. It is most appreciated. And the tip on the heads. Sharing this type of information is so useful and why we set up the channel/ website in the first place. Thank you for watching/subscribing. Best wishes, DR
I've taken your comment and recommendation on board. Will be my next kit. Thanks. Respect. S
Due to Drummers Review, thanks team and other comments, this will be my next kit at the end of 2019. Same veneer as in this vid. Love it. Respect. S
Have to ask what Gretsch kit you had? I have a Mapex M Pro with a yammie live tour custom maple snare.Great for the money.
Let me add: Gretsch Catalina and renown shells have gaps in the plies and often ship with incorrectly cut bearing edges. They are not as tightly quality controlled as mapex.
At last! A review channel that isn't about pushing paid promotions. Hooray!!! Really like the balanced, intelligently expressed views of the good and weak points of the gear being reviewed, and the sound quality of the demos is outstanding. Kudos to the drummer - excellent player, playing with a range of dynamics and styles to show what the gear can do. Keep it up guys!
Many thanks for your comments and for watching/subscribing. Our whole ethos is impartiality and well balanced comments, so we are pleased you like the format. Best wishes, DR
These just murder the competition at this price point.
After the price of this kit caught my eye at a drum shop and after playing it while then along with some considerable research, I bought this kit. It just arrived today. After a thorough examination, here is my review.
I decided to fit the kit with Remo emps batters and ambs on the rezos. An amb x on the snare (Daisy Cutter) batter and amb snare on the rezo. A powerstroke 3 and Evans emad on the kick. So the toms...They have plenty of projection. The kit lives in a higher timbre than maple. Which is a good thing if you want it to be... It definitely eq's out. The kick is loud, again, in a higher frequency. It can be tuned way down, but it plays a trick on your ears. An example would be, put a maple kick next to it and they BOTH would sound great. Just different. The Daisy Cutter is a better all around snare than the Tomahawk. The Tomahawk is really brash. Its way loud and thats it. Not much else this snare can give you but volume...The DC has more desirable tones. Deeper tone but still cuts and more versatile. The lugs are decent quality, they look ok. They have a middle of the road design I would say. The chrome plating is good except for the rims..
Not good at all. Not smooth. Looks like they skipped a step in prepping. They have a pitted texture that is visible from a foot away. Doesn't match the finish of the lugs. The suspension system leaves something to be desired too. The hang loosely and have a rubber bumper on the nodal point of the shell. I dont think a different suspension system would make them sound better, but they definitely saved some costs with these. Bearing edges were really good. Smooth and consistent. An appropriate amount of filler in the shells for this priced kit. I did see some gaps here and there between the butt ends..nothing too bad though. The veneer is freaking me out though. The Desert Dune looks great. But it almost looks fake. Way smooth. There is absolutely no texture to these shells. I would swear its a print. I cant remember off hand what species this is. But being a woodworker, I know the difficulty in making wood mirror smooth. It takes conditioners, sealers and high build clears and buffing etc. So hats off to the finishing department.
(Robots) lol.
In conclusion, its worth the money.. Its not a pro kit though. Dont let the other reviews fool you. It could be your work-horse gigger. They would be ok in the studio, they tune up easy. Or they could be a couple steps up from your first kit you got 10 years ago. I hope you find this review useful. I will enjoy playing this kit for sure. Peace to you
I'm using this kit in my studio right now...you'd be surprised at how good they sound.
I've just packed my Olive Wood veneer desert dune fast shell Armory as it's getting too hot. I'm going to be using my 2nd hand kits for the hot days.
I already had my Emperors and Ambassadors waiting for the the kit. I've bought a 22" cymbal bag for the brand new heads that came with the kit to be stored in perfect condition.
I'm a Mapex bloke all the way but no reason why female drummers wouldn't like the kit.
I got the Exterminator with my kit.
There's no such thing as a pro kit. Most pros I see don't rock DWs. Also, even Quest Love use his own signature Ludwig Breakbeats, a sweet kit coming in at 500 bucks. I personally never spent more than 650 on a kit - OK, it was a *ridiculous* deal (90's Yamaha Rocktour in African mahogany, matching snare included)... I could get a set of beech Yammies for 550 CAD in great state... and the best deal I ever found?! 900 CAD for a Custom birch absolute kit. You do NOT find ANY custom birch absolute kit that isn't a nouveau - I'm talking sakae-made shell.
F***.
Bottom line is... buy used. I like those demos tho :) Another thing is... keep in mind Mapex has a lot of budget to invest in machinery in order to smooth the wood. It might be fake tho, but who cares? It's not a collectible instrument.
I have to say you guys do the most honest reviews on TH-cam. I like the way you tell it how it is and politely highlight things you don't like and and are sensitive to the price / value for money. You have the balance right. I came looking for a review on these drums when I came across a new kit at a great price. Your review sold me and I can now say that after receiving them I totally agree with what you found out. Thanks for honest reviews and keep them coming!
Hi Andy, I’m glad you find our advice helpful. We feel this honest and transparent approach is the way forward. Thank you for taking the time to comment and your valued feedback which is always encouraging and helpful. Thank you for watching/ subscribing DR.
I should add that the groove played at 2:13 on is the real gem in here -- all other demo videos I've seen have the 'drummers' wearing ear plugs / muffs and literally playing FFFFFFFFFFF full blast 2200% %. So, kudos for playing something tasteful, sensible, and dynamic.
This review really helped me. I ordered my armory kit shortly after watching. Many thanks
All I can say is: DW and PDP may Rest In Peace, MAPEX has arrived.
Lol 😆 right
Kidding?
Not gonna lie, this video ended my search for a new set and I'm beyond satisfied. Great review
You can't not respect Nolly. His mixes on Periphery are a masterclass and he is a true master musician. He's absolutely spot on. I had a 6 piece Armory Rock Shell pack in Walnut and it was just sublime for the money. If you're looking to upgrade to a larger kit on a budget, you can deck out a full kit with all the cymbals and hardware for no more than £1250
I've been looking for a new set for 2 years. After watching every TH-cam video, I find Drummer's Review the best all around. No hype, you're not selling: honest and direct. Very good playing gives a realistic sample of what the drums sound like. I don't need to hear a soundtrack or watch a super chops exhibition.
I was so impressed with this video that I decided to go with the Ultra marine version of this set.
Love it. Beautiful finish, solid hardware and Sonic Bearing Edge lives up to its reputation. There drums tune up easily and stay there. I did replace batters with Aquarian 2-ply heads right away.
Had the set for a few days before I used them on a 4 hour gig. Absolutely great sound. Bass drum is a beast. Toms have a full rich sound. Tomahawk snare really is a pleasant surprise, a bit metallic sounding but a nice sound overall. Most importantly, band loved the sound of the set and I felt super comfortable playing them.
Yeah, I heard better sounding sets on Drummer's Review, but they cost 3-4x as much as the Mapex Armory. At this price, I've got an excellent drum set and I'm totally happy.
Sweet-sounding drums right there.. I dunno why but the Mapex Armory seems to scream "dream drum kit" to me.. Great review as always!
after watching allot of videos of high end drums, I wanted to go back and hear this kit again, and I am impressed with the sound of this kit. definitely a nice sounding kit for the money. it sounds better than many kits that cost allot more.
I bought this series last year... Amazing kit..I've tried every head imaginable...they all sounded great...I ultimately went with a G1 coated tops, G2 clears on bottoms
There's no muffling on my kit while recording...they sound amazing..the snare is OK..I put a set of die cast hoops and a pure sound snare wire 24 strand...it really helped it
Best kit for the money I ever spent.
Great review on a great kit! I kick myself every day for selling this kit! On the upside, I sold to the school where I teach and I still get to play it from time to time and get to hear how amazing this kit sounds!
I have a set of these and they are incredible. I was able to find a matching 8 and 13 inch tome and they sound as good as any high end set i have ever played. I put coated Evans G2's on them along with an E-Mad. Awesome drums and sound.
You can make any drum sound high end with the right heads and tuning.
I have had two of these kits over the years, the daisycutter snare drum in fantastic.
You guys are doing an awesome job with these reviews!
Thank you. We do our best to provide a free and impartial guide to aid drummers in the gear buying process, so thank you for your comments and for watching/subscribing! Best wishes DR
Someone at MAPEX really knows what they are doing. Fantastic drums.
I have 2 mapex kits, maple saturn 5 , and I grabbed an armory for a practice kit, and yes to my surprise the 6 piece kit for a 1000 bucks is unreal. These kits sound amazing once you get the heads changed (Evans 360°'s in black) and tuned they are badass, I got the black dawn. It looks really nice with the armory hardware in black and meinl dark series cymbals. It's been gigging more and more. 🥁🤘☠
Thank you for review this Kit! I’ve had the Mapex Armory red finish since 2016 and was always curious how it compared in a professional setting. I now use Aquarian Clear response 2s for the tom batter heads. You are correct that the sensitivity of the drums increases with different heads. Great review!
I already have this kit since january this year same colour, I found it very good for this priče Just put on Remo USA emperor coated on toms and snare, proper tuning and it Will be awesome. I recommend also hardware pack from Armory series.
This review sealed the deal for me to get a Mapex Armory kit over others I was considering at the time in this price range. I changed tom batter heads and they sound even better. Great kit for the price and I highly recommend it.
I would buy these drums.
I found these drums recently. They come in a very cool matte purple haze color with black hardware. I'll be getting a set as soon as I can after hearing your favorable review
Love this kit, 8 months learning to play, replaced the drum heads with Evans Hydraulic and it sounds freaking thick and punchy (think Kiss Creatures of the Night depth). The more I play it the more I love it, not very convinced with the snare drum...but still working my way to get my kind of tune before I get something else. Great review true to the product !
your recording quality is stellar -- the sound really comes through. Manufs should pay you to demo their drums. No kidding: Compared to all other demo youtubes I've yet found, from theirs I would run away and not buy, but from yours I have bought. You guys should profit from that, too. Again, stellar!
East Ghost many thanks for watching and we are so pleased you find our reviews helpful. This was our stance from the beginning with being impartial reviews. Thanks for watching/ subscribing, best wishes, DR
Can't stop watching this review. I'm currently over half way in buying this kit on Lay-by with the hardware pack. I was going to Lay-by a Saturn V in deep water deep burl finish with smoked black chrome for the lugs and hoops, etc. This vid changed my mind. Thanks Nolly. Respect from South East Queensland, Australia. Peace. S
I would love to see a review of the full line of Armory series snares from you guys! When you purchase this kit Mapex allows you to trade in the one that comes with it for any other Armory snare drum!
Thanks for the heads up about the snares. I'm happy with the stock drum but options, well, that's the deal completed.
I have a DW Almond kit. I love that brand because of the consistent quality in tone.
This kit is beautiful. It’s sounds perfect for Latin style drumming and gospel music as well as contemporary. The fact that there’s very low frequency in the floor toms is awsome because I always want to drop it as low as possible without getting that mashed paper sound. I’d definitely get one of these if I wanted a more expensive kit but had a limited budget. Or the DW design series kit
WOW! What an excellent review!!!!! From the tone samples, playing and explanation!
Great comments! And all of them are very positive so I cannot wait to pick my set up next thursday!
Those toms sound awesome
+Drummer's Review
Excellent review, gentlemen. And I agree...It's a fantastic kit for the money! I've owned my Armory kit in this exact configuration as you've reviewed, but in the Transparent Walnut finish since just after it was released, and I'm still very pleased with it.
The Tomahawk snare is a great all-around snare for the money as well. I've upgraded to the Mapex Equinox snare that you've also reviewed, and it's one of the best + most versatile snare drums that I've ever played. :)
As mentioned, a good set of heads will bring this kit to even another level, and depending on the sound I'm after, have gone with a full set of Evans UV1 Coated heads or Remo's Diplomat Fiberskyn heads, including on both the batter & reso side of the bass drum! Fantastic sound with both!
I also purchased a separate 9"x13" rack tom as an option for versatility. Then I found a smokin' deal on a matching 18"x22" bass drum, which I've cut down to 8" x 22" and added a rail mount for a rack Tom and a mount/clamp for a bass drum-mounted ride cymbal arm to use as a more compact "bop" kit for smaller gigs & venues. This cut-down bass drum sounds surprisingly fantastic as well. :)
Anyway, it's good to hear that other pros find this to be a fantastic kit as well, irregardless of its very affordable price. 👍 And I found my kit on sale for 22% Off so it was an even better deal! Couldn't be happier.
Thanks again for a great review. 👍 Oh, and props again to Chris for his great playing and thorough demo.
Many thanks for sharing your experience. It's most helpful we feel to share with other drummers, and why we set up DR. Many thanks for watching/ subscribing and commenting. Best wishes, DR
@Bill Perri
Get just about any inexpensive kit...I might suggest a used PDP Concept Maple or a used Catalina...even the Mapex Mars kits, but it could be anything that you find and like that's in decent condition.
Then sand all of the bearing edges down like a baseball bat end...round-over both the inside and outside bearing edges leaving a just thin, 1/16" wide flat edge in the top center of the bearing edge.
Start with 120 grit and finish with 220 grit sandpaper. Make sure to keep the bearing edges flat & even...avoid creating any dips in the edges of the shell like scooped out snare beds.
It's best to put a large sheet of 100-120 grit sandpaper on a perfectly flat surface like a Marble or Granite table or countertop and rotate the drum's bearing edge back and forth by hand on top of the flat sandpaper surface.
I've used a flat, 26" square by 3/4" thick sheet of MDF wood in the past...available at your local home/building center.
Then smooth and finish gently and evenly with 220 grit sandpaper by hand.
Rub in a just bit of beeswax to the sanded edges. Then fit coated 2-ply Emperor or G2 heads on both the batter & reso sides. You'll definitely achieve your, warm, dark, fat tone. ;-)
Lovely sounding kit! The kick drum especially is amazing!
Thanks for leaving a comment. Always pleased to hear thoughts. Thank you for watching and subscribing. Best wishes, DR
I own a Mapex Mars from the former era, about 2015, the one in Nightwood with blacked out hardware. Also a 6Pc with a matching 14x6.5" snaredrum. This kit kicks ass! It has almost the same hardware as the armory, minus the floortom legs and the fancy bassdrum spurs, but it sounds killer after I swapped the heads for Remo Pinstripes on the toms and a CS coated reverse black dot on the Snare along with puresound wires. They have that nice wet Mapex attack punch to them. Only thing they lack is... well, maybe the inner wood ply isnt thaaaaat cleanly worked, but thats pretty much it. All tension rods run smooth, tuning is a breeze, the hardware in general just works, Mapex is just amazing in terms of big quality for small money. I only now look at the armory because I realized that a completely black kit disappears on most stages and I really love the emerald burst of the current Armory line up.
a couple years ago this demo really sold me on this particular kit, was eying the desert dune, and they definately sound just like that when processed.
This kit is so musical!
I bought a Mapex Saturn V kit in Deep Water Burl. Awesome kit, from a private seller who needed to get rid of it to save his marriage 😄
I have a Gretsch Renown Maple as well at double the price. And although they sound different, the Mapex is every bit as great!
Personally, I think Mapex are underrated unsung heroes of modern drum kits.
I have this set in Photon Blue. About 2 years now. Changed to Aquariun heads except for snare which has Genera HD. I changed out the snares for 30 snappy snares. Great sound. Oh ! My BD came 20X22. ! Oh sounds huge. Good value. I use a tune-bot for spacing correctly. I haven't changed the snare yet but I'm looking. ALL together quality is good. Finish stain with sparkle looks great.
Greg Williams I have an Armory and a Tunebot, as well. Would you mind sharing your Tunebot settings?
High Efficiency Communication Hi. Yes. I have them written down. I'll find it and get back to you tomorrow
High Efficiency Communication Hi. Sorry I took so long. I had the house alone today so it was a good time to check my tunings. They were off but now good for me. When you hit the drum when handing on stand you get a freq. These are my freqs. 10" 3D. Freq 147 top lugs 206. Ok next. 12" 2B. Freq 124 top lug 174. 14" 2G. Freq. 98. Top lugs 137. 16" 2D. Freq. 73. Top lugs 103.
I didn't mess with the bottom head. I tuned them to the guide a while back. The tops tuned right up anyway. Sound good. Re did the snares ...They had slipped some. Sounds great now. Bass drum is good at 60-60. I lowered mine some. It's 20x22. Cannon with a Trick Bigfoot ! I'm selling my Yamaha DTX-M12 multipad. I boxed it up today. I can't figure it out. I have the mount and heavy stand. I also bought a DT-50 kick trigger . Very nice. I'll sell everything for $700 plus shipping. I live in Panama. Hope these help
Greg Williams This helps me a ton. Thanks, Greg! Quick question: Do you have FAST or standard sized toms?
High Efficiency Communication 8x10, 10x12, 14x12, 16x14
I have loved MAPEX since I was a kid and I always dreamed of purchasing my own drumkit. I got this kit last year, but the "Transparent Walnut" model which is, sadly, no longer available, which is absolutely beautiful and sounds just great. The Armory "Tomahawk" snare with a "Remo Controlled Sound" (coated) on is just killer. Thanks for this video: makes justice to MAPEX.
Considering these have factory heads on them, they sound amazing on their own
Thinking about getting this in the black dawn. Best drum review I've ever seen. You got a sub
LandoPlays DRUMS many thanks for watching.. Best wishes, DR
I just bought this kit. AMAZING Kit. Let me tell you this kit can sing.
😂 Well said
I've got one on order? Is it really that good?
Great review. Literally just ordered the aqua marine finish today! Can’t wait!
That's a nice one. What configuration did you get? Happy with them?
I love the wrap on this kit! I'm currently jamming with a 94' 3 piece US maple kit! They sound great but pieces / parts can be hard to come by. The Armory Fusion Kit offered here in (Western, NY) has a 20x16 bass drum and 14x14 floor tom. Could be my next kit. Nice review!
+Rich Eichelberg
Just FYI, the kit in this review does not have a plastic "wrap" finish. It is an actual olive tree wood ply veneer on the outside that is coated with a satin lacquer. Real wood, mate, not a "wrap". :-)
I have the exact kit & configuration shown in this review, but in the older & no longer available "Transparent Walnut" gloss lacquer finish. It is a darker walnut stain applied to the outer birch wood ply, then finished with a gloss lacquer. The fit & finish is exceptional.
Beautiful looking and sounding kit, and EASILY worth its price! Hope you've had a chance to play one!
Cheers!
Bought a 7pc kit based on this review. I can report that versus a maple shell kit, these maple+birch shells are brighter, and more compressed into the midrange, not really responding as well as maple at light playing, and kind of wilting (becoming flat sounding, not resonant) when really slammed. But, when played in the middle ranges of power, wow. Just wow. This is with the stock China-made heads. I will report back if/when I've switched over to others.
Some of the nicest tom sounds i've heard from your demos on here, and with chinese heads on! Tuning was spot on!
Thanks Ryan for leaving comments. Always appreciated. Thank you for watching / subscribing. Best wishes, DR
The emerald Burst finish is dazzling! Totally killer. Virgin kick! A metal snare that works well vs a lame wood snare other kits have. This just became my intermediate kit of choice!
great drummer. knows how to demo drums, great variety of playing
Would be killer to hear a review of the Mapex Saturn V. Specifically in Matt's shell config. Loving this channel
I enjoyed this kit just bought a couple weeks ago put some aquarian drum heads on them and they sound amazing.Great kit for 600.
Just ordered myself a kit! Cannot wait :)
That's great. We found this to be a great kit, so we hope you enjoy it. Feel free to leave further comments once you have it on this review, and hope our analysis helped and compares when you get it. Best wishes DR and thanks for watching /subscribing
Bought my Mapex Armory kit in Caribbean Burst finish, I feel they easily match up with anything that Tama, Pearl, and DW produce. I replaced all the stock batter heads with Evans Black Onyx on the snare and toms to eliminate all the overtones and give e more defined sound. Evans Emad2 and Evans black resonance with port are what I have on the kick. Zildjian S Series cymbals round out the set up.
I rented one to see what it would sound like...couldn't get it to sound as good as this demo...would love to hear them without the room mics. They sound amazing in this demo. "Everything feels lovely and smooth" 7:57
...just awesome.
Great job and great kit!! Ciao from Italy
Hi delighted u gave this kit a good review it's made my mind up between it and the pearl decade ,I think it's fair to say its miles ahead
Best review ever, with pros ans cons, just well balance about everything
Great sounding kit, thanks for the review! Would love to know what mic's are on the toms & kick?
Would love to see a Sonor SQ2 review from you guys. This is definitely the best drum review channel ever Oo
superb video this has made me go out and buy this kit i get it next week. cheers love your reviews
That’s great Tony. I’m glad the video was useful in you purchasing your new kit. Thanks for watching/ subscribing to our channel. DR
Drummer's Review Whos Tony haha ;)
Sorry Tom, my bad. DR
Drummer's Review argh no worries at all keep up the amazing content :)
This is nowadays the best drum set. Sound is rich and musical.
Nice sounding drums and great value! As usual, great video guys!
Great sound for that price point. I'm impressed.
I got an Armory kit (in Photon Blue) with an Exterminator snare* when they first came out and I don't see myself ever needing to buy another kit again! Absolutely amazing sound and looks, and it's pretty much everything you could ever need in a drum kit.
*the snare is good, but I tend to use my Black Panther "Blade" 😁
When you see Mr. Nolly is reviewing any gear or plugins , you will end up going for that sooner or later.
Dear Sir, I'm interested in which model of Mapex you reviewed, I'm planning to buy it and I'm interested in the finish because there are different shades, thanks, regards
I thought he looked familiar. Nolly from Periphery! AWESOME
Kyle Boggs the one and only! Many thanks for watching/ subscribing DR
Awesome! Saw you guys when you came through LA with animals as leaders last fall. Great show!
Love that snare's armonic !
Nice video. I have been looking at this kit for a while, and this is a great tool for answering some questions
I'm on my 2nd armoury kit. I had one when I lived in the UK and only sold it as it was just too expensive to ship back to Australia. I bought another one prior to moving back, value for money there is no competition at this price point imo. They'll only sound better with good quality heads on them as well.
I want one of these kits. Sounds great...and a real players kit. Wouldn't mind playing it in any bar.
Amazing reviews guys, really loving the channel!
How do you go about choosing which kits you will review? Just curious.
Hi Jason, we look for what is current, as we can provide impartial insight, especially if drummers are looking to buy something new. We also try to cover all aspects of pricing too, so that products that we feature can appeal to all types of budget. Hope that helps, and thanks for watching/ subscribing. Your comments and others like yours, motivate us further to continue to provide this free platform for drummers. Best wishes DR.
These are awesome sounding drums! Great price point too 👍
Just subd cause that was the best most indepth review I've ever had the pleasure to watch!!! Bravo well done gentlemen, well done!!!
Many thanks for your comments and for subscribing. Glad you liked the review. DR
Too good. I have been reviewing drums for over a month now. And this is the one I will be buying.
Tom hoop thickness? Are they 2.3mm or is that just the snares?
Really love this channel guys, keep it up! Cant wait to see more and this kit is killer!
Great vedio ! Between the Mapex Armory and the Yamaha Stage Custom which one do you recommend?
You guys should review the Mapex Saturn V MH Exotic kit. I want to see how it compares to the armory series and if the extra $650 is worth it.
What tuning intervals did you use for the toms? And, did you tune by ear or use a tuning device such as a tune bot? Thanks! I have this kit in transparent walnut. Bought it in the U.S. for under $550.00 brand new. I just can't find the sweet spot for where these toms should be tuned.
I have owned many different brands never this brand sounded great I will consider it now.
I totally agree with his assessment on this Mapex kit. I heard what he heard even on my iPhone’s speakers. This kit from Mapex is a killer value. I’m thinking about buying this kit for my son, but he likes the Tama Star Classic Performer kit a bit more. It’s a bit more money with one less tom, so we’ll need to do a little more research. TFS!
Those toms are as nice sounding as any toms out there imo.
Looking at the new ddrum dominion drums, any opinions with the two kits??
Fantastic demo! Thanks!
I have ordered one of these in the emerald burst. Anyone who has one of these got any opinions?
I have the same kit and ordered about the same time you ordered yours. I have thoroughly enjoyed playing the kit.
Thank you for this in-depth and very pleasant to watch review. Very informative.
I never subscribed any channel but in hoping it might help you and since you've output very nice other reviews I just did to your channel. Thanks for the great work.
As you stated in the end it doesn't seem to make much sense to get one of the more expensive Saturn kits regarding "a good sound" and quality or features. But I wondered though if the Saturn kits simply do have a different sound. Meaning they provide a mainly deeper (maybe punchier, fuller and more low-end) sound than the Armory kits due to the walnut rings. Watching - or rather listening to - other reviews of these two kits it seems the Armory kits have a drier, maybe more vintage kind of sound, which indeed seems to be great. But simply different. Did you feel this way too when testing/playing the kits or do you think there is not really much of a difference and/or that you can get the same sound out of both?
Thanks!
Love basic steel snare drums sounds killer and great playing! Thanks
a drum with 4 toms under 1000$ with this sound ?
I really believe that the sound of this kit is down to the outside round over bearing edge. It really makes them super easy to tune and gives the toms a nice deep tonality without a lot of ringing overtones.
do the actual tom clamps come with the shell packs or just the tom are where I have to buy a clamp? with these shell kits?
The clamps do come with the kit :)
Build quality, this or the Tama Superstar Classic Maple?
You can't go wrong either way. Tama makes good kits but I feel Mapex has a better price point. The Armory hardware kit is versatile.
@@rm5282 I got the armory in November, it's better value for money, thanks mate ✌
@@bigbogh excellent...I bought one last year in Emerald Burst.
@@rm5282 epic. I got the redwood burst, I'm looking forward to adding the 8×7 tom.
How would you feel the Armory kit compares to the Yamaha Tour Custom you recently reviewed when it comes to versatility?
Hi John, good question. Nick your thoughts on how these two kits felt in comparison? (Nick is the product demonstrator for DR). He will comment on this later. Thanks for your question, and for watching/subscribing. Best wishes, DR
Hi John, I think it compares really well - sound-wise, there wasn't that much to choose between them, although the Yamaha maybe sounded a little fuller (but personally I think that was down to it being supplied with slightly better quality heads). With regards versatility, I think both would work well in many different settings: I've seen lots of clips of both kits being used in everything from jazz to metal, and both seem to work really well...obviously different heads and tunings would make a world of difference when it comes to different styles, but as a starting point I think both are very decent. In terms of build quality, both were extremely good - perfectly round shells with smooth, well-machined bearing edges made for easy tuning, and both held their tuning really well throughout the sessions. The thing I would consider is the price - the Armory is (roughly) half the price of the Yamaha, especially when you factor in that you get a six-piece configuration from the Armory whereas the Tour Custom is only a four-piece shell pack (the 14" floor tom in the review was an add-on and would set you back a further £200-250). Hope that helps, thanks for your comments and hope you enjoy more of what we're doing here! Best, Nick (product demonstrator).
Do you have a Mapex Mars review ?
Are these toms processed? or is it the raw sound? because if it is these toms sound amazing ! I hope they are because I just ordered this Kit !! Sounds Incredible and for under 1000 bucks?? Insane, Cant wait to get mine !
What makes the snare ring so much? I like a more crisp pop without a ringing.
The fact that it's single ply steel. And comes with a single ply head. A bit of moon gel and you're golden.
Had my eyes on this for a long time. I hope it will be my first ever drum kit if I manage to find an adequate space to play in.
Do drop us a message if you get one one this review and let us know how you got on. Thanks for your comments, and for watching/ subscribing. Best wishes, DR
Drummer's Review Definitely! Although it might be a few years
What difference do you think I would get by having the deeper toms? 14x14 instead of 14x12 etc.
If tight for space get the fusion kit, a 20x16 bd is punchy and versatile, I play a 13x12 tom on a snare stand tuned low instead of my 16x16 floortom and it works a treat, try it!
How much of a difference in terms of sound quality is there between the Fast Shell Pack & the regular Shell Pack version?
Quality? None. Fast = slightly shorter decay and more room to adjust to your liking. Deeper "power" toms = longer decay.
At one point, you'll have to review that Q drum co set up currently lingering against the wall... You know it, right ?!
Nicely spotted!