Best Professional Drum Set Reviews (Top 5)
If your old drum set is no longer working for you, then perhaps it is time to change it. You might also be interested in a new model of drums, or you just want a change. Whatever your reasons for shopping for a new drum set are, you need the best that money can buy. However, you can get confused when shopping because there are many brands, and each comes with precise specifications. Fortunately, this best professional drum set review, has come to your rescue. You will get to know the top brands that you can buy, their pros and cons, and whether they are worth your money.
What makes a drum professional?
If you are wondering what is so unique about professional drums, we have the answers. The main difference between drums lies in the quality of materials and the sound. Most drums for beginners and intermediates are less costly as they are made from cheaper wood, and they are simple to use. Drummers typically use pre-set settings when playing and have little to no control over individual drum equipment and overall EQ.
On the other hand, professional drums are made from high-quality material and have a range of tuning, customizable, and wrap/finish options. Professionals have control over the components and settings and can produce the sound they desire.
Who should buy a professional drum set?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the brands, it is essential to know who is best suited to buy a professional drum set. Typically, a full, standard set comes with drums, stands, cymbals, and other hardware. However, some kits are sold as shell packs while others as complete drum sets. A shell pack comprises of drums only without hardware. You can buy as many drums as you want, but you have to buy racks and stands separately.
Complete sets are ideal for beginners, as using them is not complicated. On the contrary, professional sets come with advanced features such as bass drum pedals, and shell packs could be a good option. Experts drummers can easily purchase the hardware they desire, given that they have vast knowledge.
Top 5 drum sets you should consider buying.
Here are the top five best professional drum kits that you should consider buying.
DW Performance SeriesThe DW performance series 4-piece shell pack is a beauty and a favorite for many. That is because it is hand-made from one wood type and is the perfect choice for drummers who like that unique, organic drum sound. It is a unique set that has special lacquer, wrap and satin finishes that give the drum set an outstanding appeal. This top-notch set offers a variety of sounds that you need when playing to those professional tunes. The collection provides drummers with great tuning options, thanks to the True pitch tension rods that enhance accuracy. Also, excellent HVX shells, suspension tom mounts (STM), and 45º bearing edges that make the drums produce the perfect resonance and beat.
The set is made of steel and has suspended mounts, triple-flange hoops, and patented lugs. These quarter turret lugs give the drums a sleek and modernized look making them appealing to many artists. The heads ou can choose from the many available finishing designs.
The shell pack specifications comprise of various Tom sizes including 10″ x7″, 12″ x9″, and 16″ x14″, a bass drum measuring 22″ x18″, impressive 14″ x6.5″ Snare drum and a maple 5.6 mm thick, 8-ply and 45° shell material. You will have to purchase the cymbals and hardware separately.
What we like
- It has state-of-the-art quality and craftsmanship
- Offers a unique ‘organic’ sound
What we don’t like
- The set does not include Cymbals and hardware
The DW performance series 4-shell pack comes with lots of features and benefits and is worth your money.
- Yamaha Recording Custom
The Yamaha Recording Custom shell pack drum set is for drummers that are looking for premium tones and resonance. Behind the creation of the kit was Steve Gadd, a famous and iconic drummer and percussionist. You can tell that the set is indeed an excellent choice for recording and live performances.
The 6-ply birch construction of the shells is excellent. First, it fosters your kit’s clarity by eliminating interference from other drums that might be mounted nearby. 30-degree bearing ages facilitate speedy response, easy tuning, and bring out the best out of your drum heads. The 22″ is also lifted to produce a punchy sound.
Yamaha’s Recording Custom is also one of the best professional drum kits because of its hardware characteristics. The hardware is of the highest quality and is designed for stability, ease of use, and tone enhancement. The high-tension lugs are constructed with increased weight to reduce unwanted noises and the ringing from the shells. The Y.E.S.S mounts attach to the shells with the least contact, and the drums can resonate freely. They are also strategically placed to avoid interference with head changes and drum placement. The bass drums also have ‘T’ handle tensioners for easier tuning.
The feature specifications include 6-ply birch shells, 10″ and 12″ Rack Toms, a 16″ Floor Tom, and a 22″ Kick Drum. There are also 30-degree bearing edges, high tension lugs, die-cast BD hooks, and a TH945B Double Tom Holder. Yamaha’s Recording drum set also has hardware that offers strength and simplicity.
What we like
- The build quality is magnificent
What we don’t like
- None
This Custom 4-piece Shell Pack provides all the quality and versatility you desire in a drum set. You will not regret buying these drums.
The Sonor AQ2 Stage Maple drum set has a professional finish and tone. Its 7-PLY maple shells emit powerful projection and make a drummer enjoy every experience while using the drums. The hardware benefits include the Sonor SmartMount tom suspensions that reduce metal and shell contact. In return, there us greater resonance and sustainability. The Sonor’s redesigned die-cast lugs also make the set more tunable and tour safe. It also comes with matching bass hoops and exceptional finish.
The 7-ply maple shells consist of three plies of Chinese maple and Four plies of Canadian maple. The shells can produce different tones from classical rock to progression metal. Besides, their great finish options give the user endless options to choose to match different quality tones. The White Marine Pearl is a favorite for many as it looks attractive, classy, and professional too.
The SmartMout dual tom suspension also shields the shell from direct contact with other drums maximizing on resonance and longevity. The die-cast lugs are excellent as well as they come in handy for precision tuning.
The tech specifications include a snare 7″ x12″, Mounted toms (7″ x8″), Floor toms 12″ x13″, Bass drums 13″ x14″ and Maple shell material.
What we like
- Easy to travel with because of its compact size
- Excellent choice for jazz and small acoustic compositions
What we don’t like
- None
The Sonor AQ2 Stage Maple drum is one of the best professional drum sets in the market and worthwhile too.
The Tama Starclassic Maple 4-piece Shell Pack is a blend of robust and soulful maple shells given an excellent finishing by shell experts that have been behind TAMA’s hardware advancements for 40 years. It is evident that the quality is high-end and you can play any music you want.
The drum kit comes with a set of Evans heads that increase its value and promise a great tone. Also, its thin multi-ply maple shells make the drums robust and enable for easy tuning. Light drums have the highest energy transfer from the head to the shell, and that is what every drummer is after. The thin cross-laminated shells comprise of six and eight piles and are 5mm and 7 mm thick. They are capable of producing incredible power and resonance. The cross lamination also makes the shells stronger. The Tama Starclassic is visually appealing as well because of the outer veneers made from movingui. The set is excellent for all performance styles from studio to tours.
Other excellent features are the die-cast zinc hoops that offer consistent tuning and quality tones. Tama’s quick-lock tom brackets also make it easy to set up your kit.
The drum specifications include mounted toms 7″ x10″, 8″ x12″, Floor toms 16″ x16″, and a bass drum 16″ x22″.
What we like
- Saves set-up time
- Comes with Evans heads for excellent sound
What we don’t like
- Costs slightly more than other Tama Starclassic kits
Overall, the Tama Starclassic Maple 4-piece Shell Pack comes with attractive features and specs, and you should give it a shot.
The Roland Td50 is a high-level set that produces high-resolution tones. Through SDHC cards, you can import personal libraries, and you can also determine the composition and size of every piece. You can also take snapshots of your kits and save them and analyze any changes before committing. Its one-up/two-down tom snare pad set up with multi-sensor technology give the kit superiority and make acoustic players fall in love with this set.
Ronald Td50’s sound modeling engine also increase its performance. You can control the overtones, shell thickness of every drum, and even virtual mic placement. Additionally, you can record ten channels of home recording via USB.
- The tech specifications include 14″ PD-140DS Snare, 3 x 10″ PDX-100 Toms, 12″ KD-120-BK Kick drum, 18″ CY-18DR Ride, 12″ VH-11 Hi-hat, 12″ CY-12C Crash, 13″ CY-13R Crash, TD-50 Drum module, 5 x Reverbs, 25 x Rooms, Compressor, Delay, Master EQ, 14 x 1/4″ (hi-hat & ride use 2 inputs), 1 x 1/4″ TRS (mix in), 1 x 1/8″ TRS (mix in), 2 x XLR (master out), and 2 x 1/4″ (master out), 8 x 1/4″ (direct out)
What we like
- Excellent digital features that give you total control of the drumming experience
What we don’t like
- The pre-sets are slightly limited
The Roland Td50 comes with a range of excellent features, and buying it is a wise move.
This best professional drum set review is helpful as you now know the top five drum sets to consider buying. They all have different features hence the difference in pricing. You need to evaluate your needs and budget to pick the perfect drum kit.