![]() ![]() While thicker shells aren't always capable of the same degree of tonal subtlety as thinner shells, they do feel strikingly solid, which can only be a good thing.Įxternally, the shells are dressed in what look like identical fittings, but small differences separate the ranges. The effect is particularly noticeable with the bass drums and floor toms, where the hefty shell thickness of 10mm is hard to miss. The bearing edges are cut at 45 degree and are commendably sharp.Īssembling the kits, it's obvious that a lot of wood has gone into them. It's the sort of detail that doesn't register immediately, but, once noted, your eye is drawn to it repeatedly. One really nice touch is that every piece of shell hardware that protrudes inside the shells - such as bolts, washers and brackets - is finished in black. According to Pearl UK's main man Mark De Cloedt, birch forms the core of the VSX shells, with clean-grained basswood being used on the inner ply. The dark hues of the VMX maple contrast with the altogether lighter birch blend of the VSX drums. Wooden snare drums often - but not always - feature extra plies in order to increase attack, so the VMX snare is more likely to possess an open, playable nature.Ĭomparing the VSX and VMX shells side by side, the only discernible difference between them is in the colour of the wood. Interestingly, the VMX maple snare drum is made to the thinner six-ply, 7 1/2mm specification. The success of the Reference Series, which first incorporated this kind of designated shell thickness according to diameter theory, would indicate that it's largely right. Pearl reckons that lower frequencies require greater energy to project equally alongside smaller drums, thus the extra plies on the bass drums and floor toms. ![]() ![]() Rack toms are six plies and 7 1/2mm thick, while floor toms and bass drums are eight plies and 10mm thick. They're divided into one of two ply variations according to their size. While the two kits are manufactured in different countries using different woods, the shells are created using the same method. "The three racks and single floor tom blended so harmoniously, we needed to remind ourselves that we were playing a mass-produced kit" The RRP for the basic VMX kit is £855, while the extra tom adds an extra £135 to the total, making £990. Also included is an extra 8"x7" tom that, when bought at the same time as the kit, is supplied with its own clamp and tom arm. The VMX kit consists of 10"x8" and 12"x9" toms, a 16"x16" floor tom, a 22"x18" bass drum and a 14"x5 1/2" matching maple snare. In fact, it's a five-piece kit (with hardware pack), retailing at £800, from which the 13" tom has been deliberately omitted. This configuration isn't offered as a ready-made kit and if bought as a set of individual drums would cost £835 (according to the Pearl price list) without a hardware pack. The supplied VSX kit consists of a 12"x9" rack tom, 16"x16" floor tom, 22"x18" bass drum and a 14"x5 1/2" steel SensiTone snare. The two kits Pearl sent for review aren't quite standard, being one drum short in one case and having one drum extra in the other. While the VX, VSX and VBX kits are products of the new Chinese factory, VMX kits are made alongside Pearl Masters kits in Taiwan, where labour costs are higher. However, manufacturing costs play a big part. VMX kits don't include a hardware pack and the obvious conclusion to draw is that the price of the wood used (maple) is the preventing cause. PEARL DRUMS SERIESVBX kits are more expensive than their VMX equivalents because they, along with the VX and VSX kits, come with a 900 series hardware pack as standard. The price of a standard five-piece Vision kit varies across the range: VX kits retail at £705, VSX at £800, VBX at £890 and VMX at £855 (four-piece kits are available in VBX and VMX at £845 and £815 respectively). Above the VBXs come the all-maple VMX kits, which are available in a similar number of shell-pack and lacquer options. VBX kits are 100 percent birch and are offered in nine different configurations with a choice of five glossy lacquer finishes. ![]()
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