Visions VLX vs Export ELX

[All-American Drummer]

00** Hey I have a problem! I'm buying a Pearl Visions VLX Ruby Fade drum set and then I saw a Pearl Export ELX Black Burst set. So, I'm depending on the pro drummers of america to help me. I'm not sure whether to switch and get the export, or keep the visions set, because I'm not sure I'd like birch since I'm a beginner drummer and I think I should start with the export. Thanks :confused:

[The Dorian]

Go with the Visions. Birch is a pro quality wood that sounds fantastic and is the most recorded drum sound in history. Poplar on the other hand is a cheaper wood that is mainly used in beginner kits like the Export. While the Export is a great beginners' kit, it doens't come close to the Vision.

[skywalker2]

being a begging drummer doesn't have much to do with it; a visions will suit you just as well as an export and vice versa.

having said that, from a shell/hardware point of view, i think that the visions has the export beat...but from a finish perspective, the elx does own.

heck...if i could find a good deal on a new elx shell pack in any of the galaxy sparkles, i would gladly take that and just buy hardware on my own.

Perhaps the issue is the finished available to visions lovers right now?

Anyway, i would suggest going with visions; if you have the means to get this kit, i would go for it, especially if the color is one that you love.

[Genius Switch]

Vision replaced the ELX series, has better shells and hardware, and costs about the same. It's a pro level kit at a beginners price.

Here's a thread I made about the Visions...lots of good info.
http://www.pearldrummersforum.com/showthread.php?p=1851846844#post1851846844

[Tabla_Man]

Poplar isn't any better/worse than a birch/basewood shell. It's also incorrect that Poplar is used on "entry level" kits. Those vintage ludwig kits from the 50's and 60's that is sought after among vintage drum collectors was a maple/poplar shell.

Now there may be shell improvements I'm unaware of, like more accurately cut bearing edges, but other than that there's nothing about the VLX that makes it "better" than an export.

The Vision isn't that much different than the old Export lines. This is basically just marketing. Exports were made with Phillipine Mohagany back in the day, but eventually that wood became too expensive and they switched to a Poplar shell.

It all has to do with Pearl being able to sell their kits at a certain price point. When the cost of a particular wood goes up, either Pearl has to raise their prices to a point where it's not even with a competitor's product, or they switch to a cheaper wood. What's amazing is when my mom and dad got me the very first series of Export way back in 1983, I remember they payed around 1000 dollars for that kit and it was a Silver wrapped finish, and the drums weren't near the quality, although good for early 80's. Pearl basically has kept the same price point, but with inflation and technology upgrades you are spending about half as much as I did back then, for a much better product.

So I would say to you, which do you like better. Play both see which sounds better to you, and also consider the look, because you won't get the black burst in the Vision series.

They are both great kits and you'll be happy with either one.

[The Dorian]

Poplar isn't any better/worse than a birch/basewood shell. It's also incorrect that Poplar is used on "entry level" kits. Those vintage ludwig kits from the 50's and 60's that is sought after among vintage drum collectors was a maple/poplar shell.

Now there may be shell improvements I'm unaware of, like more accurately cut bearing edges, but other than that there's nothing about the VLX that makes it "better" than an export.

That's just wrong. I've owned nothing but a Forum (poplar shells) for 6 years, and played at my church for about the same amount of time on an Export, and I now own a Vision. The birch/basswood IS just strait up better than the 100% poplar.

To the thread starter...

Switching from a VLX to an ELX is kind of illogical to me. They're pretty much the same price, and with the VLX you get birch shells, 8 ply floor toms and kick(s), new lugs, Steel Sensitone snare, and the much better 900 series hardware.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a lover of the Exports. I'll be the first to defend them when they get criticized, but it was only a matter of time before they got beat out by other companies. Pearl had no choice but to upgrade.

[tbonedrumcam]

That's just wrong. I've owned nothing but a Forum (poplar shells) for 6 years, and played at my church for about the same amount of time on an Export, and I now own a Vision. The birch/basswood IS just strait up better than the 100% poplar.

That reply is simply wrong. In more ways than others, it has everything to do with personal preference (as always). Some people prefer poplar to birch. Who knows?! Poplar has some really nice tonal properties to it. It's not exactly EVERYBODY'S cup of tea, though. Plus, remember this: any company can "cheapen" the value of a kit. I've seen budget birch and even "maple" kits that look, sound, and play horrible compared to high end kits, and these kits have true maple or birch shells.

BTW, Ludwig, to this day, STILL uses poplar in their Classic Birch Series drums. It's a mix of 9 ply birch and poplar, for added brightness and stronger attack.

I've played the vision. It's not your average birch kit IMO, considering that the attack is stronger and the added tone from the basswood is VERY pronounced, but it does, in fact, sound great. It also looks fantastic in person. The logos, drum spurs, and all of the finishes set off the professionality of this kit. I would definitely buy one if I had the money.

[The Dorian]

That's just wrong. I've owned nothing but a Forum (poplar shells) for 6 years, and played at my church for about the same amount of time on an Export, and I now own a Vision. The birch/basswood IS just strait up better than the 100% poplar.

That reply is simply wrong. In more ways than others, it has everything to do with personal preference (as always). Some people prefer poplar to birch. Who knows?! Poplar has some really nice tonal properties to it. It's not exactly EVERYBODY'S cup of tea, though. Plus, remember this: any company can "cheapen" the value of a kit. I've seen budget birch and even "maple" kits that look, sound, and play horrible compared to high end kits, and these kits have true maple or birch shells.

BTW, Ludwig, to this day, STILL uses poplar in their Classic Birch Series drums. It's a mix of 9 ply birch and poplar, for added brightness and stronger attack.

I've played the vision. It's not your average birch kit IMO, considering that the attack is stronger and the added tone from the basswood is VERY pronounced, but it does, in fact, sound great. It also looks fantastic in person. The logos, drum spurs, and all of the finishes set off the professionality of this kit. I would definitely buy one if I had the money.

I apologize. Maybe I went overboard saying that the birch/basswood is just strait up better than poplar.

Like you said, it's personal preference. But there's really not alot of people that would prefer a 100% poplar drum over any birch/basswood combo. The birch/basswood is much more versatile, you can get so many different sounds from it, and it has a bigger tuning range.

But I mean we can argue this all we want, the proof is in the sound.

Thread owner: if you really like the Export sound that much better than your VLX, then go for it. I just don't see how anyone could deny the sound of the Visions.

[Jookbox]

i've owned an elx for 2 years and poplar is one of my last choices for wood, lol. personally i think it would be a step back. i won't be able to upgrade until '08, but i definitely plan on getting out of poplar land.

[sparkie]

This has turned into a heated debate!

I own an elx export and I love it but if I could get a vision I would. The vision has better hardware, snare drum and it's a better package all around. I would go with the vision but that iS my opinion, also I say in a few years if you want to upgrade the vision would get more money. But im not sure maby all the thousands of export kits will become vintage or something! lol


sorry about all the deleted messages, my internet is crap and every time i pressed refresh it got re-posted.

[skywalker2]

Poplar isn't any better/worse than a birch/basewood shell. It's also incorrect that Poplar is used on "entry level" kits. Those vintage ludwig kits from the 50's and 60's that is sought after among vintage drum collectors was a maple/poplar shell.

Now there may be shell improvements I'm unaware of, like more accurately cut bearing edges, but other than that there's nothing about the VLX that makes it "better" than an export.

The Vision isn't that much different than the old Export lines. This is basically just marketing. Exports were made with Phillipine Mohagany back in the day, but eventually that wood became too expensive and they switched to a Poplar shell.

It all has to do with Pearl being able to sell their kits at a certain price point. When the cost of a particular wood goes up, either Pearl has to raise their prices to a point where it's not even with a competitor's product, or they switch to a cheaper wood. What's amazing is when my mom and dad got me the very first series of Export way back in 1983, I remember they payed around 1000 dollars for that kit and it was a Silver wrapped finish, and the drums weren't near the quality, although good for early 80's. Pearl basically has kept the same price point, but with inflation and technology upgrades you are spending about half as much as I did back then, for a much better product.

So I would say to you, which do you like better. Play both see which sounds better to you, and also consider the look, because you won't get the black burst in the Vision series.

They are both great kits and you'll be happy with either one.

I agree with how kits have continually gotten cheaper and better over the years...but there is still one thing no one has pointed out over even Pearls admittance that visions is superior....

and its that the export STILL exists.

While elx and exr have been done away with, the regular ex is still available and part of the pearl line up. Visions hardware, much better snare with a superior throw off, nicer lugs with brass inserts, and more importantly, the shells, are all a step up from the exports. Yeah it is marketing; who would buy a rebadged export if it was simply more expensive with no significant upgrades? I wouldn't.

The visions is more expensive than any of the previous export lines (with the exception of the newly introduced ecx line.); heck even a WRAPPED vision is more expensive than an Elx. its not all due to the hardware and snare upgrade though, as its probably just expensive to lacquer a visons or wrap a visions as it was an elx.

Pearl themselves has proven that the visons position is superior to export, and shell composition has a lot to do with that.

Some one brought up the ludwig classic birch series; i agree, they do use a blended shell as well...but its kinda a moot point isn't? Since the visions is a blend and the argument is with regards to poplar as a wood ON ITS OWN like it is on the exports; not vintage maple/poplar blends or birch/poplar blends. I'm pretty sure the birch on the ludwigs is a bit more expensive as well. Lets not forget also that the visons is birch/basswood; we'd all take the birch blend over total basswood, theres no need to be coy about that.


I also realize cheaper kits coming totally with maple or totally with birch; and they are roughly the same price. Yeah its safe to asssume that these are of lesser quality, but again, a lot of how a drum sounds is tuning, and again, if given the choice and if price was not an issue, i'm sure most would take the cheaper maple/birch over anything else.


The point is that while tuning has a massive effect on how a drum sounds, as do the bearing edges, thats not to say that the visions wont at least be audibly better sounding than the exports, even if both are tuned well. Yeah taste has a little to do with it, as does personal preference, but when you start on a better platform, the end result is always at least a little nicer.


Black burst is a cool color, but again, like i said, unless you are getting a killer deal on the exports, i would still go visions.

[Tabla_Man]

Poplar is out of the birch family. I've played on the old ELX's many times and with the right tuning, they sound almost like a BRX kit.

You're right that no one would buy a 100% basswood shell, because basswood is a very softwood, unlike poplar. The combination of Birch/Basswood strengthens the shell, it's a comprimise, but that combo does sound good. You can't say the same of the ELX, poplar sounds great by itself, and those exports sounded great.

The most popular combo was with the phillipine mohagany, but like I said, due to environmental restrictions, that isn't an option to keep the drums at the same price point.

I've tried the Visions out at the local drum shop and they sound great, but it's really not that much different than the exports. The main difference is going to be in the thicker floor tom and bass drum shells on the Vision.

For me I'm a thin drum shell fan, especially on the lower drums. I just like the greater reverberation.

The shells are made the same way, the only difference is they used to call it the HCSMS (Heat Compression Shell Molding System), now they call it SST (Superior Shell Technology), it's the same darn thing but it's more marketable to say "Superior Shell"

To me the snare is not an issue, because you can always go out an buy a new snare. Unless you want a matching snare.

Bottom line is there's not that much difference between the VLX and ELX. Yeah of course there are some upgrades on the VLX, but if the guy gets a good deal on the ELX, he'll be happy.

[skywalker2]

Poplar is out of the birch family. I've played on the old ELX's many times and with the right tuning, they sound almost like a BRX kit.

You're right that no one would buy a 100% basswood shell, because basswood is a very softwood, unlike poplar. The combination of Birch/Basswood strengthens the shell, it's a comprimise, but that combo does sound good. You can't say the same of the ELX, poplar sounds great by itself, and those exports sounded great.

The most popular combo was with the phillipine mohagany, but like I said, due to environmental restrictions, that isn't an option to keep the drums at the same price point.

I've tried the Visions out at the local drum shop and they sound great, but it's really not that much different than the exports. The main difference is going to be in the thicker floor tom and bass drum shells on the Vision.

For me I'm a thin drum shell fan, especially on the lower drums. I just like the greater reverberation.

The shells are made the same way, the only difference is they used to call it the HCSMS (Heat Compression Shell Molding System), now they call it SST (Superior Shell Technology), it's the same darn thing but it's more marketable to say "Superior Shell"

To me the snare is not an issue, because you can always go out an buy a new snare. Unless you want a matching snare.

Bottom line is there's not that much difference between the VLX and ELX. Yeah of course there are some upgrades on the VLX, but if the guy gets a good deal on the ELX, he'll be happy.

why would there be an environmental issue with phillipine mahogany? isn't it just another cheap wood?

while exports still sound good, the visions i played were noticably different. I don't think pearl would put so much effort into turning out a new product that sounds the same; sst and hcms make no difference in my hearing the difference.


i never realized poplar was a hardwood; from what i've seen, felt, and always heard its been considered a softer wood.

with regards to the snare; its probaby an exports biggest weakpoint. While a snare might not be an issue to a FEW people, it probably is to MOST people.

I agree; if he gets a killer deal, go elx. But if he was in the market for a new kit in this price range in general, there is no reason not to get a visions.

[44Ronin]

most recorded drum sound in history. .

No it isn't.

[skywalker2]

No it isn't.

what is then?

[Tabla_Man]

why would there be an environmental issue with phillipine mahogany? isn't it just another cheap wood?

while exports still sound good, the visions i played were noticably different. I don't think pearl would put so much effort into turning out a new product that sounds the same; sst and hcms make no difference in my hearing the difference.


i never realized poplar was a hardwood; from what i've seen, felt, and always heard its been considered a softer wood.

with regards to the snare; its probaby an exports biggest weakpoint. While a snare might not be an issue to a FEW people, it probably is to MOST people.

I agree; if he gets a killer deal, go elx. But if he was in the market for a new kit in this price range in general, there is no reason not to get a visions.

Deforestation and other things. The cost of Phillipine Mohogany went up and Poplar was a viable alternative. That's why Pearl switched.

As I said Pearl has to sell those mid range kits at a certain price point to be competitive. The cost of various woods fluctuates, if solid maple or birch were cheaper they'd be selling 100% maple kits in that price range.

I don't know if the cost of Poplar went up or down, but I'm sure the popularity of the birch/basswood combo from Yamaha and Tama was a factor. My point is the poplar kits sounded great. I bought one for a recording kit because it sounded so similar to birch but was alot cheaper.

One of the old guard here on the boards, Thumper232 played and recorded with exports for a long time, they sounded great.

My point about the snare is you could buy an export with a sensitone snare, or better yet get Chad Smith's snare which I think is one of the best snares for the money. PorkPie also has some incredible sounding snare drums for not alot of money. They have a black beauty type snare that I bought for 180 bucks, it sound just as good as a black beauty for about 1/2 the cost.

[skywalker2]

Deforestation and other things. The cost of Phillipine Mohogany went up and Poplar was a viable alternative. That's why Pearl switched.

As I said Pearl has to sell those mid range kits at a certain price point to be competitive. The cost of various woods fluctuates, if solid maple or birch were cheaper they'd be selling 100% maple kits in that price range.

I don't know if the cost of Poplar went up or down, but I'm sure the popularity of the birch/basswood combo from Yamaha and Tama was a factor. My point is the poplar kits sounded great. I bought one for a recording kit because it sounded so similar to birch but was alot cheaper.

One of the old guard here on the boards, Thumper232 played and recorded with exports for a long time, they sounded great.

My point about the snare is you could buy an export with a sensitone snare, or better yet get Chad Smith's snare which I think is one of the best snares for the money. PorkPie also has some incredible sounding snare drums for not alot of money. They have a black beauty type snare that I bought for 180 bucks, it sound just as good as a black beauty for about 1/2 the cost.



i'm not disputing the fact that a poplar kit can sound good; but there is much to be achived with birch/basswood. the competition was obviously a factor, and the visions isn't more expensive simply because of the hardware.

[44Ronin]

Poplar is out of the birch family

Poplar is nothing like scandanavian or japanese birch for that matter



what is then?

Uh...... maple

[The Dorian]

Uh...... maple


I believe it's birch. Maple may be the most recorded sound TODAY. If I remember correctly back in the day birch was the best, most popular wood used by any pro drummer.

[skywalker2]

Poplar is nothing like scandanavian or japanese birch for that matter




Uh...... maple


i've always heard otherwise...in fact, hasn't the company of drums that you play even put that into their marketing? with regards to birch being THE most recorded drum sound in history?

all things aside, one would assume it would be, just by its tonal characteristics.

[Tabla_Man]

Birch only became popular in the 1970's with Yamaha's introduction of the Recording custom kit.

In the 60's Beechwood was probably next most popular to maple with drums that Sonor introduced.

maple would definitely be the most recorded, because all the old Slingerland and Ludwig kits of the 30's and 40's were maple.

[dubsnack]

from a wood geek: wholesale poplar is nearly half the price of Philippine Mahogany and Poplar is NOT in the same family as birch.


EDIT: Although, this is the best info in the thread: "PorkPie also has some incredible sounding snare drums for not alot of money. They have a black beauty type snare that I bought for 180 bucks, it sound just as good as a black beauty for about 1/2 the cost." - Thanks, that is some-kind-of-good-thing to say! :eek:

[skywalker2]

dubsnack, i checked out your bands myspace; great singer and lyrics!

[dubsnack]

****ty drums, lol

here's Jeremy's solo stuff: www.myspace.com/jeremyburkmusic

/shameless promo hijack

[skywalker2]

thats cool man nothing wrong with promo-ing stuff!

[spirit]

Its a debate that will never end, you hear a kit and find out about it, what its made from, the heads, the tuning eyc, but you can never replicate it..............why, well every kit sounds differant in a differant place, small room, large room, hall, gym etc.
all you can do is get the best you can afford in terms of the drums, the heads and then take the time to tune it well and I bet you will enjoy that kit, no matter what its made of..... I have the export and with good tuning it sounds better than may mates referance, because he has no idea how to tune,,,,,,,(and I wont tell him!) hahahahha!

Feel the force mate!

[MattKeaton]

I dont have time to read all the posts but the hardware that comes with the Vision kits is better... and the snare is probably better too; if you prefer metal snares...

[nova]

One point not addresed is that they put 2 ply Protone heads on the Vision and the ELX has single ply Protone heads. This makes getting an acurate appraisal at the music store allmost impossible. I suppose you might be able to buy the EC2's first and tune them on each kit; and then compare. But the Vision with the 2 ply Protone is going to sound better than the ELX with a 1 ply Protone. They sound very good in fact!!! I agree that the snare drum isn't really a factor as most drummers allready have the snare they are going to use. I wouldn't trade my EXR straight accross for a Vision but I certainly would for a Reference or a BRX!!!! I think that All American Drummer should write this question in the Export Zone and check the responses there. Some of us don't get up here very often because it isn't enough of an improvement to switch!!! Just mho. :rolleyes: :p :cool:

Oh! He wrote this in June. I'm sure that he has his kit allready. It might help someone else though.