Visions vs Everyone else

[skywalker2]

There is a thread similar to this in the general drumset discussions forum, but its a bit tedious to flip through, and includes kits that don't neccesarily compete with the visions price range.


I have not included ludwig, taye, gretsch, pacific or yamaha yet (geez skywalker did you include ANYTHING? ;) ), since i'm tired, but will go back and add them later.



This is to serve anyone looking at a visions kit and wants to know where they stand content/feature wise against DIRECT (not 'its a few hundred dollars more so its a better deal') competitors. This will also serve to educate some people who are new to the forums and want a quick rundown of specs. (i'm leaving opinions out as much as possible.)

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1. Pearl Visions Vsx/Vlx

shell composition: birch/basswood/birch, 7.5mm, 6ply toms;
10mm, 8ply bass & floor toms.

hoops:1.6mm

mounting system: i.s.s.

Snare Drum: 1.0 mm steel sensitone

Hardware Included: Pearl 900 Series

Interesting/notable additional features: lugs are styled after pearls hi end reference series and have brass inserts. The floor toms and bass drum are thicker than most drums in this price range, so they have potential additional volume and punch. Shell composition includes same woods as the Tama superstar, but in the exact opposite order. The snare has a strainer that works two ways. 900 series hardware is brand new.

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2.Mapex M-Birch

shell composition: Maple outer ply/birch 7.2mm, 6 ply shells

Hoops: 1.6mm

Mounting System: I.T.S.

Snare Drum: maple outer ply/birch

Hardware: Mapex 500 Series

Interesting/Notable additional features: mapex m-birch kits use an outer ply of maple for nicer-than-average woodgrain patterns;black forest burst finishes cost more than their normal counterparts; mapex will throw in a free tom with purchase.(size dependent on drum set purchased.) Uses same mounting system as more costly mapex kits.

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3.Tama Superstar

shell composition: basswood/birch/basswood 7ply,7mm bass;
6ply 6mm toms and snare

Hoops: Die-Cast

Mounting System: Star-Cast

Snare:basswood/birch/basswood

Hardware included: Tama Road-pro

Interesting/Notable additional features: only kit in its price range to offer die cast hoops; only kit in its price range to come in a standar 4 piece configuration; Road-Pro hardware is the same hardware used on tamas top level kits with the exception of the included bass pedal and hi hat; starcast mounting system is the same used on tamas higher end kits as well. Shell composition combines the same woods as the visions, but in an exact opposite order.

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4. Sonor Force 2007

shell composition: 100%birch, 9 ply,7mm tom/bass/snare

Hoops:1.6 mm(?)

Mounting system: T.A.R. system

Snare: 100% birch

Hardware included: Sonor 200 Series

Interesting/notable additional features:toms/bass/snare all same number of plies; lugs feature a 'tune safe' guard to keep tension rods from de-tuning during playing; only set to be able to claim to have 'german engineering'.

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5.Premier Cabria APK

shell composition: ash/maple inner ply; 6mm,6ply toms;
8mm, 8ply bass and snare

Hoops: 2.3 mm

Mounting System: I.S.O.

Snare: ash/maple inner ply

Hardware included: Premier 200 Series

Interesting/Notable additional features: like the vision series, premier has opted for a thicker-than-the-toms drum, in this case, the snare drum,while not as drastic as the principle applied to the visions, it gives the snare unique qualities;one of the few ash kits on the market aside from ddrum's and gretsch's offerings;recently completely redesigned.


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more to come soon...

[Freaze]

wow!!! excelent thread, i like to see a conclusion by you of the best kit...

[Diofter]

Great thread!
My question is since Tama,Mapex,Yamaha,Sonor use the same tom mount as on their hi end series why Pearl didn't put optimounts on the Visions? I believe that if construction costs are almost equal for every company Pearl can reduce a bit the percentage of the profit and put them, comparing to tama who put not only starcast but the very costly die cast hoops too! I think this is called more for your money? By any means I am not bashing the Visions though,just a question.

[PureRockFury]

Great thread!
My question is since Tama,Mapex,Yamaha,Sonor use the same tom mount as on their hi end series why Pearl didn't put optimounts on the Visions? I believe that if construction costs are almost equal for every company Pearl can reduce a bit the percentage of the profit and put them, comparing to tama who put not only starcast but the very costly die cast hoops too! I think this is called more for your money? By any means I am not bashing the Visions though,just a question.

The T.A.R. mount on the Force series isn't the same as the T.A.R. mount on the S Classix and higher. The shape is roughly the same but the design and features aren't.

[Son of Shub-Niggurath]

What's so special about German engineering?

[The Dorian]

Great thread Skywalker. Good information there.

[corrado]

This is going to be interesting, have fun defending this thread Skywalker. :o
may the force be with be you.

[Strat-Master]

I was going to get a vision but i ended up with a tama superstar. Im actually really happy with my kit.

[skywalker2]

What's so special about German engineering?


nothing really. Some people think its over rated, some people think its superior to everything, and many comment on the extra special 'something' sonor kits have. Whatever german engineering means to you can vary person to person....but its still fitting for the force series, seeing as how it IS a german company. (saying 'asian' or 'american' engineering just doesn't resonate as much for some reason.)

again, i'm leaving opinion out as much as possible, just stating facts.

but if it does start to really bother people, i'll edit it. (not saying that it bothers you though man!:))

[skywalker2]

This is going to be interesting, have fun defending this thread Skywalker. :o
may the force be with be you.


:) thanks man. Hopefully i wont have to 'defend' it, seeing as how i'm just posting specs, and pointing out features.

[skywalker2]

I was going to get a vision but i ended up with a tama superstar. Im actually really happy with my kit.



as you should be, because its a great kit!

[skywalker2]

Great thread Skywalker. Good information there.

gracias! ;)

[skywalker2]

Great thread!
My question is since Tama,Mapex,Yamaha,Sonor use the same tom mount as on their hi end series why Pearl didn't put optimounts on the Visions? I believe that if construction costs are almost equal for every company Pearl can reduce a bit the percentage of the profit and put them, comparing to tama who put not only starcast but the very costly die cast hoops too! I think this is called more for your money? By any means I am not bashing the Visions though,just a question.


to echo what ac said, even the optimounts that would have been included on the visions would have been different than the ones you find on, say a masters series.

The visions does have some interesting features to counteract its lack of thicker hoops and less than amazing mounting system. (if pearl can get away with selling this kit the way it is, why change it?) Tama's system is a bit different on their starclassic lines as well.

[skywalker2]

Thanks for the kind posts guys, i should be adding more some more today.

[philthy]

I think we're really spoilt for choice nowadays with beginner/intermediate drums, especially when I look back to when I first started playing (and I'm only 22 years old). I'd be happy with any of these makes of drums (I ended picking the superstars, moreso on the finish than anything else), and I don't think there's really any wrong decision, just what we personally feel more comfortable with.

[skywalker2]

I think we're really spoilt for choice nowadays with beginner/intermediate drums, especially when I look back to when I first started playing (and I'm only 22 years old). I'd be happy with any of these makes of drums (I ended picking the superstars, moreso on the finish than anything else), and I don't think there's really any wrong decision, just what we personally feel more comfortable with.



exactly, and this is what this thread is for, so people can quickly come and check out specs, and decide what matters most for them.


i think superstars are great, and if i do get a kit in this price range, its the only other contender aside from the visions im seriously considering.

[skywalker2]

wow philthy, you and i are EXACTLY the same age. (birthdate and everything.)

[eyewtkas]

exactly, and this is what this thread is for, so people can quickly come and check out specs, and decide what matters most for them.


i think superstars are great, and if i do get a kit in this price range, its the only other contender aside from the visions im seriously considering.

Why would you not seriously consider the 2007 or the M Birch?

[philthy]

wow philthy, you and i are EXACTLY the same age. (birthdate and everything.)

we awesome.

[skywalker2]

we awesome.




heck yes! ;)

[skywalker2]

Why would you not seriously consider the 2007 or the M Birch?




oh don't get me wrong, they are great kits...if you were to show up on my doorstep with a 2007, i'd take it.


it just comes down to personal preference, not so much if they are serious contenders or not, and that what i hope people get from this thread; an aid to help them decide if they are ok with tar mounts, do they like basswood, are thick floor toms something they'd like, etc.


I have always loved tamas hardware and 'feel' of their drums. But i've been a pearl hardware fan for awhile now too, and i love their finishes. The pearl is easy to convert into a 'virgin' bass without having to get a bigger size like say a 24 incher, and the tamas come in a four piece set up. Little things like that, that suit MY needs, make these two kits a bit more tantalizing.


I liket the sonors, but i prefer the hardware on the other kits...and i've never been a fan of the m-birch's finishes, save for a few of the bursts. But that still is not enough to make me a mapex hardware advocate; i'd need to at -LEAST get a pro-m (which offers a better bass pedal and hi hat stand) for that.

like i said, somethings are more important to some people and then not so important to others.

[Diofter]

Do what I did= superstar with icon rack and pearl hardware!!!! I think overall nowadays you get great kits for very little considering how the drum business has progressed through time.
Do the 2007 have the 3007 lugs ala S Class or the old ones 2005,3005? Those on 3007 are very nice.

[philthy]

Do what I did= superstar with icon rack and pearl hardware!!!! I think overall nowadays you get great kits for very little considering how the drum business has progressed through time.
Do the 2007 have the 3007 lugs ala S Class or the old ones 2005,3005? Those on 3007 are very nice.


thats exactly what I did.

[Son of Shub-Niggurath]

Do what I did= superstar with icon rack and pearl hardware!!!! I think overall nowadays you get great kits for very little considering how the drum business has progressed through time.
Do the 2007 have the 3007 lugs ala S Class or the old ones 2005,3005? Those on 3007 are very nice.

I believe the lugs on the 2007 are identical to the lugs from the 3007 drums.