Pearl Vision VSX

Had a "Big 24" Ludwig Epic kit . Sold for pearl VSX – Luddies sounded and played great - 24" kick and big toms are tough in small, tight venues. Bought the VSX with 20" kick and 8-10=12=14" toms and am amazed at the tonal quality and tuning range. Well built and hardware is no joke - great value from a veteran builder. These play like butter and cover many genres with ease. The "Gold Strata" is beautiful and the shells are well constructed. Even the stock "Protone" heads sound good!!! I was lucky to get these for a great price and am completely satisfied. I've had many mid level kits and this equals or betters any of them.

Pearl VSX (short stack) – Recently got this kit used - but excellent condition. It's the short stack (shallow) tom series. I decided to give this a try after watching a 'Youtube' vid of a german gent playing one and it sounded good enough (mic'd) on there, I was also interested in the fact they use the 6 ply toms / 8 ply kick and large floors and wanted to see what the "Exports successor" was all about. I tuned the kit by light tapping and they seemed to tune quite easily - no dampening - Stock 'Pro tone' clear heads. For the snare I used an Emporer X and Powerstroke on the kick as I was playing a pub gig and un mic'd so was needed that extra power there. First of all the drums needed a litte more adjustment as the venue had thick bouncy carpet (grrrrr). I knew the acoustics were going to be hard to work with especially when the bigger cymbals (SABIAN AA / AAX) sustain and volume was stifled. But it did not take long to get the drums to sound off niceley again. The tone of the toms was easily usable in this situation and more than pleaseant enough to sit in a Rock atmosphere. I like them. The Kick had plenty of poke / thud and depth and attack. During points in the gig I gave it 'em and they delivered. So it's a Good from me for these drums. Not bad for a 'bottom of the mid range' kit at all - be interesting to hear it with Emporers on it ! And to play them in a freindlier acoustic setting where I don't have to lay into them. Could not fault the Sensitone snare. In fact for a standard 8 lug steel shell - I liked it a lot - they sound better than they look, crisp powerful if needed - ringy without dampening though. But better than some of the other Mid Range kit snares I have played - it has a very nice strainer too!!!.

I have based my review in comparison to other Pearl kits I have had, 2 BLX's and an MMX previously. Also owned Yamaha tour custom and Sonor Force. I also had a Mapex Pro M hybrid shell a while ago and liked that too. Currently my own an Oak custom. Played many very expsensive and cheap snares too... V. good sound. I don't recall Exports being this good or even near it. No nonsense and CHEAP :) Not much really. Pro tone heads are good in low volume but some good heads as standard would be nice. Snare ringing a bit of a pain but soon forgot about that.