Dw's or Pearl Reference

[Alex1112]

which one would be the best for the price

[somedrummer]

In my humble opinion... The Reference series is one of the best engineered lines of drums ever produced. The construction of them makes so much sense to me. DWs are very high quality drums. Many will argue that it's just finishes and a name you're paying for with DW. In large part, I think this is true. However, there was a post somewhere that had a really excellent explanation for the prices of DWs.

So my opinion is that for somewhere close to the same price of a set of DWs, you can get some really very well engineered drums. In the end, it comes down to what sounds better to you. But there's my opinion.

[2882]

I've got a DW kit I bought used that sounds great. Some of the Reference drums also sound amazing, but the Reference snare drum I tried out was so heavy it tipped over the stand it was sitting on. Since they're custom drums, it's really up to personal preference. Both companies make great hardware and have nice finishes. Offhand I'd say Pearl are probably cheaper, but DW has more human construction. If you've got the cash, go DW.

[KR3]

I'd go refs. They sound great and looks great. The DW's are also great but the lugs are hideous.

[Just Drums]

Between the 2 I have to say Reference. I have a Ref kit and it sounds good. Honestly, the best sounding kit I ever played recently was a Mapex Saturn. It blew me away.

[Jay.B.]

Going purely on what I've read about the reference, I'd go with the pearl, I mean, there's no doubting DWs quality, after all it's got to be there to get the rep they get, but from which other drum manufacturer can you get a set of drums that is made from woods that are picked for their suitability to that particular task, bass drum made mailnly from one type of wood while a 10" tom would be made from mainly another, harnessing that particular woods properties to give the best possible sound, don't think it could get better than that personally, just another opinion (all be it slightly biased)

[gmrakich]

I'd go refs. They sound great and looks great. The DW's are also great but the lugs are hideous.


Are you saying there is something wrong with putting 3 pounds of lugs on a 10 inch tom??? : ^ P

[Jeremy]

I personally wouldn't go with either, but that's just me. I don't particularly like the idea of the reference because it limits versatility if you want a different sound from what they decided was "ideal" for a floor tom, or a rack tom, or whatever. I've played a couple reference kits, and they'd be great for straight ahead rock or pop. maybe if you hit hard they could work for metal also, but imo they should never be used for anything but those styles.

DW's sound good, but i just get bored with them because you hear them everywhere.

between the two, i'd say reference if you play rock, dw if you play other styles as well. on the other hand, i agree with an above poster that the mapex saturn is amazing, and the yamaha maple absolute, and sonor delite are also fantastic, and all are much more distinctive sounding and versatile.

[Drummerboy3940]

I've got a DW kit I bought used that sounds great. Some of the Reference drums also sound amazing, but the Reference snare drum I tried out was so heavy it tipped over the stand it was sitting on. Since they're custom drums, it's really up to personal preference. Both companies make great hardware and have nice finishes. Offhand I'd say Pearl are probably cheaper, but DW has more human construction. If you've got the cash, go DW.

I dont think you can bring the Ref snare down for being "heavy". My black beauty is very heavy but still sounds amazing. The ref snare is a great sounding snare.

In my opinion, the Reference is a better choice. The DW's are way too much. You can get more drums for the money with Pearl.

[JRH7]

I have played the Reference drums and they do sound great and they are very well constructed. I also like the look of the Reference lugs alot more than the DW lugs. Just this past year I was looking at high end kits and decided to go with Sonor Designers. I looked at the Reference but the sales guy at one of the 5 star shops who carried them told me that they have had a lot of quality control issues and it would be better to look at other brands. However, I think that it comes down to personal preference when looking at the custom line-up from differenct drum manufactures. If you like the sound, design, finish, lugs, hardware and name buy it!. No matter what custom high kit you decide on, the kit will be awsome.

[wy yung]

I think these types of questions are better answered by listening. You can talk to ten different drummers and get ten different answers. In the end this really serves no purpose because the buyer will buy what sounds best to him or her.

I am surprised to see that someone has mentioned QC issues with the Reference kits. I've always heard nothing but good things about Pearl in that regard. Certainly my own experience has been nothing but positive. Hopefully these were isolated incidents.

[hanman]

which one would be the best for the price

personally, I would say that DW is the best manufacturer of drums. However, they let you know that with the price tag. Pearl Reference is much the same however, the price is a few thousand dollars less. So if the budget is 'tight', go Reference. I put tight in quotes because Reference is by no menas cheap!

[Zildjian 242]

If your not open minded to checking out Sonor, mapex, tama etc. Id say DW.

There's just something I dont trust with pearl. There weak mounting system and there quality control thats been getting worse and worse.

[somedrummer]

If your not open minded to checking out Sonor, mapex, tama etc. Id say DW.

There's just something I dont trust with pearl. There weak mounting system and there quality control thats been getting worse and worse.

Weak mounting system? None of Pearl's drums above the Export series use those I.S.S mounts anymore. I think the only reason those are still used is as a means to differentiate the price between lower end and higher end sets. Yes, they are a terrible system, but in this case, that really is not an applicable argument. As for QC problems, I haven't heard any specific stories, but if you have any, I would be very interested to hear them...

[Zildjian 242]

hmm I didn't know they upgraded those mounts for the good ones

Yea, as far as quality control, my local store owner was using a masters. Apparently the mounts warped the shells and the ply's were separating. He tried contacting Pearl but they did nothing to help him.

I dont know, it maybe just be a one time deal but Id stay away. A company that markets so much cheap overpriced poplar kits, to me shows they dont care what they sell because they can survive on the name. Im sure references and masters sound good but company's like Sonor, Yammie, tama, you get so much more for the money

[cornelius]

Depends which DWs you are comparing - I think the VLT Birch sound better than the DW re-ring maples. I'd vote Birch VLTs over Pearl Ref.

[Pearl Player]

hmm I didn't know they upgraded those mounts for the good ones

Yea, as far as quality control, my local store owner was using a masters. Apparently the mounts warped the shells and the ply's were separating. He tried contacting Pearl but they did nothing to help him.

I dont know, it maybe just be a one time deal but Id stay away. A company that markets so much cheap overpriced poplar kits, to me shows they dont care what they sell because they can survive on the name. Im sure references and masters sound good but company's like Sonor, Yammie, tama, you get so much more for the money

Well Im gonna chime in on this one.... LOL Perhaps before you make judgements about stuff like mounts and the like you should do a bit of research. These statements sound so much like someone has a thing against Pearl. Most likely not based in fact. So here is the deal, you talk about the mounts. Well the pearl mounts used on the reference series frankly are about the best engineered ones I have seen They support the drum from both the top and bottom WAY LESS stress then even the DW's which only hold from the top set of lugs. The Lugs have been redesigned. Overall the reference series is NEW not old technology resold like some manufacturers do. The reference series is totally new in design. I would go with the Reference series. As far as support from Pearl. I have never had a problem with them. They have been helpfull and taken care of issues rather nicely. But the bottom line to this is this WHAT sounds good to your ears. Also there is the relationship that dealer has with you. That is also very important. I buy from my local dealer.

Remember, Always weigh what you hear from others. There are folks that have stories. And in doing a bit of digging into that story you may find. Its an old, or misunderstood story in the first place.

Sorry to come down hard on this one.

Mike

[Rhythmic Disciple]

A high-end drum kit is a high-end drum kit; They all sound good, it's just the one YOU like best. At this point, it starts to come down to other variables.

If you want the "personal" touch, buy a DW. In my experience, they provide excellent customer service from beginning to end, and you are provided with a product that is all your own work (if you make the effort to provide the detail!). That's why I bought one!

Personally, coupled with the consistent sound, I appreciated the various options DW provided and the general look of the drums (i.e. lugs, mounting, finishes etc). Whilst I have nothing against Pearl, I find their drums to be 'over-the-top' style wise. There's always too much metal and everything looks too modern for my taste.

With DW, I like the fact that the look is somewhat contemporary, but the technology behind them is modern. You kind of get the best of both worlds!

However, as stated at the top, high-end is high-end. I would keep an open mind and decide what you really want from a drum kit, then go from there...

[macmarkus]

it's the great sound of the deedubs i like more ... and the fantastic hardware.
i sold my sonor designers for them ...

[DWfan20005]

it's the great sound of the deedubs i like more ... and the fantastic hardware.
i sold my sonor designers for them ...


I agree with macmarkus. Plus Pearl Drums are too fat sounding and the hardware is uncomfortable and overated.

[Class A Drummer]

I would personally go with the Pearl Referance. I have only tried out a couple DW sets, and i was not impressed. I mean, sure it sounded great, but i was expecting this insane one of a kind sound i had never heard before considering how expensive they are and by how popular they have lately become. Also, i may be slightly bias considering i own a session myself.