Sonor Delite VS Pearl Reference

[SharkyBait911]

Hi Guys,

Ok im selling up. I'm selling both my kits and im gonna get a goodun'...so... i've narrowed it down to two kits either sonor delite or a reference and i want opitions on both and i work in a drum shop so i can get both drums on the cheap but ideally nothing to far behond on £2000 mark (GBP)... so Advice please?!?! the kit needs to be heavy versitile but im centered around jazz fusion so no heavy playing and its gonna be used for recording mainly so not so much live stuff. If you have any other ranges/brands that you would surgest that fit all the cirteria go for it but i want some good opinions please not saying you like that certain kit because youve seen a yellow one and its your favourite colour....

Thanks guys!

Tristan

[eamesuser]

I have played the delites,and heard and tapped around the references,The Pearls just didn't do it for me,especially for the price,I say play both if you can and make a decision,remember that the German made top for the line Sonors,at least in the U.S. will bring a much better money on resale,Pearl drums have a very low resale.

[Homeularis]

Pearl are great, I played Pearls for 20 years (I really dont like their tom mounts though), but Pearl Reference vs Sonor Delites?.

Sonor Delites all day.

Ultra thin Maple shells are perfect for Jazz and great for everything else IMO.

If I had a chance to grab a Sonor Delite kit, I wouldnt even blink. :)

[GRUNTERSDAD]

My friend, your answer lies in your avatar. Gretsch USA custom

[scorch whammin]

If your choice is between these two...then Sonor..

[audiotech]

Having played both, it would be a no brainer. Sonor Delite.

Dennis

[Bo Eder]

Your criteria would suggest many more choices than the two you've mentioned. So, rather than offer an opinion, why do you like the two choices you've posted?

[Ian]

They are totally different drums. I'd go with the Sonors, but that is because I don't really care for the Pearls.

[SharkyBait911]

Your criteria would suggest many more choices than the two you've mentioned. So, rather than offer an opinion, why do you like the two choices you've posted?

Well i have had long chats with the head of Percussion at the shop i work at and he said for around that price these are the two best for value kits eg with tama your looking at paying the best part of £2000 for something that you could pay £1995 with pearl.... I've never played on either of these kits as there isnt another store which has them around but i might travel to the nearest drum show to see them but as other brands go your either paying lots of money for it or its simply not as good! However i dont know how true this is so your more than welcome to surgest other brands because i dont know much about Ludwig etc....

Thanks guys, really good advice... keep it coming

[Bo Eder]

Well i have had long chats with the head of Percussion at the shop i work at and he said for around that price these are the two best for value kits eg with tama your looking at paying the best part of £2000 for something that you could pay £1995 with pearl.... I've never played on either of these kits as there isnt another store which has them around but i might travel to the nearest drum show to see them but as other brands go your either paying lots of money for it or its simply not as good! However i dont know how true this is so your more than welcome to surgest other brands because i dont know much about Ludwig etc....

Thanks guys, really good advice... keep it coming

I think if at all possible, check out as many drums as you can. I've owned alot of kits, and one thing I've learned over the years is that once you hit a certain price point, the quality between manufacturers is pretty much the same. I paid $3500 for a beautiful DW kit, and it's right on par with my current top-o-the-line Tama Starclassic Bubinga Elite kit (which is about the same price). So once you settle on a price point, you'll find many similar kits in terms of quality. The only difference might be in the type of woods used, or the colors available. You just have to buy what you like, and sometimes it does come down to the little things.
Some guys don't like the big DW turret lug, or Pearl's tom mounts, or how Tama mounts the resonance bracket to their drums. I personally have a hatred for Taye drums' bass drum spurs, but I love Sonors bass drum spur. It might be impossible to like everything from one manufacturer, so you compromise. Pick a wood you like, folks swear by their particular woods, and I've played maple, birch, mystery wood, but bubinga has become my favorite now - I like the enhance 'boing' sound I get. The Yamaha Oak Custom is the closest I've found that get s close to the bubinga sound, very hard and dense woods, too.
Perhaps you don't have to find a drum show, just go out to the clubs and see what drums guys are using out there. Good luck with your choice!

[jim_gregory]

If you like Pearl kits, and I do very much, you should check the new referance pure line. Thinner shells and lighter hardware. Should record well and the tube lugs look so pretty and much lighter then the standard referance lugs.
http://drumcenternh.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Pearl-Reference-Pure-Drum-Set1.jpg

[keep it simple]

How many pieces for your budget? Do you need a new snare also? If the choice is only between the two kits you've mentioned, then the Sonor every time, by a mile.

If, however, you're open to thinking outside the box, you could go high quality custom built in the UK for that money, unless you want 7+ drums of course. Highwood drums offer exceptional quality ply shelled drums (they make their own), & you'd be able to specify pretty much anything you want at that price (depth, bearing edges, finish, etc). Why not visit the Jobecky drum festival, Sunday May 1st in Stafford. A small show, but plenty of UK custom builders there, & amongst them, Highwood. You can try the kits out in one place & see some great clinic performances, all for a pathetic £10. No big drive from Norfolk.

Go on, take the jump, widen your horizons, & have a great drummy day out!

[mediocrefunkybeat]

Andy, you just got me thinking about actually going to that festival...

[wy yung]

I have extensive experience with Pearl Reference series drums. IME they are inconsistent. They can be great if the shells you get are great. They can also be rubbish. I have played many bad Reference drums. (I used to operate amongst heavy Pearl dealership) I have only heard one Delite snare I would not buy.

Sonor IMO is a far greater brand. Think Ferrari to Ford.

Oh and forget Gretsch. They can't even be bothered to make their own shells. WTF is up with that? They are not a drum company. They just sell them.

[keep it simple]

Oh and forget Gretsch. They can't even be bothered to make their own shells. WTF is up with that? They are not a drum company. They just sell them.Whoops, methinks a mayoral collision is imminent, lol!

[zambizzi]

Whoops, methinks a mayoral collision is imminent, lol!

Quick! Quick! A diversion! More important; chops or groove? Uhm....JAZZ!

[Bo Eder]

Quick! Quick! A diversion! More important; chops or groove? Uhm....JAZZ!

You might also want to take a look at the Sonor Safari.... ;)

[richkenyon]

I have played Yamaha all my professional drumming life, but got a Sonor Delite (20//8//10//12//14 + Snare) several years back & have used it as my giggin kit ever since.

I always loved the Yamaha tom mount system, but the Sonor system is good. The ball-&-socket omni joints also extend forward / back which really helps fine positioning. That said, I would prefer the Designer mounting system from the BD, but it is impossibly heavy.

I have never owned a Pearl kit, but I agree with the remark about the Reference Pure - probably worth a look.

BTW - The Sonor Delite snare I got (14/4) is one of the best drums I have ever played. I use it on all jazz gigs & more besides. I have some videos of my Delites on my website - you may want to hear them!

[Swiss Matthias]

I always loved the Yamaha tom mount system, but the Sonor system is good. The ball-&-socket omni joints also extend forward / back which really helps fine positioning. That said, I would prefer the Designer mounting system from the BD, but it is impossibly heavy.

Rich, so you're saying you prefer mounting your toms on stands instead of bass drum mount?
But if the tom mount on bass drum is that heavy - isn't a tom mount on stand equally heavy?

(I'm planning on buying a Delite kit, you know... And I'm currently deciding between BD rosette vs virgin BD,
but not because of the virgin drum, but thinking of setting up and carrying matters...)

[Florian]

Sonor.

thats all you need to know.


F

[RickP]

Sonor would be my choice as well and your back will thank you , that you didn't choose Pearl.

[Swiss Matthias]

Guys, guys, the thread is from April, I think by now he has made his choice :).

[piperdoog]

I have extensive experience with Pearl Reference series drums. IME they are inconsistent. They can be great if the shells you get are great. They can also be rubbish. I have played many bad Reference drums. (I used to operate amongst heavy Pearl dealership) I have only heard one Delite snare I would not buy.

Sonor IMO is a far greater brand. Think Ferrari to Ford.

Oh and forget Gretsch. They can't even be bothered to make their own shells. WTF is up with that? They are not a drum company. They just sell them.

Bingo!!!!
Well said, I totally agree.
Pearl are nice but from my experience a little inconsistent as well.
Sonor's are excellent drums all the way around.
I noticed something the other day with a top of the line Ludwig kit (Legacy) Something simple but just makes you look at the detail that goes into a Sonor kit compared to other big drum companies.
The Legacy kit was 3 shells for almost $3000.00, I looked at the bass drum hoops and the wrap that happened to be on it was just placed ontop of the hoop, sorry but that's cheap to me.
The Sonors inlay the hoops to make it even all the way around, simple little things like this make you think hmmm.
Also lets face it Sonor drums have the best dam looking lugs on the market!
Anyways thanks for listening to me rant. I like Ludwig drums but I found that kind of cheap..

[bobdadruma]

I have been thinking of buying a Sonor Delite.
I have been slowly looking and comparing drums for a few years now and I have my heart set on a Sonor.
I like everything about them.
I will have to buy used.
The new ones are out of my range.

[audiotech]

My mind has not changed from the comment I made six months ago, Sonor Delite, no question.

Dennis

[bobdadruma]

I'm currently deciding between BD rosette vs virgin BD,
but not because of the virgin drum, but thinking of setting up and carrying matters...) I have grown to prefer putting the two mounted toms on a stand that is next to the bass drum.
The main reason is that it allows me to place my ride where the second tom would go if it was mounted on the bass drum.
The stand can also hold a cymbal. One stand holds 3 items

I leave my tom stand in tact when I transport. I simply lower the cymbal arm so that the stand fits into a 36" bag.
It works great!
If the bass drum has a tom mount I use it to hold a cymbal arm for a splash cymbal.