I think both brands make great drums.. But my Pearl Reference is the best kit I have ever played. Some people seem to think they are too loud due to the very thick shells, and yes, they can absolutely be played very loud and project a lot. But all of this is, like mist top-end drums today have a wide variety of tuning options. On my Reference kit I can use any head, use any type of tuning, heads, sticks and beater material to change the sound and feel completely, while still being able to create a fantastic sound.
Many players outside of just pounding music think very thin shells and flanged hoops are a must to sound «authentic».. honestly, most vintage kits just sound bad.
The Reference Pure are also nice as they have a bit thinner shells and are a bit easier to carry to gigs.. but the drums resonates a lot less and the sound dies faster. With the standard Reference you have a ton of options for creating your sound and different sounds. The playing, stick choice, head choice and tuning will create whatever you need if done right.
i only wish I got a 50% off deal(new kit) on another finish than piano black.. zzZzz. Btw.. the Reference snares are the best.. very sensitive, yet powerful. I also have a 14x5 brass Reference snare. Rounded edges. Less attack then ofc, but great for any kind of music.
I think a lot of hipsters these days think Pearl is just Export since they were everywhere at one point. But they have such a wide viraety of kits.
Personally I,m not a fan of wrappings unless vintage kits. I think Pearl could have had more wood finishes in general. I think other companies’ finishes keep many players away from Pearl. Pearl have also focused too much towards metal in promo imo.