I think these kits are as good as any TOL kit out there, but there's still a matter of preference.
Good for what? Good for who?
Agree.
I received a new PHX kit very recently (10/12/14/16/20). The craftsmanship is very good (for me, the nod goes to Sonor SQ2 for overall build and attention to detail for ply drums). I am waiting for a couple issues to be sorted out before spending more time with them. I've already spent a fair amount experimenting with tuning etc.
It's easy and understandable to get excited over new gear and just as easy to arrive at quick conclusions about that gear. I am trying like heck to avoid that scenario. My initial impression is the PHX are very nice drums as far as build and overall quality, but somewhat finicky to tune (this has been confirmed for me by two other more experienced PHX owners). Being finicky to tune may not be an issue for some if you happen to not mind it and especially if the sonic payback is superior in every way - this is not my experience with the PHX. Yes, the bass drums are the best part of the kit, but in my mind not in a superior way compared to some others - simply different.
The PHX line is very pricey for the limited sizes and finishes offered, so for me the value proposition is diminished by that. In Yamaha's defense, they are not a custom drum company (at least for the masses). I did not pay typical US prices for the kit, so I get a little (not a lot) wiggle room (in my mind) with respect to overall value.
Hopefully, once I have my set complete again I will be able to spend a bit more time before pronouncing judgement based on my experience and perspective. If I can consistently get sounds I like from them, the PHX may stay in the stable. I have several other kits from which I can consistently good sounds, so it's not a serious tuning ability deficiency on my part. Otherwise, I will have no qualms about putting the kit up for sale because I will not make the effort or spend the time to convince myself it's a great kit, if it's not (for me). So, yes, you are hearing the straight talk from a guy who spent $5k+ on a kit and is not yet in love with it. Granted, it's probably somewhat atypical for a drummer to spend a boatload of cash on a kit and not fall in love with it. I'd LOVE to be telling a different story, but I'm just calling it as I hear it in service to the drumming community.
After spending a good week and a half experimenting with various heads and tunings on the PHX, the best I can suggest is for any prospective PHX buyer to
spend some time with the drums themselves (changing heads, tuning, playing etc) and do your best to make a true evaluation (sonic and otherwise) of them
while being as blind to cost and appearance as possible. I truly believe what we pay for an item and see (oooooh, pretty!) can affect what we hear (perceive), which can make the subjective aspects of reality almost endlessly mutable in some ways. It does not matter what data a manufacturer throws at you from a sound frequency analysis, if the reality of the sound in your head is not registering as desirable and the overall experience pales. Obviously, Yamaha did not intend for the PHX line to be a drum for the masses - possibly in more ways than one. That alone itself does not make it an inherently superior, or inferior drum in my view.