Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Drums Week 25
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Guitar Amps
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Artist news
  • Drums
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • Santana on Beck
  • Friday, I'm in Love
  • Knopfler's 4-note secret
  • 95k+ free music samples
Recommended reading
DrumCraft Urban Beats
Drum Kits “A good-looking kit which won’t break the bank”: DrumCraft Urban Beats review
Drum Kits Where to start with a drum kit
Man plays Alesis Nitro Max drum kit with black sticks
Electronic Drums Best beginner electronic drum sets 2025: top-rated entry-level e-drums, reviewed by experts
Man jams with a guitar player and bass player on an electronic drum kit
Drum Gear These huge drum deals at Sweetwater are about to disappear – here’s your last chance to bag up to 60% off electronic drums, cymbals, sticks and more
Yamaha Stage Custom drum set in a studio with spotlights behind
Drum Kits Best drum sets 2025: Top drum kits for beginner to pro drummers
Zildjan Alchem-e Kit
Drums Zildjian Alchem-e Kits at Drums Week 2025: The feel of real drums meets limitless electronic expression – redefine your sound
Zultan 25 series
Cymbals “A versatile set with dry and dark tonal qualities”: Zultan 25 Series Cymbals review
  1. Drums
  2. Drum Gear

New drum gear of the month: review round-up (May 2010)

News
By Rhythm magazine, Tom Porter published 10 May 2010

April-May 2010: sets, cymbals, snares, hardware and percussion

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

April-May 2010: sets, cymbals, snares, hardware and percussion

April-May 2010: sets, cymbals, snares, hardware and percussion

Every month MusicRadar’s industry-leading sister magazines - Guitarist, Computer Music, Total Guitar, Rhythm, Future Music and Guitar Techniques - publish the best independent and in-depth music-making gear reviews.

This is a collection of the best drum kits, snares, cymbals, hardware, hand percussion and a "must-have" bottom end-boosting accessory - the KickPort - from Rhythm Magazine’s gruelling testing process. First reviewed in Rhythm issue 176 and published on MusicRadar throughout April and May.

Scroll on for this month’s top picks and click through to read each product’s full review. First up: Tama Starclassic Bubinga drum kit

Page 1 of 7
Page 1 of 7
Tama Starclassic Bubinga drum kit (£2799)

Tama Starclassic Bubinga drum kit (£2799)

MusicRadar’s verdict

"Tama's reputation suggests that it would never rush into a decision and a great deal of preparation has clearly taken place before the transferral of the production of one of its flagship lines to China. It has the looks, feel and sound of a fully-fledged pro kit - just like the more expensive kit it replaces."

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Tama Starclassic Bubinga drum kit

(Reviewed by Adam Jones - Rhythm magazine issue 176)

Page 2 of 7
Page 2 of 7
Zildjian EFX Cymbals (£232)

Zildjian EFX Cymbals (£232)

MusicRadar’s verdict

"These new EFX models are a clear indication of 21st Century drummers' appetites for ever more complicated cymbals. Evolving away from established designs and freely mixing different sonic attributes - some of them verging on contradictory - EFXs are refreshingly different and unashamedly modern."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Zildjian EFX Cymbals

(Reviewed by Adam Jones - Rhythm magazine issue 176)

Page 3 of 7
Page 3 of 7
Worldmax Microvent Snare Drum (£150)

Worldmax Microvent Snare Drum (£150)

MusicRadar’s verdict

"Despite its resemblance to a colander for draining your pasta, the Microvent sounds rather special. If you want a really sharp yet sensitive budget steel snare, look no further."

3 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Worldmax Microvent Snare Drum

(Reviewed by Geoff Nicholls - Rhythm magazine issue 176)

Page 4 of 7
Page 4 of 7
Sonor 100, 200 and 400 series hardware sets (£215)

Sonor 100, 200 and 400 series hardware sets (£215)

MusicRadar’s verdict

"Sonor has a reputation for attention to detail and inventive hardware designs, particularly with its drum fittings and tom mounts. So while everything in these three hardware series is most certainly worthy of your consideration, we were still left feeling a teensy bit dissatisfied."

3 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Sonor 100, 200 and 400 series hardware sets

(Reviewed by Geoff Nicholls - Rhythm magazine issue 176)

Page 5 of 7
Page 5 of 7
KickPort drum insert (£42)

KickPort drum insert (£42)

MusicRadar’s verdict

“It's not very often that a product comes along that is so simple yet capable of producing such impressive results. Such effectiveness and ease of use comes on the back of the four years of testing and developing that took place before the KickPort was launched.”

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: KickPort drum insert

(Reviewed by Adam Jones - Rhythm magazine issue 176)

Page 6 of 7
Page 6 of 7
Meinl Signature hand percussion (£13)

Meinl Signature hand percussion (£13)

MusicRadar’s verdict

"Meinl's open-mindedness when collaborating with artists such as Bill and Luis is quite refreshing, and these exciting new creations are sure to delight the more adventurous percussionists out there!"

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Meinl Signature hand percussion

(Reviewed by Charlie Price - Rhythm magazine issue 176)

Page 7 of 7
Page 7 of 7
Tom Porter

Tom Porter worked on MusicRadar from its mid-2007 launch date to 2011, covering a range of music and music making topics, across features, gear news, reviews, interviews and more. A regular NAMM-goer back in the day, Tom now resides permanently in Los Angeles, where he's doing rather well at the Internet Movie Database (IMDB).

Read more
DrumCraft Urban Beats
“A good-looking kit which won’t break the bank”: DrumCraft Urban Beats review
Where to start with a drum kit
Man plays Alesis Nitro Max drum kit with black sticks
Best beginner electronic drum sets 2025: top-rated entry-level e-drums, reviewed by experts
Man jams with a guitar player and bass player on an electronic drum kit
These huge drum deals at Sweetwater are about to disappear – here’s your last chance to bag up to 60% off electronic drums, cymbals, sticks and more
Yamaha Stage Custom drum set in a studio with spotlights behind
Best drum sets 2025: Top drum kits for beginner to pro drummers
Zildjan Alchem-e Kit
Zildjian Alchem-e Kits at Drums Week 2025: The feel of real drums meets limitless electronic expression – redefine your sound
Latest in Drum Gear
Zultan 25 series
“A versatile set with dry and dark tonal qualities”: Zultan 25 Series Cymbals review
Millenium Drums Legendary Drumbook
“An extremely well-thought-out and all-encompassing piece of drum education”: Millenium Drums Legendary Drumbook review
Man jams with a guitar player and bass player on an electronic drum kit
These huge drum deals at Sweetwater are about to disappear – here’s your last chance to bag up to 60% off electronic drums, cymbals, sticks and more
Sleep Token drummer II Drumeo
“I’ve taken inspiration from the UK dance music scene": Mixwave put Sleep Token’s drummer in a plugin
DW SonicPly
Neil Peart called him 'the Wood Whisperer' and now he's blended metal and timber in DW's new SonicPly shells
Zultan Cymbals
"Crafted from Heritage. Tuned for Tomorrow": Zultan Cymbals celebrate their 25th birthday with a new high-end 25 series
Latest in News
Gibson Tony Iommi Humbucker: the all-new humbucker, a reissue of its first-ever signature pickup.
Gibson goes back to the beginning with reissue of its first-ever signature pickup for Black Sabbath icon Tony Iommi
Spandau Ballet in the early '80s
“It’s kind of gothic post-punk”: Spandau Ballet drop a lost early track from new box set
Photo of Mike JOYCE and SMITHS and MORRISSEY and Andy ROURKE and Johnny MARR; L-R: Andy Rourke, Mike Joyce (drums), Morrissey, Johnny Marr (playing Gibson ES-335 guitar), performing live on The Tube
“This book truly conveys what it felt like to be a member of the Smiths”: Mike Joyce’s memoir to be published in November
Jack Antonoff attends the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on January 26, 2020
“He kind of approaches records like a plumber…”: Bartees Strange on super producer Jack Antonoff
k20
"We asked ourselves, what if we could rebuild the legendary K2000 V.A.S.T. synthesizer, but using today’s technology?": Kurzweil's K2061 and K2088 synths are now shipping
Forwards Festival Barry Can't Swim
Forwards Festival 2025 review: Orbital, Barry Can’t Swim, Olivia Dean, Jorja Smith and more

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...