Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Guitar Amps
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • "Worst rap album in history"
  • Superbooth 2025
  • Eilish vs Radiohead
  • 95k+ free music samples

Recommended reading

Drumcraft Bell Brass Snare
Snare Drums “An excellent entry point into the world of cast-shell drums, and a clear bargain”: DrumCraft Bell Brass Snare review
DrumCraft Urban Beats
Drum Kits DrumCraft’s Urban Beats delivers pro-quality looks and sound for the compact stage and budget
Millenium MPS-850 E-Drum set
Electronic Drums “Boasts an array of features, many of which punch impressively above its relatively low price-point”: Millenium MPS-850 E-Drum set review
Man playing Roland TD716 electronic drum set in a studio
Electronic Drums Best electronic drum sets 2025: Top picks for every playing level and budget, tested by drummers
Man compares teo electronic drum modules
Electronic Drums How we test electronic drum sets
Alesis Strata Club
Drum Gear With the same mesh-head playability and powerful new Strata module as its bigger brothers, Alesis Strata Club brings a new compact form to its best-selling range
Alesis Crimson III
Electronic Drums Alesis’ popular Crimson e-kit just got an upgrade with version III sporting new heads and a new BFD-powered drum brain
  1. Drums
  2. Drum Gear

New drum gear of the month: review round-up (August 2017)

News
By MusicRadar published 7 August 2017

The latest drum reviews in one place!

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

Sabian 2017 Effects

Sabian 2017 Effects

This month, we've discovered the missing link between electronic and acoustic percussion, but let's kick our review round-up off with something attractively trashy...

MusicRadar’s verdict:

“Effects cymbals are one of the biggest trends in drumland at the moment, and with its latest editions, Sabian has hit the brash, trashy nail on its unlathed head.”

FULL REVIEW: Sabian 2017 Effects

4 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm)

Page 1 of 5
Page 1 of 5
Mapex Saturn V Tour Edition

Mapex Saturn V Tour Edition

MusicRadar’s verdict:

“Combining some traditional elements with the modernity of the Saturn V, the Tour Edition is a welcome addition to the Mapex family.”

FULL REVIEW: Mapex Saturn V Tour Edition

4 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm)

Page 2 of 5
Page 2 of 5
ATV aFrame

ATV aFrame

MusicRadar’s verdict:

“The aFrame embodies the missing link between acoustic and electronic percussion instruments.”

FULL REVIEW: ATV aFrame

4 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm)

Page 3 of 5
Page 3 of 5
Istanbul Agop ART Series Cymbal Pack 

Istanbul Agop ART Series Cymbal Pack 

MusicRadar’s verdict:

“For a budget set, these cymbals look great and are pleasingly musical. The hi-hats and crash perform beyond their humble price point and would suit a variety of styles, while the ride is more geared to louder genres.”

FULL REVIEW: Istanbul Agop ART Series Cymbal Pack 

4 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm)

Page 4 of 5
Page 4 of 5
British Drum Company Merlin Snare Drums 

British Drum Company Merlin Snare Drums 

MusicRadar’s verdict:

“The British Drum Company enters a new phase with this Merlin snare drum featuring the much- anticipated Palladium lug. The 20-ply maple-birch shells are flawless resulting in a versatile professional sound.”

FULL REVIEW: British Drum Company Merlin Snare Drums 

5 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm)

Page 5 of 5
Page 5 of 5
MusicRadar
MusicRadar
Social Links Navigation

MusicRadar is the number one website for music-makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, DJs or producers...

  • GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high-quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts.
  • TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars.
  • STARS: We talk to musicians and stars about their creative processes, and the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the craft of music-making that no other music website can.
More about drum gear

With the same mesh-head playability and powerful new Strata module as its bigger brothers, Alesis Strata Club brings a new compact form to its best-selling range

“A high-quality solution for capturing your drums”: Sennheiser MD 421 Kompakt review

Latest

“It was a joke and suddenly it became a genre. I don't even understand it. I never understood it”: Daryl Hall can’t get onboard with the concept of yacht rock - “It's just R&B, with maybe some jazz in there"

See more latest
More about drum gear

With the same mesh-head playability and powerful new Strata module as its bigger brothers, Alesis Strata Club brings a new compact form to its best-selling range

“A high-quality solution for capturing your drums”: Sennheiser MD 421 Kompakt review

Latest

“It was a joke and suddenly it became a genre. I don't even understand it. I never understood it”: Daryl Hall can’t get onboard with the concept of yacht rock - “It's just R&B, with maybe some jazz in there"

See more latest
Most Popular
Hall & Oates
“It was a joke and suddenly it became a genre. I don't even understand it. I never understood it”: Daryl Hall can’t get onboard with the concept of yacht rock - “It's just R&B, with maybe some jazz in there"
Sean Kinney
“While we were all eager to return to the stage, Sean's health is our top priority at this moment”: Alice In Chains pull tour after drummer experiences "non-life-threatening medical emergency"
Suzanne Vega
“It felt like every song was 20 minutes long. It was not comfortable”: Suzanne Vega explains why she had to play her groundbreaking 1989 Glastonbury set wearing a bulletproof vest
syntorial
New to synthesis? This free synth plugin can help you learn how it works
Tommy Emmanuel
“It’s really weird: 400 students asking questions, and I’m the only person there - and I’m the instructor - who can’t read music”: Acoustic guitar hero Tommy Emmanuel plays The Beatles and Oasis as he discusses the glaring gap in his musical knowledge
Steve in the Top Gun Anthem video
“I remember saying, ‘Come on, you’re gonna edit it down to, what, four bars?’ Harold goes, ‘No, we’re gonna keep everything.’ And they did!”: How a guitar hero's epic 64-bar solo lit up a classic movie theme
Paul Di'Anno in 1981
“If you’re a singer, you’re totally reliant on your body. You can't put a bit more distortion on your amp or use effects. You can’t compensate. You’re very exposed”: Why Iron Maiden had to change their singer to reach the next level
Guitars on a shop wall
“The effects of these sudden and unpredictable tariff actions will have a long-term effect on musicians worldwide”: Guitar industry leaders to meet with Trump in a bid to avert “devastating” impact of tariffs
PinkPantheress
“The only difference for me between me calling it an album and a mixtape is what I went into it thinking it was”: PinkPantheress on why her new project, Fancy That, is a mixtape rather than an album
John Lennon
“John said, ‘I don’t know where to go from here.’ So Paul said, ‘Well, I’ve got this other song I’ve been working on.’ They joined the two bits together to make one song”: The story of the greatest thing The Beatles ever recorded

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...