Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
Man plays Alesis Nitro Max drum kit with black sticks
Electronic Drums Got a new e-kit for Christmas? Transform it with 15 day one upgrades that will make it sound better and play quieter
Pair of Audio-Technica in-ear monitors sat on a case
Studio Monitors Best in-ear monitors 2025: IEMs for stage and studio
Quentin testing a Yamaha piano
Keyboards & Pianos Best digital pianos 2025: I'm a professional piano and music gear reviewer, and these are my top picks
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 – plus video and audio demos
Kids hands on a beginner keyboard
Keyboards & Pianos Best keyboards for beginners 2025: Get started with our expert pick of beginner keyboards for all ages
A Fractal Audio VP4 Virtual Pedalboard multi-effects pedal on a concrete floor
Guitar Pedals Best multi-effects pedals 2025: Our pick of the best all-in-one guitar FX modellers
A PRS McCarty 594 on a hard case
Electric Guitars Best electric guitars 2025: Our pick of guitars to suit all budgets
Yamaha CSP-255 review
Keyboards & Pianos Best digital pianos for beginners 2025: 8 beginner-friendly pianos handpicked by a professional piano and music gear reviewer
Sennheiser in ear monitors on a lit up dj controller
Studio Monitors Best budget in-ear monitors 2025: My pick of cheap in-ears for every type of musician
Roland TD-02K and TD-02KV V-Drums electronic drum sets
Drum Kits Best electronic drum set for kids 2025: child-friendly electronic drum kits
A Blackstar Beam Solo guitar headphone amp plugged into an electric guitar
Guitar Amps “The modelling offers sumptuous guitar tones with plenty of variety”: Blackstar Beam Solo review
Close up of a Taylor GS Mini acoustic guitar lying on a wooden floor
Acoustic Guitars Best acoustic guitars 2025: Super steel string acoustics for all players and budgets
Neural DSP Archetype: John Mayer X – The latest and most high-profile addition to the Finnish brand's signature plugin range, Mayer's plugin is replete with captures of boutique, rare and one-off amps and pedals
Artists It’s official! Neural DSP’s John Mayer Archetype plugin suite is here – and with Dumble, Klon and Reverberator captures, it is the motherlode for boutique electric guitar tone
EFnote Mini kit in our studio
Electronic Drums “The overall sample quality is decent, focusing on natural sounds within a mixed bag of styles, and promising to keep the majority happy”: EFnote Mini review
Man in green jumper received a gift from a man in a red jumper
Guitars Best Christmas gifts for musicians 2025: 21 affordable festive present ideas for music-makers (which they'll genuinely love)
More
  • "The most expensive bit of drumming in history”
  • JoBo x Fuchs
  • Radiohead Daydreaming
  • Vanilla Fudge
  • 95k+ free music samples
  1. Drums
  2. Drum Gear

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

News
By Rhythm published 9 February 2017

A kit, cymbals and a 'sound kit'

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

Sabian Sound Kit

Sabian Sound Kit

An intriguing Sound Kit from cymbal giant Sabian and a cracking kit from Pearl are among the new drum gear highlights this month.

Here's a digested look at all the rhythmic releases that were reviewed on MusicRadar in January, starting with that Sabian set…

MusicRadar's verdict:

“With the Sound Kit, Sabian has branched out from cymbals, and delivered one of the most useful products of 2016. Just add cables and stands!”

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Sabian Sound Kit 

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm).

Page 1 of 4
Page 1 of 4
Pearl Decade Maple Drum Kit

Pearl Decade Maple Drum Kit

MusicRadar's verdict:

“Drummers looking to step up a gear will love the bright, lively sound of the Decade Maple with its thin, even-ply, all-maple shells and slick lacquer finishes, guaranteed for life.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Pearl Decade Maple Drum Kit

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm).

Page 2 of 4
Page 2 of 4
Paiste Ride Cymbals

Paiste Ride Cymbals

MusicRadar's verdict:

“These are top quality hand-made cymbals. Relatively dry and heavy, they suit bright and powerful music.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Paiste Ride Cymbals

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm).

Page 3 of 4
Page 3 of 4
Evan Calftone '56 Drum Heads

Evan Calftone '56 Drum Heads

MusicRadar's verdict:

“With Calftones you enter a different sonic world, one with many fans in today's music which encompasses world-jazz-folk-acoustic elements.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Evans Calftone ’56 Drum Heads

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm).

Page 4 of 4
Page 4 of 4
Rhythm
Read more
Man playing Roland TD716 electronic drum set in a studio
Best electronic drum sets 2025: Top picks for every playing level and budget, tested by drummers – plus video and audio demos
 
 
Alesis Nitro Ultimater
Alesis's new 9-piece Nitro Ultimate electronic drum kit is its new flagship, and the hi-hat is the star
 
 
Roland TD-02K and TD-02KV V-Drums electronic drum sets
Best electronic drum set for kids 2025: child-friendly electronic drum kits
 
 
Man plays Alesis Nitro Max drum kit with black sticks
Got a new e-kit for Christmas? Transform it with 15 day one upgrades that will make it sound better and play quieter
 
 
Yamaha DTX6K5-M
"Remarkably the DTX Pro is capable of layering up to four individual samples - one more than Roland’s flagship V71 module": Yamaha DTX6K5-M review
 
 
Slingerland Radio King 3-piece drum set
“Not the most thunderous of kits. Not particularly loud, but sophisticated, rounded and darkly inviting": Slingerland Radio King drum set review
 
 
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
Perry Bamonte of The Cure performs at Riot Fest 2023 at Douglass Park on September 17, 2023
“Quiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative": Perry Bamonte, of the Cure, dies aged 65
 
 
D'Angelo and Prince
D’Angelo was so in awe of Prince that he refused to play his guitar on the one occasion they shared a stage
 
 
Portrait of British musician Kirsty MacColl (1959 - 2000) and Irish musician Shane MacGowan, the latter of the group the Pogues, as they pose together, each holding a toy gun with one hand and, in the other, a Christmas cracker over an inflatable Santa Claus, 1987.
“In operas, if you have a double aria, it's what the woman does that really matters. The man lies, the woman tells the truth": The story of Fairytale Of New York
 
 
Chris Rea circa 1970
Tell Me There’s A Heaven: Chris Rea has died, aged 74
 
 
Lady Gaga performs during her 'JAZZ & PIANO' residency at Park MGM on August 31, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada
“Being a human being isn’t going to go out of style anytime soon”: Why Lady Gaga is unafraid of AI
 
 
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 27: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Alanis Morrisette performs live on stage at The O2 Arena on July 27, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage for ABA)
Alanis Morissette reveals what she thinks is “the real irony” of the fuss caused by the lyrics in her 1996 hit
 
 

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

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • 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...