Mapex’s new Saturn Evolution kit is an amazing addition to the brand’s Saturn line of drum kits. It steps things up a level in terms of design innovation, planting itself as a professional drum kit option to compete in the market.
In this review, we’re going to look at all the aspects of this kit. We’ll discuss who it’s best suited for and how Mapex has created this amazing professional drum kit.
The Mapex Saturn Evolution is packed with unique design features. The shells are a mixture of maple and walnut, which is a common theme among Mapex drum sets.
Notable design features would be the SONIClear bearing edges, Sonic Saver drum hoops, Nodal Line Air Flow Venting Scheme, SAS static floor tom legs, Sonic Pedestal floor tom feet, and the new Halo mount.
All of those aspects are packaged in a professional shell pack, ready to be played. As with most pro shell packs, the Mapex Saturn Evolution doesn’t come with a snare drum.
The sound quality of the Mapex Saturn Evolution is excellent. It’s quite unique, considering that hybrid maple/walnut shells aren’t common.
The maple gives the drums warm and rounded tones, while the walnut adds resonance and richness.
They tune really easily as well, having a wide enough tuning range to fit the preferences of most drummers.
This is thanks to Mapex’s SONIClear bearing edges. They’re present in most of Mapex’s mid to pro-level kits, so they’re a natural inclusion with this kit.
The construction of this kit is the biggest selling point. There are so many amazing design features packaged here that make the kit as good as it is.
While they’re not at the forefront of your buying decision, they should be, as they are what make the kit feel so good to play on.
The Nodal Air Venting Scheme allows the drums to resonate very freely. The Halo mounts also add to that with the rack toms. While they resonate very openly, you also get an adjustment knob that lets you dampen them a bit.
We love the construction choices on the Saturn Evolution. Mapex really nailed it out of the park here. The amazing thing is that you’ll find similar construction features on even their affordable kits.
The great thing about drum kits with immaculate construction quality is that they feel amazing to play. The high-end construction provides a solid platform to play from, giving you an overall better drumming experience.
These drums respond very musically when you play them. The richness of tone from the walnut comes out noticeably, and the maple evens them out.
The kit also looks incredible, and you can never underestimate the feeling of playing on a drum kit that looks great.
The Mapex Saturn Evolution comes with a high price tag, costing around $3000 depending on where you buy it. While it’s packed with amazing value, it’s by no means an affordable drum kit.
Apart from Mapex’s Design Lab Black Panther kits, the Saturn Evolution kits are the most expensive options from the brand.
They’re full-on professional drum sets, so they have professional price tags. We’d say the shell pack is worth the money, especially considering all the design features you get.
While Mapex is a smaller brand compared to the other major drum companies, their kits shouldn’t be slept on. Many of their kits have pro-quality features but come with an affordable price tag.
They’re also one of the few drum brands to sell intermediate drum kits that have mixed drum shells. Other brands only offer that in their high-end options.
So, Mapex drums are fanatics, especially for drummers looking for lots of value for their money.
Mapex Saturn drums are made in China. However, the brand’s main headquarters are based in Taiwan.
Mapex has a decent list of professional drummers that endorse their products, including Claus Hessler, Chris Adler, Tony Coleman, Dom Famularo, and Richie Martinez.
Matt Halpern and Anika Nilles used to play Mapex drums, but they moved on to other brands after a while.
The Mapex Armory kits have a mixture of maple and birch in their shells. The maple gives them warmth, while the birch boosts their attack.
The Armory kits are Mapex’s best-selling drum sets. They offer so much value, making them one of the best intermediate drum set options on the market.
The Mapex Saturn Evolution is an excellent studio option. Maple drum sets perform very well in studio settings, and the added walnut gives a bit of an edge.
The drums are easily tuneable, allowing you to get the best sounds quickly when recording. You’ll just need to match the kit with a good snare drum.
The kit performs just as well in live settings as it does in the studio. You get amazing tones from the drums that will resonate through a room. The kick drum has a low and deep growl, which sounds incredible on a stage.
Overall, the Mapex Saturn Evolution is an incredible professional drum kit to get. In this review, we’ve been looking at the maple/walnut version of the kit. However, there are other shell options available with the same construction features.
There are several Saturn Evolution kits available, and you should check their specifications out on Mapex’s site.
If you want a professional shell pack that has amazing value for the money, we suggest getting the Mapex Saturn Evolution.
Just remember that you’ll need to get hardware and cymbals to go with it. We have several guides on our site to help you out with that!
Drum Teacher
Brett Clur has a Drum Performance Diploma from Trinity College London has been playing drums for over 20 years. He is passionate about advanced concepts and uses his years of experience to teach his students about them. While he is a full-time drum teacher, he is also working on growing a YouTube channel where shares his insights. You can see him playing there, or on Instagram where he posts daily videos.
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