Mapex Mars Series Kit - Drummer's Review 

Most underrated drum company

I knew if you reviewed this kit you would dig it. I've never been good at tuning. When I got my MARS kit home I put EVANS g2's on the batter and g1's on the resonat side my jaw hit the floor! I couldn't believe I made those drums sound that good. Then I realized it was the drums, more particular the SONICLEAR bearing edges. MAPEX is doing a lot of really good things. They are definitely underrated.

I really think Mapex gets a bit of a bad wrap for being associated with some their much lower end beginner kits, but I think in the intermediate range, they really do provide the best value. I played Mapex Pro M and Meridian Maple drums for years for live and studio use, and they are simply affordable, well built, great modern-sounding drums.

I have a Mars kit and it is better than anything I have owned before and I love it! I got this kit at a steal barely used with stock everything. I took it home was not really impressed with stock heads I got Evans G2 double plys for the top kept the stock rezzies on the bottom and what a huge difference! Once I played them like this I went back to the store where I got them and ordered an 18 by 18 floor Tom to go with it and started buying the rest of the hardware to complete the kit I have 10”, 12”, 16” floor 18” floor 14” snare and 22” kick Mapex double kick pedals and a set of roto toms to go with it. I like the blood wood finish and the entire kit has performed better than I could have imagined! I had a chance to switch to Tama which is my all time fave manufacturers for drums I kept the Mars kit and have been real happy that I did. I have also played these with a complete set of Evans hydraulic Red drum heads this drum set looks insane with them on! They are not as sensitive as regular 2 plys but sound good on my kit tuned with a tunebot tuner there is a lot of room on this kit to play with. I have them in my studio and play them daily. This drum set far surpasses all my older drum sets Mapex has put out a real nice drum set super affordable did not have to part with a leg or an arm to get one. I though these were just no namer shit drums when I got them BOY! I was never so happy to be that wrong in my life, great drums. Thanks Mapex!

Love the reviews. I found the Mapex Mars rock shell pack for an insane deal brand new. So I picked it up. This review helped me make my decision!

I love to see review's on kits in these lower price points.I sincerely hope all drummers someday get there dream kit.Until they do,there are a lot of drum companies offering great kits at very affordable prices.For years I've been preaching to younger players and people on tight budgets to consider a kit like this and spend your money on good quality cymbals. You can usually make a less expensive kit sound good by replacing the heads ,but cymbals they are what they are.!!! I sincerely hope someday the cymbal companies offer something affordable that sounds as good as some of the kits that are being produced now days.!!!

My kit is Mapex Mars. Toms ranging in size from 8”-18” depending on the setup. I am floored at how great they all sound. Easy to tune. Great projection and they record SO WELL. I often consider getting a “nicer” kit to maximize sonic potential when tracking. If I didn’t know they were mid level drums, I wouldn’t be thinking of a nicer kit. They sound that good!

They're introducing 'bop' sizing in this line soon. Pretty excited to see those out in the wild.

Spot on review, you won't get better for the money. Closest I feel is stage custom, probably a bit more expensive but versatile kit with better snare.

These sound amazing! I found Mapex drums because that is what Arch Echo's drummer plays, and his drums always sound amazing. I love their overall sound profile. The Mars config with the 22" kick, 14 and 16" floor toms and a 12" rack tom displaced a Tama Superstar Classic from my wishlist. I also love the way the black hardware looks.

That sounds phenomenal ! Love your reviews !

best bang for the buck. Well done Mapex!!!

Purchased this kit in dragon wood and LOVE IT!!! I've played a Pearl Session kit and Tama Starclassic. This Mapex blew me away with the sounds I can achieve everyday! I don't have one bad thing to say about the kit. Don't let the price fool you into thinking you're settling for less. This is my go to kit, no hesitation!

I have a Saturn V and I've been thinking about getting a Mars kit for smaller gigs. Thanks for the review, you took any doubt out of my mind. I'll add one of my Mapex Black Panther snares, new heads and this kit will be singing!!

Don t forget to hear this sweet cymbals too ;) I'm hoping for a review of the stage custom one day :D

The snare could have sounded better with die-cast hoops and a thicker head, maybe a CS Black Dot, but those toms and bass really got my attention.. Good one guys!

I realised halfway through that you did this with the stock heads. WOW

I have a smokewood set for gigging, swap for better heads and they sound great!, also have a Saturn kit

Just picked up this shell pack pre-owned. Thank you!

Mapex Mars!!! : great, great, great for value!!! 👍👍👍👍👍🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱✋✋✋

I love Mapex i owned a Saturn.V and it was amazing only got rid of it because of moving and had no room to keep it got top $$$ for it and I miss it so much Im now going to get a small Mars kit in the same finish you have in video again never been disappointed with Mapex

Just ordered one yesterday and can’t wait to hear it

Amazing for the price.

Love the sound of them!!! I just have an electric kit

When recommending kits to younger players, these are always on my short list, along with Yamaha Stage Customs and Pearl Exports. Where i live, Pearl Exports are the best kit that includes cymbals, The Mars is the best lone shellpack for the price, and the Stage Custom are the best kit with hardware for the price. The Mars really responds well at low tuning, and have a great ease-of-use factor due to the bearing edge. I've always found them extremely easy to tune.

Love the attention to detail in the reviews!

Regarding the snare: Its the heads. I own the Mars set from 2015 I think in black night wood and I swapped the heads for Evans Hazy 300 on the reso and Evans UV1 on the batter side and that makes a world of a difference. It still is more of a drum that likes the higher tuning, but the crack you get out of it is amazing.

I have a Mars Kit on the Homewood finish. And I love it. I sure about the snare. I replaced the Bayer head with an Evans genera dry..its what In at. But Ill dwao it for a UV1 Sinn and pureaound wires. I know I can make this snare sing! The rest of the kit is fenomenal.

These sound killer! Nice and deep

+1 for best sounding floor tom, IMO. very bubble-gummy, defined but not syruppy or sludgy

This is the first video I have seen this drummer inspired by the kit.

I have a Mars kit. I agree the snare is not good. I’m happy otherwise. New heads and new snare, you have a solid kit

Please do a review of Tama Starclassic Birch-Walnut kits.

I like it .... not the greatest sound you'll hear, but you certainly get good value for money. For that price it's a winner.

It's time drum manufacturers stopped wasting unnecessary wood on oversized bass drums. 14 deep is enough for any diameter under 24 and easier to store and move from practice room to gig. It would also reduce costs,win win! This is partly why if you buy this kit you should invest in an emad2 to control the booming sound. It makes no sense to have modern shallow Tom's overpowered by oversized bass drums, it's not just this fine Mapex kit, all the others are still doing this.

If you don't want to pay a ton of dough get these and replace the heads right out of the gate. You will be shocked at the sound you can get out of them with better heads.

Good review Nolly!!

Interesting finish.

Just bought the crossover version. Replaced all the tom batters with Evans G2's, Kick with with an EMAD and dampening pillow. Pretty happy with the sound. Haven't even tried the snare out, figure its prob not even worth comparing to my Ludwig Supraphonic.

Those sound great... the drummer kicks butt, too.

What's better? Armory or Mars? Which is more expensive? Which is beginner level vs moderate to high end? I know Saturn V is Mapex top kit next to Orion

Thanks and Blessings!

Used to have Mapex M Maple. Loved it.

I have same kit and i dont know how to tune the toms.. To which notes ??

They really do sound like drums.

It sucks that they don't have that finish in the states

Is it nolly?

Do u think this would be a good upgrade from the tornado mapex for an intermediate

WOW!

Bass drum is singing :)

Pdp m5 next maybe? Thanks a lot Nolly!!!

I love how birch kits sounds, but for the snare I prefer maple, l mean a mapex mars kit with a black widow snare and that's the way to go for me

Perfect example of ACOUSTIC!!!!!!!!

These sound so good. And I agree this company is so under rated. I have a mapex mandirian snare And it's the best snare I own. And those heads are factory. Who are they made by

Make a review for Mapex Saturn V exotic please

amazing sound!!!

Budget drums? Mmm sounds awesome

I've never seen mapex make a bad kit

The high tom sounded a bit thin, but overall sounded good.

Forget the kit, Post a how to on what steps you took to get that incredible mix out of those cheap drums with stock heads. My Mapex Mars bop sounds like a fisher price kit compared to these even in a decent FOH mix. What did you do to get that wet ass attack and not just turn into bright and boingy. Great work

i just searched for the cheaper birch drums, but these drums sound better than drums twice it's price, damn.

Does the Mars series comes with 1.6 mm hoops or 2.3mm?

Guys, this Mapex Mars vs Gretsch Catalina Maple? What do you think is better? I know this one’s birch but I still can’t decide between the overall quality of the drums

I don't get why you don't just upgrade the heads when you do these reviews. You know thats the first thing anyone is gonna do when they get a new kit. You guys ALWAYS say in all your reviews..."I'd love to hear how this sounds with improved heads...etc.." Why not just do it??? Damn....

I don't have the Mars kit but I got the Saturn kit. Those are nice drum shells but I would change the heads and use Evans hydraulic drum heads. No Chinese drum heads Lol. Beautiful Paiste cymbals too.

Not liking the 10" tom. Wish different configurations were available like 14" floor tom and 20" BD.

Buen test. Fuiste a fondo!!! Buenos detalles.

what heads would you recommend using on these birch drums? i have clear emperors on my armory toms, clear embassadors underneath, but bought this birch for a different sound to have.

The kick is bothering me. I have the Saturn V's and no matter how hard you hit the kick, it responds very well. This one seems to give out (choke out) on the more aggressive strokes?

The Hiunday of drums

I looked and felt a Mars kit at my local music shop. I WAS NOT IMPRESSED. You must get a different quality of these drums in UK. (I'm in the USA). I picked up the snare and it was really light weight - not the good kind of light - the kind of light weight you that makes you think, wow if I hit it too hard it may break apart. I thumped it and it needed its snares tightened. The snare throw had a plastic knob! I picked up a mounted tom and it too seemed too light to be a lasting instrument. Wow if this is what modern drum-making has come to, count me out. I'll stick with my 90's Ludwigs. If this Mars kit is best in its class - I guess I shouldn't look at any of its competition. What a POC.

Okay so I see this kit in different places and some people say it's birch some say it's maple.

Do they come in this finish both in Birch 4 maple

Can any tell me what cymbal arm can go into the Tom holder

Are Remo UX just a different thickness or is it overall lower quality than 'UT'?

what are the microphones on the drums

i am so confused between mapex mars and pearl decade. I am playing for 3 years now, but this will be my first drum kit. can anyone help me on that?

Tama imperialstar or mapex Mars?? Guys what you suggest

Does anyone know if this kit is maple or birch?

Eargasmic sound OMG!!!

Can someone tell me what brand those tom mice are .?

If Nolly thinks they’re good enough, then I’m in. Lol

Sounds pretty dashed good to me. Far better than the vastly overrated DW.

Mars vs stage custom ? ? ? ?

Georgeous but... don't like wrap finish. No covering... miss Meridian Birch. No ball mount, no, no... all the drum manufacturer... They can do better.

This or Yamaha stage custom for metal live drumming?

what mics are those?

First thought: Those drums are gorgeous; the tom heads sound cheap.

What brand cymbals are you using?

The toms sound like tupperware boxes. An immediate change of head would be essential I think.

Who the drummer?

I don t believe that kit have só much good sound, propably the sound was produced first... Am i rong?

Rings on toms really are bad quality, seems a blade , and chrome is not so shine like other brands , toms lugs are so thin , and quartered in the past of time... but Pros have it , Sound Great ......... great sound , but bad quality.....

Hint: just because every other amateur video production overuses multiple angles and nausea-inducing cuts, YOU DON'T HAVE TO. Especially when, like here, the additional POVs add absolutely nothing to the content.

Tama imperialstar sounds better in my ears for this price range

I know it's a lower end kit, but that finish is awful. It looks like my aunt's old basement wall paper.

Toys drums

Para mi esta bateria mapex mars en color madera es mejor que las caras ❤el sonido es muy diferente a las otras solo necesitas ponerles parches de alta gama y el sonido seria ufff chulada con mics profesionales mas chuladas los precios de esta bateria andan entre 1,300 dolares la madera birch es mejor que la maple hay baterias que tienen mas capas pero si hacen eso aumentarles capas a las baterias de cada marca arruinarian el sonido no sirve Si quieren sonar bien las baterias serian de 6 a 7 capas brindan mejor sonido con parches de alta gama Mapex es la mejor marca de bateria la construcciones son muy altas que las dw u cualquier otras

I asked someone if Nolly looks like a druggie and guess what the person said? He said, "No, this is a very cute baby." and idk why but i died laughing.

These drums so ridiculous sounding for the price.