SHOOTOUT! - Yamaha Recording Custom vs Sakae Almighty Birch Drum Sets 

Hands down, the best sound demo of all music shops demoing drums..You've even surpassed the mighty memphis drum shop in my humble opinion.. Kudos to you !!

The sound quality of this demo is incredible through my headphones. Both kits sound equally great. Hard to tell the difference with different heads being used. Great job..

Terrific comparison with details regarding the specs (bearing edges, etc.) and very useful information. Also, kudos for playing so the kit could truly be evaluated, rather than showing off your chops. One;y thing I would have done differently would have been to use the same heads and tuning for both kits. But overall, 10 stars for the video!!

Both sound good, but the recording customs are just stunningly beautiful. That's the best sounding kit I've heard (on video) in a long time..

You and your staff does a mighty splendid job! Your passion is appreciated

The new Recording Custom has a SHARPER edge than the previous versions. Yamaha calls it 30 degrees, but that is measured from the side of the drum, not the edge (like Gretsch measures). If measured the way Gretsch measures their 30 degree edge, the Yamaha is actually a 60 degree edge. One only need look at the new edge to understand this.

The only way to really compare would be to have the same heads on both.

The Sakae toms are just killer. Live with no mics, it's not even that close. The Sakae's have a huge sound. The Yammies are good no doubt/ But the best thing about this, is Birch. I am so on a birch kick now over maple, the cut. clarity, and boom. Either kit, good choice.

Wish I lived closer! Would love to visit the shop, honestly would be worth the 8 hours drive from Toronto! Thanks again for making all these videos, the quality is superb

What's the snare drum with the yamaha RC kit ?

Both sound fabulous!

Nice demo, enjoyed your playing. Both kits are tight!! You can't go wrong with either, but I slightly prefer the Yamaha snare.

Sake sound cool but Yamaha drums especially the snares just have a unique signature sound, almost like a punchy Japanese drum.

Sakae all the way here........ I just ordered one this week!

Why there are no rubber gaskets between the shell and the lugs on the Y RC?? 🤔

Sakae all the way!!! Sonically more alive more tone and definitely more balls! ✌️✌️✌️

both are sweet. I like the sakae a little more

I freaking love birch drums!!

Classic birch drums = Scandinavian (Sonor, Kumu) or Hokkaido birch (Yamaha).

I'm so glad you guys decided to do this comparison since I'm trying to choose from this two kits right now. After watching this vid a few times, I've decided I need both. Seriously though, they sound similar to each other as expected but I give a slight edge to the Yamahas. I need to meditate on this one. LOL!e.

The Sakae sound more like my Oak Custom Kit. I am right, that the are made as the old Yamaha Recordings?

akira jimbo snare drum?

Very good video, now what you should do is a shootout between, Noble/Cooley vs an Ayotte wood rim kit. Not only would you hear the upper end of the drum world, you would hear how different drummers approach these high end kits. Hey just to make everyone crazy do a Brady/Craviatto/ Gms shootout. Thx

2 great kits. They are both fantastic Its is just what you said. Head choice makes the difference, Wonderful recording. Sounds great in my Sony MDR-V6

sakae=original recording custom

The Yamaha snare is killer!!! SAKAE drums sounded warmer to me and I prefer that sound. SAKAE 100% for live, maybe in studio yamaha, sometimes SAKAE

Sakae for me. More dynamic range and a more well rounded natural EQ. In my garage and backyard they would sound best. If I were an engineer I'm sure I would choose the Yamaha.

The tones from the Yammy's are a more rounded musical note for each drum. Fab kick and the toms are nice and deep too. They have a quicker decay and a nicer resonance. Yamaha All Day Boss

I love them both, but the Sakae is definitely louder, stronger and longer lasting.

Something worth mentioning not related to Yamaha or sakae.If you look at the wall to shanes left there is like $12000.00 in Nobel and Cooley snares.(This a serious drum shop) wish they were located where I live. This has got to be the drummers dream shop of all times.!,, WOW !!!

Sakae for me between the two. Much prefer the toms and bass sound/tone over Yamaha. Although the Yamaha is by no means a inferior kit. Just personal taste in sound.

Thanks for this. They both sound good. For honest comparison same heads on both sets and same tuning would be best but it gives a good impression. The Yamaha RC is the winner for me. If I mays ask you a question: I thought that all Yamaha Absolute shells were thinner than the none Absolute shells. Later on Yamaha suggested that Birch Custom Absolute shells were the same as the Recording Custom shells. Same, wood, same amount of plies and same thickness. If that’s true, do you have shallow Birch Custom Absolute in Sea Blue Fade in stock? Thanks for your love of drums 🙏🏼

I own a 2001-era Recording Custom set, and the Sakae drums in this video sound better than my RCs (and the RCs in this video).

Aren't you a lucky dogg getting to play YRC drums love need to get a set for sure,thnx for posting. Mike D. :)

with cheap headphones, the Yamaha seem to sound better, when i put my focal utopia headphones, the sakae sound so much better. the sakae has pure equalized tone. it's like a perfect sound that is very balanced top, mid and bottom. the sakae has more meat to the overall sound too. with cheap headphones, these details are impossible to hear.

The Sakae snare is awesome

at 4:49 Shane slips in a quick couple Bonham licks, I believe from Stairway To Heaven. Very cool.

Both kits sound bad ass, but I prefer the clear Emporers and therefore the heads are going to win out more than the actual drums. I'd probably rather own the Yammies with clear Emps, but in this case, the Sakae kit sounds a bit better to my ears.

I have a 35 yr old RC kit and the Sakae ( I have used the same heads ) sound more like my kit the New RC's sound even more controlled and with the round bearing edges not surprised ....Note if you have a drum that's a bit livelier you can always add a bit of tape to control but a deader drum your stuck with it..Both sound outstanding the New RC's are ridiculously priced I was in Memphis drum shop two years ago I couldn't believe the prices, 85 I payed $3600 for my shells and a bit of hardware including double pedal 24",13",14",15",16",18"....sure you would be around the $8,000 mark now for these sizes maybe more ..mid range drums have come so far they sound just as good for 1/4 of the money

Uffff amazing Drums! Yamaha they best 🔥🔥🙌

The Sakae's win it hands down.

What mics are being used on the toms?

Sakae with the Yamaha Snare Darker cymbals

It's really the heads that make the difference in sound. Same heads and tunning and these sets would sound identical.

I prefer the Yamahas; they sound FAR better to me. What kind of heads are on the Yamaha toms ? Also, love the Yamaha snare !

I don't love either as much as I expected. They probably work great in a mix though.

Prefer the sakae over the yammys for sure. Much more ass to the sound of that kit. Sucks sakae is struggling so bad and on the verge of going out of business if they haven’t already. I know they are millions and millions of dollars in debt. Sucks they haven’t really caught on with the drumming world because they have some of the most best sounding drums in the world. Im a Tama guy and love everything about Tama but if I had to pick another company and kit to play it would definitly be sakae.

Any high end Tama ;-)

Weird I don't know why but the yammie bass drum punches harder, otherwise little difference to my ears allowing for the different heads, I like emperors and coated ambassadors on my mapex pro M kit so I alternate between coated for recording and emperors for live gigs.

Perfect!!

The Yamaha sounds deadly

What is the difference between North America birch and Hakydo Japanese birch. ... I bought my Yamaha recording series in 1983, a long time, no problem ever, they sound better now 40 years later. I like your presentation. I like the Sakae. You are right. A little louder. A little more sustain, longer note.

Winner of the shootout: the Yamaha Recording Custom. ;)

Do another shootout with the same EXACT heads on all drums and use the same snare on each kit just to make things easier. Both of these kits sound phenomenal but I'm willing bet %99.9 of the difference is the heads. Has anyone confirmed that Sakai is using the SAME shells as the ones supplied to Yamaha? Same ply #'s, thickness and bearing edges?

When testing the toms, you should turn off the snares so we can hear just the toms without snare interference...just sayin'...

SAKAE !

I am biased. I own Yamaha RC drums in black finish and love them.

Sakae 👍🏿

Sakae All the way! Not even close

Very little difference between these kits. The Yamaha's 10 inch tom tom was tuned a little high for my tastes. But overall I would go with the Yamaha. As a metal drummer I prefer a quicker decay. Both are fine kits nonetheless.

Yamaha Recording Custom has a more concentrated and pleasant listening sound (to my opinion)

Really prefer to have heard them with similar heads.

I like the Sakae snare drum much better than the Yamaha Akira Jimbo snare.

Guys I beg you. Please do shootout Yamaha Recording Custom vs Live Custom!

Which is more expensive?

SAKAE for mine, here.

Hhmmm 🤨 I love Yamaha drums 🪘 but have to say I liked the Sakai better. I had not ever heard a Sakai drum before. Pretty cool

AS IT COMES DOWN TO "STAGE CUSTOMS" & "RECORDING CUSTOMS" FROM THE 8O'S & 9O'S THEY WILL NEVER MAKE ANYTHING BETTER THEN ESPECIALLY FROM LIKE 1O YEARS FROM MID 8O'S ~ MID 9O'S THAT WAS DEFINITELY THE BEST THEY WILL EVER SOUND AND BUILD THOSE INDONESIA & JAPAN SET CAN NOBODY AND EVEN THEMSELVES CAN BEAT THEM AND THIS IS COMING FROM A DW DRUMMER I JUST GOT TO GIVE IT UP TO WHAT IS AND WAS THEIR BEST ERA

Sakae needs to seriously rethink the badges on the Almighty series. Awful.

Never thought I would see the Yamaha Custom out done on a test like this, Sakae just shades it here, WOW

I preferred the Sakae's over the Yamaha

Good

SAKAE sounds like Tama Silverstar,, pretty close sound.... YAMAHA sounds short sustain , perfect for studio recording..

Genista!

Sakae by far for me.

4:38 or 6:55

Sakae for me

Yamaha Always!

Sakae all the way!

Sakae snare👍👍

Hi

Sakae!

Sakae sounds brighter and most aggressive. I'd pick Sakae

The heads are the only real discernable difference.. the sakae has that wet attack the recording custom has more color

Yamies !

YOU SHOULD TAKE OFF ALL SNARE WIRES IN THE ROOM

SAKAE

That yamaha bassdrum sound much better than the sakae

those rc's sound so sexy

I pick the yamaha

Sakae are louder, no question. Yamahas sound sweeter, better tone. I own a set of recording custom, bought them in 1983. The new kit sounds a little better. I have two sets of Yamahas. You can't go wrong with them, but I bought a set of Gretsch Brooklyns about 10 years ago and they blow both of these sets away. In any case, the modern drummer has a ton of choices these days. Research research research...

I like the other kit through the nice better than the Yamaha kit. That snare sucks too in the first video. I realized that even though Yamaha has their famous drummer I don’t like his style at all. And I like almost every style. I’ve been disappointed with most of the purchases I’ve made based on him being their drummer.

Yamaha wins it in my book

Sakae kick is less mushy

Prefer Pearl and Gretsch.

RC s all the way

The Sakae is the winner..... Hands down!!!

sakae. no doubt has the recording custom sound , better then the new Yamaha, not a fan , does not sound better to my hear , they fucked up by not using Japanese birch anymore.

Sakae.... for some reason 🤓

3:25 to skip the yappin, straight to the playin