Sonor AQ2 Bop Kit and HS LT 2000 Hardware Set

87
WWW.MUSICRADAR.COM/RHYTHM JUNE 2018 |
VERDICT: Smaller kits make increasing
sense in our modern cramped world
and Sonor’s AQ2 is one of the best with
its lacquered maple shells and wide
range of bass drum options.
BUILD QUALITY
PLAYABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
RATING
Also try…
2
NATAL ARCADIA
BIRCH T6 KIT
We say: “The Arcadia is
Natal’s cheapest range,
but has bags of style.
This mini-kit lacks some
power, but is great fun. ”
First impressions – you lose the ultra-tight
bonk of the jungle/drum’n’bass 16", but don’t
quite achieve the full-fat roundness of a 20".
In fact, this drum turns out to be quite hard,
abrupt and knocky, especially given the clear
single-ply Remo Powerstroke 3-style UT
batter. Alternative head trials beckon; perhaps
an Aquarian Super Kick or Remo FeltTone?
It’s small enough that you don’t need a lot of
(or any) damping, but inserting a small towel
considerably warms and deepens the pitch.
With miking-up and judicious EQ-ing, an 18" can
be versatile, emphasising the deeper
frequencies or the higher, pushier regions. With
the tighter, harder sounds of the digital world, a
drum like this can surely fi t into multiple styles.
The key point really is that Sonor offers the
option of fi ve AQ2 bass drum sizes – from 14"
to 22". And with their quality, thin-ish
Canadian maple shells and maple wood
hoops (not steel) they are all offered at an
affordable price, not the small fortune that an
18" late-’60s Ludwig Jazzette would set you
back. It’s a really smart move for the modern
scene. Way to go, Sonor.
Since this is a moving-up kit, the hardware
is sold separately. The HS LT 2000 package
seen here is Sonor’s entry-level series but is,
like the drums, heavier than expected. It’s an
update on the HS200 reviewed in
Rhythm ,
August 2015. Although single- (not double-)
braced there is a fair amount of steel involved
and this set is defi nitely no pushover. In tune
with the current trend, the tripod bases of the
cymbal/snare stands are redesigned so that
they can work as standard triangular tripods,
or you can push them down so they become
trendy fl at-based stands. Particularly
appropriate with this small-sized Bop kit.
Design-wise there are few frills, but all the
components do their job well enough. The
bass pedal has a typical single chain over a
circular cam drive. It has a newly-smooth and
good-sized hinged-heel footboard and a full
stabilising baseplate. Which the hi-hat does
not – it has a classic wire frame stabiliser
instead. It also has a direct chain pull with no
adjustment, although it hardly matters as the
tension feels right.
As for the snare stand, this has a welcome
continuous (non-ratcheted) basket angle
adjustment where the cymbal stand tilters
have fi ne-toothed ratchets. All the stands
have monster rubber feet, stable enough for
the fi rmest of players.
CYMBAL AND TOM COMBINATION
The combined small tom and cymbal
holder can easily be converted to a
double tom holder if preferred
SONOR SMART MOUNT
The small tom is hung from the new Smart
Mount with its two-point isolation bracket
that does not interfere with the tuning rods
RHY281.gear_sonor.indd 87 4/19/18 1:37 PM