Back to navigation


The Classic Saturn Sound ? Now Better Than Ever





This article was


Written By





Our Product Research Team





Get to know them!





The latest Mapex Saturn Series shell packs blend time-honored maple/walnut shells with bleeding-edge shell tech borrowed from the Black Panther Design Lab ? along with enough jaw-dropping finish options to please a wide range of drummer tastes. Each piece in this set has been molded to meet the needs of demands of stage and studio professionals. You get thin, 6-ply hybrid shells crowned with Mapex's precision SONIClear bearing edges, Remo USA heads, and Mapex Power Hoops to deliver great tone and tuneability from day one. You also get Mapex's advanced shell venting, suspension tom mounting, and floating SAS floor tom legs for excellent note length and projection. Factor in those iconic Saturn Series badges and lugs, and the Mapex Saturn from Sweetwater is a clear winner in its class.





Related Videos: Saturn 5-piece Studioease Shell Pack - Sulphur Fade





NOW PLAYING:


Mapex Saturn 2022 Colors | Cody Ash & Kareem Thompson Duet





What’s So Great About Buying Drums from Sweetwater?


Saturn Shell Technology


6-ply maple/walnut shells





The secret to the classic Saturn sound is the thin maple-walnut shell formulation. The 4-ply maple exterior supplies ample cut and projection in a live setting. And the 2-ply walnut core provides a chewy darkness and growling resonance to serve drummers in the studio. In concert, these tonewoods give each shell in the Saturn shell pack a strong attack and rich, lingering sustain.





SONIClear bearing edges





Better tone and easier tuning ? that's what you can expect across the range of Saturn series toms and kick drums. Mapex's precision SONIClear bearing edges allow heads to sit flatter and thus make better contact with the shell. This results in better seating and a stronger, deeper fundamental. In our experience, just finger-tightening heads was enough to make these Saturn drums sing. This widens the tuning range for players who like deeper toms and kick drums while producing purer musical pitches in higher registers.





Mapex power hoops





Rugged steel 2.3mm triple-flanged Power Hoops give each Saturn Series shell a commanding voice and presence, along with enough durability to survive a national tour.





Black Panther Design Lab Hardware


Nodal line air flow venting scheme





When it comes to drums, feel is every bit as important as tone. The Mapex Saturn shell pack features vents placed along the nodal line of every shell ? a concept borrowed from the Black Panther Design Lab. This gives each drum an open, lively response while serving to maximize the shell's natural resonance in any tuning register.





SAS static floor tom legs





"The shortest path between two points is a straight line." Remember that lesson from geometry class? Archimedes said it. And as it turns out, sound and vibrations work on the same principle. Mapex's SAS floor tom legs feature sharp 90-degree angles to increase distance from the floor to the shell. This allows less of your tom sustain to be absorbed into the floor, which means greater note length and a cleaner soundstage.





Sonic pedestal floor tom feet





Mapex's SAS floor tom feet ? again borrowed from the Black Panther Design Lab ? do a great job at floating floor tom shells in order to prevent the earth or stage from leaching away your hard-earned depth and resonance. Paired with the SAS 90° legs, it makes for an impressive nearfield response from behind the kit.





SONIClear suspension mounts





The Saturn Series's low-profile SONIClear suspension mounts prevent tom energy from being absorbed into the hardware, allowing the true voice of the heads and shells to ring out. These mounts don't touch the tension rods in any way. The advantages of this are threefold.





Tom sustain never gets choked out by the hardware


Heads stay in tune much longer


Head changes are quicker, with no need to remove shells from mounts


Ready to Rock with Remo USA Heads





Your Saturn shell pack includes a full set of Mapex-branded Remo heads for an accurate representation of the tones that lie within. Sweetwater couldn't have picked a better pairing ourselves. Toms come crowned with two-ply Emperor Clear batter heads for a time-honored studio tone. The bass drum is treated to a Powerstroke P3 Clear batter head for a modern attack and lasting life.





Mapex Saturn Studioease 5-piece Shell Pack Features:


The classic Saturn sound ? now better than ever


Jam-packed with Black Panther Design Lab features and hardware


6-ply maple/walnut shells boast a strong attack and growling sustain


SONIClear bearing edges maximize tone and tuning range


Nodal Line Air Flow Vents improve resonance and response


Tone-enhancing SONIClear tom hardware lets shells and heads ring true


Toms include Remo Emperor Clears for a time-honored studio tone


Kick drum includes a Remo Powerstroke P3 Clear for a modern attack


Includes suspension tom mounts and floor tom legs; all other hardware sold separately


Cymbals, stands, and snare not included.