I'm in the market for new set and am stuck between the two. I have to deals lined up for 5 piece sets. The MCAN is in midnight sparkle and the Reference is is granite sparkle. No hardware is included so thats not factored into it.
I'd love to hear opinions on the drums and the finishes. Has anyone played or seen these drums in person? Looking for as many opinions as possible.
Edit: The MCAN also is offered in a Brown Fade, as well as Green Sparkle. I'm not interested in the Green but I'm toying with the brown fade.
If they're the same price for the amount/sizes of drums you get, I say go with the Reference.
Yamaha's answer to Reference is their PHX line, both somewhat similar in fundamental sound. For those who don't know, PHX are 11-ply hybrid shells of different hardness woods.
PHX uses redesigned versions of the Nouveau lug and YESS mounts (
bout a year or two ago on this forum I made a comment that Yamaha would improve on the YESS mount, they did for the heavier PHX).
Also, all PHX drums have 30 degree bearing edges. The new lug mounts on a square hook rather than a round post. I suspect when Yamaha runs out of the round post Nouveau spares, MCAN will get the square peg. The new square pegs line-up the lugs truer, with less/no effort.
All being equal, the Reference is more drum for the money. I prefer Yamaha hardware, but then there's sound, which is subjective.
These sets are all demoed on youtube.
Yamaha's 'Midnight Sparkle' is attractive, but I've heard one comment from a drummer who said they would get it if it didn't have red (which can look a lotta-pink) in the sparkle, I'm OK with it though, I personally didn't like the green flecks.
Honestly, IMO any Yamaha finish no matter how questionable on paper, or the web will look absolutely stunning in person, even the Embossed finishes. All the colour blends Yamaha uses are pleasing. All the colours 'work', there's true artists finishing drums at Yamaha, not just drum builders. Midnight Sparkle is stunning in person even with the said colours, just being real picky.
Pearl's finishes are 1st class all the way. Their colour blending doesn't seem as alive to me as Yamaha's though. Pearl's finishes are more like really nice 'drum finishes', as opposed to Yamaha's being more like 'art'.
Everyone's different. I wouldn't buy any quality drum set without seeing/hearing it first, you may regret it.