Full Description

The Design Lab - An entirely new approach to drum design

Built from the sound up. Mapex's new Black Panther Design Lab series puts the sound and tonality of your drums first with unique voices and complete innovative artistry. Mapex have taken the modern science of drum design and a revolutionary 'Concept Hybrid' formula to deliver one-of-a-kind tonality. Drums are often designed based around the materials, hardware, and accessories to deliver a specific product type to meet people's needs. Instead, Mapex took multiple sound concepts and combined them into a single instrument. The result? A completely new and individual voice.

Using the Concept Hybrid approach, Mapex have utilised their extensive knowledge and expertise from the past 30 years to bring you the ultimate in design and flexibility. Black Panther Design Lab drum systems are crafted with care and precision using the desired sound as a starting point instead of just a list of materials. This unique and powerful methodology gives you a playing experience like never before. Breakthrough technologies, cutting-edge construction, and inspirational playability. Let Design Lab take you further.

The SONIClear™ Attenuation System

Your style, your choice, your sound. The SONIClear™ Attenuation System gives you a completely new level of control. A combination of innovative design concepts based on the scientific principles of acoustic properties lets you make adjustments that are personal to you.

• SONIClear™ Bearing Edge - The new standard on all Black Panther Design Lab shells. This unique Mapex-specific bearing edge design results in a drum head that sits much flatter on the shell itself for significantly improved contact. Experience stronger, deeper pitch combined with hassle-free and consistent tuning with an expanded tuning range. The SONIClear™ bearing edge also increases the vibration of the drum shell, unleashing a whole new world of clarity, detail, and rich tonality.

   

• Master Tune Lug™ - A revised edition of Mapex's revered Black Panther lug. The Master Tune Lug™ is the first truly locking tube lug that utilises a Design Lab-exclusive pressured locking mechanism. Plus, with a much smaller body, the amount of metal-to-wood contact is kept to an absolute minimum. No matter what your style may be, the Design Lab Master Tune Lug™ ensures your drums stay in tune after every single show.

   

• Sonic Pedestal Foot - When the vibrations of your drums are transferred and absorbed by the floor under your kit, your sound can suffer significantly. Mapex's Sonic Pedestal Foot fixes that problem. The steel legs of your floor tom are able to 'float' above the ground thanks to an internal cotter pin. The rubber foot features an elevated spring that eliminates any transfer of vibrations into the ground below, maximising the resonance of your kit and improving overall sonic performance.

   

Chamber-Specific Design and Air Flow Venting

Each component of the Design Lab series has been meticulously crafted to work together in harmony. SAS ring systems, 1/2'' graduated depths, and bearing edge changes are just some of the characteristics that make the Design Lab drum systems special. A major part in their satisfying playability is the air flow venting. Thanks to Mapex's meticulous testing and development, each of the Design Lab's Chamber Specific designs boast a precision formula of vent holes that don't affect the shell's resonance whilst maintaining their amazing playability and feel.

Floor Tom Isolation Gaskets and 90° Static Legs

With a new 'lift' bracket design, each of the Design Lab floor toms feature metal components that are entirely on the outside of the shell. Each of the components are isolated by a special rubber lift gasket, releasing all of the pressure from the shell and preventing any loss of vibration.

Combined with the revolutionary isolation and designs of the Design Lab floor toms, the unique 90° static legs provide a significant improvement in the resonance from your toms. The intelligent architecture of the legs allows you to maximise the use of the SAS version of the floor tom leg, reducing the straightness of the path to the floor that would normally be detrimental to your sound.

SAS Attenuating Floor Tom Leg™

Attenuate your drum sound in real-time. The SAS attenuating floor tom leg™ is a revolutionary new design that prevents the external muffling of your floor toms. You can adjust your toms on the fly to achieve sustain that is to your exact specifications.

A straight path to the floor from your floor tom is often the main culprit for sound loss. The new SAS floor tom leg fixes that. You can adjust the leg to any angle from beyond 90° to inverted. You can make real-time changes to the sound and attenuation of your drums, all without limits. Each Black Panther Design Lab comes complete with an SAS Attenuating Floor Tom Leg™.

Magnetic Air Adjustment Tom Suspension System

A tom-mounting solution like no other. The MAATS-A (Magnetic Air Adjustment Tom Suspension) has been tailored specifically for the Mapex Black Panther Design Lab. Designed to accentuate and attenuate the sonic properties of your instrument in their purest form, MAATS-A lets you adjust the response of your drum to your exact personal desires.

This system uses Magnetic Force Adjustment to control the weight of the drum. Applying more magnetic force opens up your sound due to differences in weight distribution. This works in combination with the system's Acoustic Resonance Gate. The ARG affects the sustain length of your tom as its position moves up and down. MAATS-A also allows you to independently adjust the height of your tom, with the ability to accommodate any size of mounted tom.

Features

• Vintage, controlled, and precise - a no holds barred series with revolutionary breakthroughs in instrument design
• Created and developed through 30 years of engineering, innovation, and artistry
• A beautiful hybrid of vintage and classic tonality combined with modern hardware and cutting-edge technology
• The Concept Hybrid process blends a selection of various sound concepts to create a single instrument with a new and unique voice
• SONIClear™ Attenuation System gives you a completely new level of control to suit your environment and style
• High toms descend in 1/2'' depths to retain drive and punch for vintage tones with outstanding body
• Crafted from all-cherrywood 1mm plies - unparalleled focus with a truly unique sound

Specifications

• Series: Black Panther Design Lab
• System Configuration: BPDLC528X
• Tom Dimensions: 12'' x 8''
• Floor Tom Dimensions:
  • 14'' x 14''
  • 16'' x 16''
• Bass Drum Dimensions: 22'' x 16''
• SAS Scale: NW - SAS 0 Natural Satin
• Floor Tom / Tom Hoops: SONIC SAVER
• Bass Drum Hoops: Natural Satin Maple Bass Drum Hoops
• Hardware: Chrome