DW Design Series Acrylic 4-piece Shell Pack - Clear Acrylic

Looking for a drum set that turns heads and actually sounds great? We spent some real time with the DW Design Series Acrylic shell pack, and yeah—it’s a stunner. The clear acrylic shells grab light in the coolest way on stage.

The seamless shells feel rock solid, even when you lay into them. DW made these shells thick enough for aggressive drumming, but they still keep that classic acrylic snap—bright and punchy.

The hardware feels solid right out of the box. Mini-turret lugs stay locked during tuning, and the suspension tom mounts really help with resonance. Steel hoops add some heft, but never make the kit feel sluggish.

We got plenty of projection for live gigs. The acrylic shells slice through thick mixes with ease. In the studio, though, we did notice the brightness—sometimes too much—so a bit of dampening or EQ helps.

DW ships the kit with decent heads already on. Took us about an hour to set up with basic tools, nothing wild.

Overview of the DW DDAC2215CL Design Series Acrylic 4-piece Shell Pack

First thing you notice after setup? Those seamless, crystal-clear shells just look pro. DW’s Design Series brings their signature quality—just in a see-through package.

The 5.5mm acrylic shells ring out bright and focused. The bass drum’s 6.5mm depth gives it a nice punch, not overwhelming. Seamless shells mean fewer weak spots, which is a relief if you’ve dealt with cheap acrylic before.

Shell Configuration:

• 18" x 22" bass drum with black maple hoops
• 8" x 10" and 9" x 12" rack toms
• 14" x 16" floor tom

Mini-turret lugs and steel flanged hoops make tuning easy and reliable. We like the STM suspension mounts for keeping things resonant. Remo heads come pre-installed, so you can get playing fast.

One thing—acrylic shells show every fingerprint and speck of dust. At 55 pounds, this kit isn’t the easiest to move. But on stage, it turns heads, and the sound really backs up the price.

Key Features

After some real playing time, a few features really stood out. The clear acrylic build is obviously unique and just pops under stage lights.

High-Grade Seamless Acrylic Shells

The shells just feel sturdy. Every drum gives you a punchy, bright tone that’s hard to miss. No seams means no weird buzzes or cracks—just solid sound.

Acrylic drums don’t sound like wood. The attack is sharper, and the sustain lingers. That’s awesome for rock, but honestly, it might be too bright for jazz or softer stuff.

And yeah, you can see straight through the kit. Lights shine through, making it look wild during shows.

Mini-Turret Lugs

The small lugs look sleek on the clear shells. They don’t block your view like big chunky hardware can. We noticed there are fewer lugs than in some sets, but it never caused tuning issues.

Tuning is smooth. The rods turn easily, and nothing slipped out of tune during practice. Chrome finishes match up with most hardware you’ll have. The smaller lugs do mean less shell contact, but it didn’t seem to matter much in use.

DW's STM (Suspension Tom Mounts)

These mounts keep the toms floating and free. The drums vibrate naturally since the hardware never chokes them.

We got better sustain and resonance than with shell-mounted hardware. Toms ring out longer and sound fuller. Adjusting the position is simple and the mounts stay put, even after some heavy playing.

Steel Flanged Counter Hoops

The flanged edge curves over the head, protecting it better than straight hoops. After a lot of playing, heads still looked good.

Rimshots cut through, and the steel gives a bright ping that fits the acrylic vibe. Cross-sticks sound crisp, too.

The hoops line up with the lugs perfectly and don’t warp. Tuning stays stable, even when the weather changes. If you hit the steel wrong, it can dent, but honestly, it’s mostly cosmetic.

Sound Performance

Right out of the gate, this kit impressed us with its sound. The shells are bright and punchy—they really cut through a live mix.

What stands out:

• Sharp, clear attack
• Big projection for gigs
• Rich sustain, not too many weird overtones
• Balanced sound across the kit

The kick drum thumps low but stays tight. Toms ring out with a nice warmth, and the snare stays crisp and sensitive to touch.

What’s tricky:

• Can sound harsh in small rooms if you don’t dampen
• Needs tuning more often than wood shells sometimes

The acrylic has its own vibe—great for rock, pop, and studio work. We tried a few different heads and were able to tweak the tone fairly easily.

Durability and Build Quality

We were surprised at how tough the seamless acrylic shells feel. At 5.5mm thick, they handle hard playing, and the bass drum’s 6.5mm walls add real stability.

Mini-turret lugs held tuning through long sessions. The steel hoops resist warping and the bearing edges kept their 45-degree cut after several head swaps.

Fingerprints and dust show up fast, though—not much you can do about that. The seamless build means fewer weak spots, but if you drop a shell or hit it wrong, it could crack.

STM suspension mounts keep toms steady and let them resonate. After months of use, the hardware barely shows wear. The piano's black lacquer maple hoops on the kick look sharp and add some strength.

Pros and Cons

After putting this kit through its paces, here’s what really stood out—and what bugged us.

Pros

The clear acrylic shells provide significant sound projection. Bright, punchy tones and great sustain make them shine for rock and pop.

The look is killer. Transparent shells work with any stage setup and catch the lights in a way wood kits just can’t. Visually, they’re a conversation starter.

Build quality is top notch. Shells feel strong, hardware is reinforced, and nothing creaked or flexed after weeks of use.

Setup is easy. Tuning is straightforward and remains stable, even with heavy playing. The shells respond well to different tuning styles.

Versatility surprised us. While they’re made for loud music, they can work in the studio if you mic them up right. The clear tone translates well through PAs and monitors.

Cons

The price makes this kit unaffordable for many drummers. The materials and build justify it, but it’s still a big investment.

Fingerprints and dust are in a constant battle. We wiped the shells down all the time, especially before gigs.

The bright tone isn’t for everyone. In quiet or mellow genres, the acrylic can sound a bit harsh.

Sound options are limited compared to wood. You won’t get the deep, warm thud of maple or birch from acrylic, no matter how you tune.

The shells feel cold to the touch, especially if your practice space is chilly. Not a dealbreaker, but worth noting if you’re sensitive to that.

Customer Reviews

We dug into what other drummers are saying, and the reviews are glowing. People love how the clear acrylic shells punch through any mix and sound bright enough to stand out.

Stage presence gets a lot of praise. Drummers say the transparent shells look wild under lights and make a big impression at shows.

Sound quality surprised many. Folks didn’t expect this much tone and warmth from acrylic at this price point, but most seem genuinely happy.

Setup and tuning get good marks. The kit holds tuning well and responds to different heads and setups.

Some worry about durability—acrylic can crack if it is subjected to excessive abuse. But actual reports of damage are rare, at least so far.

Frequently Asked Questions

After playing this acrylic kit, we noticed drummers have a lot of questions. The clear shells get attention, but there’s more to think about than looks.

What are the distinctive features of the DW Design Series Acrylic Shell Pack?

The first thing you’ll notice is the seamless, clear acrylic construction. Toms use 5.5mm thick shells, while the bass drum gets bumped up to 6.5mm.

The mini-turret lugs move smoothly and look sharp against the transparent shells. Steel flanged counter hoops stand out, adding a bit of edge to the whole look.

DW’s STM suspension tom mounts let the toms float freely. This helps them resonate better, without the hardware choking the sound.

The piano black lacquer maple hoops on the bass drum really stand out against the clear acrylic.

How do the acoustic properties of the DW acrylic shells compare to traditional wooden shells?

Acrylic shells sound brighter and more focused than most wooden shells. The attack is sharp—almost aggressive at times.

Sustain is noticeably shorter than what you’d get from maple or birch. That makes these drums cut through loud mixes easily.

The tone stays pretty pure, without much of the warmth you hear from wood. Low-end feels tight and controlled, but not as deep or boomy as wood shells.

The bass drum punches through, but you lose some of the resonance that wooden shells offer.

What is the durability like for the DW Design Series Acrylic Shell Pack?

Seamless construction means you don’t have to worry about weak points where seams might split. The shells shrugged off normal gigging stress in our experience.

If you whack them extremely hard or drop them, acrylic can crack. For regular playing, though, the thick shell walls help prevent most damage.

The clear finish does show fingerprints and dust. We wiped them down more often than wood drums to keep them looking decent.

Temperature changes have a minimal impact on tuning compared to wooden shells. That’s a relief if you’re gigging in unpredictable environments.

Can you detail the difference between the DW Design and Performance series?

Design series drums use different shell materials and construction than the Performance series. Performance usually features all-maple shells with reinforcement rings.

Design series kits cost less. The hardware’s a bit simpler, but it gets the job done. Performance series drums feature higher-end lugs and a wider range of finish options.

Honestly, the Design series gives you DW quality without the steep price tag. The sound holds up, even if it’s not their flagship line.

Performance series offers more custom options. The design series adheres to set configurations with fewer options.

What are the main considerations when choosing between the DW Design Series Acrylic and DW's higher-end lines?

Budget’s usually the biggest factor. Design series drums are way more affordable than Collector’s or Performance series kits.

Sound preference counts too. Acrylic shells have a specific tone—great for some genres, maybe not for others.

Hardware on the Design series is simpler. If you want premium lugs and mounting, you’ll find those on higher-end DW drums.

Do you need custom sizes or specific shell depths? You’ll have to look at the upper lines, since Design series comes in standard setups only.

How does the sound of the DW Design Series Acrylic snare stand out from other DW snare drums?

This shell pack doesn't include a snare drum. You get the bass drum and three toms.

DW does make acrylic snares in the Design series. Those have the same bright, cutting vibe as the toms.

Acrylic snares usually give you a really crisp backbeat. They cut through a dense mix better than most wood snares, to be honest.

The tone leans modern and aggressive. If you purchase this shell pack, you'll need to purchase a snare separately.

An acrylic snare perfectly complements the rest of the kit, both in terms of look and sound.