Beatello Bronze Cannon 14×8 Review: A $99 Snare With Serious Low-End

Reviewed by an anonymous professional drummer · Collaborating with Beatello

The Beatello Bronze Cannon is a 14×8 deep snare with a bronze-finished steel shell, and at $99 it's clearly aimed at rock and metal drummers who want that low-end punch without spending real money. I spent a while on it to see where the value's actually real, and where they cut corners instead.

Sound

The sound is the whole point of this drum. That deep 14×8 steel shell gives you a fat, dark backbeat with proper low-end thump, and the 18 air vents stop it from turning into mud. Rimshots have a nice sharp pop too, without that harsh tin top end you usually get from cheap steel snares.

The one catch is the stock head, which shows up sounding a little dead. A few owners say it only really opens up after you swap the head. Throw on an Aquarian, or a fresh batter and snare-side head, and it goes from just okay to genuinely lively. It's a cheap, easy fix, but plan on it if you want the sound they advertise.

Build Quality

For $99, the build is honestly surprising. The 2.0 mm reinforced hoops and 12 chrome lugs feel solid, and it tunes up pretty evenly across the head.

The downsides are quality control and hardware spec. One owner got bent screws, and a few people mention the lug threads aren't a standard size, so aftermarket parts and tuning take a bit more patience. A little lithium grease on the lugs helps tuning run smoother.

Features

Features is where this stays a budget snare. You get the deep shell, 18 vents, 12 lugs, and a steel snare wire. Solid basics for the money, but nothing fancy like a premium throw-off or a nicer head. It's a focused, no-frills rock snare.

Value

This is where the Bronze Cannon wins. It's $99, and normally lists at $119. Good luck finding another 14×8 deep snare with this much low-end punch anywhere near that price.

That fat rock backbeat usually costs way more from the name brands, so you're getting the sound for a fraction of what a comparable deep snare runs. If you can handle the head swap and a little fiddling with the hardware, the value here is hard to beat.

Verdict

The Beatello Bronze Cannon earns its spot by giving you the low-end punch and dark tone a deep snare is supposed to have, at a price that's tough to argue with. For rock and metal players who don't mind a head swap and some light hardware TLC, it's an easy recommend.

Specifications

• TypeSnare drum
• Drum size14 × 8 inches
• Shell materialCarbon steel
• Shell constructionDeep shell with 18 air vents
• Hoops2.0 mm reinforced bronze steel flanged hoops
• Lugs12 chrome-plated steel lugs
• FinishBronze
• HeadsCarbon Black sandblast low-frequency head
• Price$99 (Retail price $119)