Editorial policy
The rules that keep DrumSpy honest.
How I test, how I score, and the lines I will not cross. These standards apply to every review on the site, whether I bought the gear myself or a brand sent it in.
Independence
Brands can send gear. They get zero say in the score.
Every product reviewed on DrumSpy is either bought by me or sent in by the manufacturer. Either way, it goes through the same testing and earns the same kind of score. I keep full editorial and creative control over everything that gets published.
I do not run sponsored reviews or paid placements. A brand can send a product and make its case, but it has no say over the score, the writeup, or the final recommendation.
DrumSpy earns revenue through affiliate links, and that never influences testing or scoring. The full breakdown is on the how we make money page.
Testing
Tested in hand, every time.
Every product is tested in my Milwaukee studio under the same conditions every time. If it is on the site, it was physically in my hands. The full battery of measurements, the rig that runs them, and how each test works is documented on the methodology page.
Read the full methodology →Never reviewed from
Scoring
How I score.
Every product is scored from 1.0 to 5.0. The criteria change by category, but the math never does.
Each product is scored from 1.0 to 5.0 across a handful of criteria built for its category. The overall score is a straight average of those criteria.
No weighting. No rounding up. A 3.8 is a 3.8.
Each criterion has defined benchmarks, so a score means the same thing from one product to the next. A sound score of 4.5 and up means studio-quality audio you would put on a record. A 2.5 means usable, but obviously digital.
What the colors mean
What each category is scored on
Standards
The fine print I actually follow.
Original photography
Every review includes original photos shot in my studio. No manufacturer stock images and no AI-generated photos. You see the actual unit I tested, wear from the stress testing included.
Reviews stay current
Reviews are not frozen in time. I revisit them when a product gets a firmware update, when the price shifts, or when long-term use changes my take. Each one shows its most recent test date.
Content rules
“Could someone write this without owning or testing the product?”
Every page on DrumSpy has to pass that one test. If the answer is yes, it does not belong here. If I have not used it, I do not write about it. That single rule is what keeps the site from sliding back into the recycled content that buried it once before.
Questions about the process?
I am happy to explain any of this. Reach out and I will get back to you.
Email nick@drumspy.com