I never compared hardware. If its sturdy and light[ish] its good for me. Shells are another thing. I think over many years of playing you get familiar with a certain sound you prefer.

I seem to gravitate to mahogany, and I saw a pic of me with my first pro kit kit from over 50 yrs ago, and it was a Slingerland blue sprkl mahogany shell. I was about 15-16 yrs old and I bought them at a pawn shop for BIG MONEY...200 bucks for everything!.

Hard to explain but that's my sound.