Sonor Hilite 20/10/14 Drum Set – Dark Violet – Vintage German Maple – EV Mics & dDrum Triggers

For sale is a beautiful vintage Sonor Hilite 3-piece drum set, made in Germany, in the rare and striking Dark Violet finish.

The Hilite was Sonor’s professional maple series and is well known for its exceptionally solid construction, heavy-duty hardware and powerful, focused yet warm sound.

Sizes

• 20” x 16” Bass Drum
• 10” x 9” Rack Tom
• 14” x 12” Rack Tom

The compact 20/10/14 configuration is particularly versatile and not something you come across very often. It would also make an excellent addition for someone who already owns a larger Hilite setup such as 22/12/13/16, adding a second bass drum size as well as 10” and 14” toms.

Original Sonor Hilite Hardware Included

The set comes with the original Sonor Hilite mounting hardware shown in the photos, including:

• Original bass drum-mounted tom holder
• Original Hilite tom arm for the 10” tom
• Original Hilite cymbal arm mounted via the bass drum holder – ideal for a ride or crash cymbal
• Original Hilite ball-joint tom arm for the 14” tom
• Adjustable Sonor multi-clamp with articulated joint for flexible positioning of the 14” tom

The original Hilite mounting hardware is extremely solid and offers a wide range of positioning options.

Internal Electro-Voice Microphones & dDrum Triggers

Both toms have internally installed Electro-Voice microphones, with the signals routed to XLR sockets mounted directly in the shells.

Both microphones have been tested and are working correctly.

In addition, both toms are fitted with dDrum triggers, connected to separate XLR sockets. The triggers have not been tested by me and are therefore included as untested.

The bass drum does not have an internal microphone, but is also equipped with a dDrum trigger, connected to a standard 1/4” jack socket. This trigger is also untested.

The internal microphone setup makes the kit particularly interesting for studio or live use, while the additional triggers offer possibilities for hybrid acoustic/electronic setups.

Condition & Modifications

The kit is in very good overall condition for a Sonor Hilite of this era, with normal signs of use and age.

The Dark Violet finish still presents beautifully and changes considerably depending on the lighting – from very dark to a deep violet/reddish tone. The chrome hardware is also in good overall condition.

Please note that this is not an untouched collector’s kit. The installation of the internal microphone/trigger system required additional holes in the shells for the XLR and jack connections.

The 10” tom also has one additional small unused hole of approximately 3–4 mm, which currently has no function. This is clearly shown in the photos.

The Electro-Voice microphones have been tested and work correctly. The dDrum triggers are untested. The internal wiring and connections appear intact.

Apart from the modifications described above and normal age-related signs of use, I am not aware of any significant damage.

The drumheads are used and show normal playing wear and should be considered consumables rather than part of the value of the kit.

Overall, this is a very cool player/studio example of a German-made Sonor Hilite in an unusual and highly practical 20/10/14 configuration. It combines the classic Hilite maple sound and substantial original Sonor hardware with a useful integrated microphone and trigger setup.

Please study all photos carefully, as they form an important part of the description.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like additional photos or measurements.