Drum head preferences

[tgs]

Alright, just about to buy drum heads for the studio kit and I have a pretty good clue what to get. Drums is my main instruments so I've had years of experimenting. But I just wanted to check with you guys what you usually use! Just interested for some reference and perhaps to get some new ideas. Soooo...

Kick batter:
Kick front:

Snare batter:
Snare bottom:

Toms batter:
Toms resonance:

Cheers!

 

[tgs]

Nobody? Ok, some personal thoughts then.

Kick batter: Powerstroke 3. Goes pretty much by default nowadays
Kick front: Have to change these soon I guess. Don't know to what...

Snare batter: Tried MANY different. Evans Genera Dry has been on many times. Also regular coated ambassadors and emperors.
Snare bottom: Diplomat Hazy mostly.

Toms batter: Was using Emperor, went over to G2 for some years, back to emperor... Just ordered a batch of Pin Stripes. Haven't used them for a while
Toms resonance: Diplomat and Ambassador. Slapped in G1 or G2 recently but, meh..... Just ordered a set of Diplomats

 

[wishtheend]

I just got a hook up through Aquarian - so I just put these on (all aquarian heads)

Kick batter: SuperKick II (still my favorite kick head to date)
Kick front: Regulator w/ 4" offset hole

Snare batter: Hi-Energy
Snare bottom: Hi-Performance

Toms batter: Super-2 (liking these a lot more than other aquarian 2ply heads)
Toms resonance: Classic Clear

 

[LSD-Studio]

snare batter: powerstroke3
bottom: dunno

tom batter: emperor
reso: ambassador

 

[ApolloSpeed]

Kick batter: Superkick II
Kick front: whatever with a badass logo

Snare batter: Evans G2 coated , but would like some suggestions on others
Snare bottom: stock singleplys , again, need suggestions on more

Toms batter: Pinstripes
Toms resonance: stock whatevers

 

[Lazzari]

my drummer uses remo and only remo he says they are the best sounding ones.. but im not a drummer so i dont know lol

 

[tgs]

my drummer uses remo and only remo he says they are the best sounding ones.. but im not a drummer so i dont know lol

I was using only Remo for years, then I switched to only use Evans. Now I guess I'm back to Remo again. Feels more....familiar, hehe

 

[Joematthews]

Evans EMAD for bass drum... jizz worthy.

Joe

 

[Morgan C]

Can't say too much as I'm in a garage with THE WORST acoustics ever, and so its kinda hard to judge. And using Pearl Exports.

On kick I've got a Remo Powersonic. It sucks, but I can't really afford to replace it ($100 over here in Aus.. for ONE skin) and it doesn't matter that much anyway.

Toms are pinstripes over ambassadors. Works fairly well but I'd like to try emperors on top.

Snare I really like the Remo Controlled Sound on top. I like the slight warm ring that thinner heads provide. Unfortunately I seem to go through them in about 6 weeks..
Snare ambassador on bottom, haven't really experimented with it much.


If I was to recommend what to get for a studio session..
Powerstroke3 or EMAD (apparently the ring falls out after about 6 months or so, I've never had one, but it shouldn't matter for quick studio work) for kick, clear.
Pinstripes over Ambassadors on toms.
Coated sound, or Ambassador over Ambassador on Snare. I personally like the ring of thinner heads, and you can usually remove it quite easily with surgical EQ afterwards. If you prefer a drier sound, a Powerstroke 3 on top.

 

[Damian B]

I've tried both the Powerstroke 3, EMAD and Superkick II on my bass drum before, and the Superkick II (by Aquarian) is by far my favorite!!! It's punchy, slightly muffled, and it still lets the drum breath.

On toms I really like Emperors for coated heads, and Evans EC2s for clear. The EC2s have a muffling system around the edge that deals with overtones very nicely, but still lets the tom resonate.

For snares I like Remo Emperor X or powerstrokes.

 

[scorpio01169]

Evans EMAD for kick batter

 

[Trondsa]

Remo all the way.

Kick batter: Powerstroke 3 (clear or smooth white)
Kick front: Smooth white or ebony PS3

Snare batter: Ambassador coated
Snare bottom:Hazy Ambassador

Toms batter: Pinstripe or Emperor
Toms resonance: Ambassador

For a bit more "controlled" sound, I use coated ambassadors as resonants. Works very good. For more attack in the tom sound, I use coated emperors on top. Works every time, might need a bit more tweaking to get the "fat" sound, but when they get there, it sounds very good.

When needed, I use Moongels for dampening the sound, both on the snare and the toms.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Another vote for superkick II.

 

[vespiz]

Our drummer uses

Kick: Remo Powerstroke 3, batter & reso
Snare: CS Coated & Ambassador Hazy snare side
Toms: Emperor Clear (diplomats or ambassadors on bottom)

We've tried Emperor Coated on toms and now there are Ebony Pinstripes, but they are just too dead for our taste. Clear Emperors seem to be ok.

 

[Trep]

these are the Heads i always swear by

Kick: Powerstroke 3

Snare: Powerstroke X

10" Tom: Ambassador Clear

12"tom : Emperor Clear

16' Floor : Powerstroke 4

by NOT using the same head on all toms you can get a much more even sound as you go round a roll. The smaller the drum the thinner the head, less plys and less dampening.

 

[ze kink]

Kick: Powerstroke 3
Snare: Remo Ambassadors, but depens a bit on the snare. For shittier snares, anything that's really muted, like Genera Dry.
Toms: Evans G2 on top, G1 on bottom.

Haven't experimented a lot though. I'll need to replace my BD heads soon, the EQ1 I have right now sounds pretty shitty.

 

[cobrahead1030]

has anyone directly compared the evans G1 v.s. G2 as top snare heads? i've been a fan of the G1 for a while now, but curious as to why so many people prefer the G2

also if anyone has used the superkickII and powerstroke3, i wouldn't mind hearing how those compare? been talking to my drummer about a few options for when we do a serious recording

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

G2 heads resonate less.

 

[Duskhammer]

I just got a hook up through Aquarian - so I just put these on (all aquarian heads)

Kick batter: SuperKick II (still my favorite kick head to date)
Kick front: Regulator w/ 4" offset hole

Snare batter: Hi-Energy
Snare bottom: Hi-Performance

Toms batter: Super-2 (liking these a lot more than other aquarian 2ply heads)
Toms resonance: Classic Clear

I was going to post this, so may aswell quote.

Although i use Classic Black reso

Superkick 2 will melt your face off, incredible Punch and Attack, managing to combine the clicky sound ( with wood/plastic beaters), yet just resonating that deep sub frequency that still makes it feel like a bass drum.

And Hi-Energy snare heads are great, one of the nicest sounding snare heads ive ever used, quite a thick head that has a very mid sound to it that just custs through the mix, just remember to get a bit of moongel.

And either the Response II's or SuperII ' Tom heads ( coated or studio x ring)

But whatever you do avoid the performance II's , those things are Deader than Anne Robinsons heart.

 

[starclassic63]

after trying most heads out there. these suit my playing style/ sound the most.

kick batter: Emad 2 or powerstroke4. the response 2(aquarian) is a good alternative
kik resonant: evans emad reso

snare top: evans genera hd dry or powercenter rev dot (thwack or pow!!)
snr btm: hazy 500 or 300

toms: g2/ g2 coated or aquarian response 2's
reso: g1's or genera reso.

cheers
troy