On drums...

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Cliff

River City Trio

What if we did all have the same opinions?

Sorry, couldn't help myself. Inside humor, already explained by Cliff. I, too, am amazed he doesn't go for that sound.

Tim, what other snares do you have experience with and how do you compare them with the Lite? I just spoke with Kelly last night, and not to put words in his mouth, but I believe what he was saying was the Lite snare is great if you are coming from drier snares, like the Signature or Designer, but still too dry in the world of snare drums. I can't imagine wanting more liveliness than the ten lug TO2 7.25" Lite provides, except perhaps in dead center where it can go a bit thin when punched too hard; maybe I haven't figured fully how to tune the thing. The Sig 12 hole light snare is only marginally drier, but has more beef in dead center when punched.

Sorry for the divergence, Cliff; perhaps this will feed back into the Hilite snare. I assume you have spoken with the owner of the sample you heard?

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Gregory

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Cliff

River City Trio

What if we did all have the same opinions?

Greg...you're comparing a 20 lug/throw-off II/triple flange hooped Lite snare with a 24 lug/diecast hooped/parallel strainer Sig drum.....don't think they can be compared well.

You have in my opinion the best version Lite snares came in. The Throw-Off II is thee best system ever made. Unlike the Parallel strainer there is not a lot of hardware holding it to the shell, seriously reducing the muffling effect that a Parallel strainer provides. Throw on a few more lugs, 3/4 inch of shell and diecast hoops and you have a completely different drum.

I view a Hilite snare as I view everything else Hilite. It is a great snare but it's personality lacks everything that is so pronounced in Sig or Lite drums. I suppose it could have it's place....I really can't see it doing anything that your Sig or Designer couldn't do better. You won't be able to tune it nearly as high as you can a Sig/Designer or Lite without choking it.

Fun to play and experiement I know....and they really are great looking.

i'm sorry. What I meant was that you liked the sample you heard Lane playing, and so I he'd be a good source of specific information on heads, tuning, wires...

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Gregory

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Cliff

River City Trio

What if we did all have the same opinions?

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Cliff

River City Trio

What if we did all have the same opinions?

That's true, they can't be compared if it is just the shells that are being compared; but surely I can compare the drums, one to another, and then to all else. Remarkably little difference between these two. But what I was asking for is opinions on the Lite outside of the context of Sonor, or at least outside of the context of Phonic through Designer.

I remember you saying that the Lite is particularly notable in the Sonor context, but outside it is not necessarily as noteworthy. I'm intrigued by that assessment, but have no way of knowing whether I'd respond the same way. One way to find out is by "asking around." The other way is more expensive.

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Gregory

7 vs 8 depth....remarkable the difference an inch can make. I don't like thin sounding snares or overly dry snares. A 7 retains a good portion of the "fat" of an 8, but loses a considerable amount of the dry (resonates significantly more)
Works the other way for me too.....a 6 loses a considerable amount of fat over the 7 and leans too far thin.
For a few years now I have known what my snare size is.
Bearing in mind...shell thickness when comparing plays a significant role.

Regarding "outside of Sonor":
My SQ2 14 x 7 was exactly spec'd to a lite regarding shell thickness and material (birch). That drum was head and shoulders over a lite for my tastes in every aspect. I have long vented on link era hardware seriously drying out a drum. Some folks like that sound so it's just my preference to have more open sounding drums.
This is not a Sonor bashing rant but I know I can find a 14 x 7 from several other manufactures that would compare just as wonderfully. It's the part of me that doesn't understand the loyalty issue. I have found the majority of people that swear by the brand have never really tried anything else. I certaintly can agree there was a time there was not much to compare to but times have changed.
Just need to look at the shell thickness, hoops, mounting used, how many and how large to get an idea if the shell will resonate like I want or lean toward dry.
I think Lite's got their reputation because the Sonor faithful of that era came off of 14 x 8 thick shelled Sig snares and Phonic snares. Coming off of those a lite can seem like a plug was pulled and a rush of fresh air came forth. This is how they became the new rave.

I'm quite aware of our very different playing style/preferences...so it's just info, if that.

Since the revelation of removing the center snare wires....a 7 just got all that much better for me. The fatness and the additional resonance is just wonderful.

Hope I didn't kill anyone with too many words. Can't stand to hear myself half the time.

a lot to comment on by the end of the day, yikes.

Kelly i agree, the Hilite is definitely one of the best looking snares they made. i wish the SQ2 retained the single nodal lug vs the double lug that they use.
i also agree that most of the faithful don't try out other lines to see what they are missing. I have a Yamaha Oak snare and just picked up a Sakae beech snare, they are both every bit as nice as a Sonor snare without the price tag, and a similar but different pedigree. The Sonor's are definitely the loudest of the gang.

Greg, I have played quite a few snares since i have had the Lite, and it still ranks among the top few. I dont see it as being such a dry drum, maybe it's the way i have it tuned, but I get a nice ring out of it if I hit off center, dead on is a fat smack with little overtone. I really dig the woody, controlled sound. The player controls the sound, not the drum. It has a lot of personality. I have an early 60's George Way drum that has the same characteristics, it just doesn't have the same dynamic range.

It's nice to have variety. Cliff I hope it finds itself a home with you, the Hilites are great snares, just not as well rounded as some of the others. Great gig snares