On drums...

A very nice demo, done by Tito, found here at sonormuseum.

Sure raises the old question about what exactly all the very trendy rubber isolation coating the shells is doing. Given what we have been told, isolating the hardware improves resonance, not kills it. Common sense suggests that putting rubber on anything dampens it. Common sense would seem to be validated by this test, although the real test of sound is found with heads on, not off.

But never, in my understanding, has rubber been used to augment vibration.

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Gregory

I believe that the sole purpose of the rubber is (and always will be) to remove unwanted resonance (metal-on-metal).
Unless You're using a free floating system, which improves the resonance since the shell is uninterrupted in vibration, the sole purpose of the rubber gasket is to remove unwanted vibes - nothing more, nothing less...

Nice video, by the way...

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Goki - short from Goran

Let the good drums roll!!!

I thought that the stated reason for rubber isolation was to reduce the effect of other resonant frequencies on the shell, not to stop buzzing of loose bits. So, in essence, allowing the resonant frequency of the shell to come forward, thereby reducing the effect of attached hardware.

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Gregory

Been saying this for years. I always viewed them as little clamps. It's also why I always said Sonor's high end kits are inherently dry. Their mid level kits with single mounts are much more "lively" then their more expensive counter parts.
Thus the love of SClass Pros.
In Sonor's defense, and others for that matter, "tight, dry" was the desired goal.
I wonder if this "sound" is going out. Did for me anyway.

Not according to Sonor's literature, it wasn't. APS isolates all metal vibration from the shell, resulting in "no vibrational energy... absorbed."

Perhaps that's just gobbledygook for "We're Germans: we have ways to control everything. Buy these drums."

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Gregory

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Cliff

River City Trio

What if we did all have the same opinions?

Cliff, I have what sound I consider to be a good drum and its probably not in vogue. There are small variations of it, but not many.

I've always wanted to own what I consider to be the best of 3 woods. A 6 ply Ludwig, which I have, an original Tama Superstar which is 6 ply birch, and a Sonor Phonic which would cover the beech. However, if I tune all of them to my liking, wouldn't they all sound close to the same? Would the different woods be enough to distinguish a difference?

Its a question I hope to answer someday...

Dunno.

To many variables besides just the wood, which you as a builder, know better than I.

You have the one opportunity for a truly scientific test - build one of each, with all else equal but for the wood.

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Cliff

River City Trio

What if we did all have the same opinions?

Latz, my opinion is that one's ear will not be able to detect any difference all other things equal.

Cliff, I don't follow any market or what is "in". I honestly don't think I ever have. I think probably at a time when we very young certain influences wrote in stone what we wanted to sound like. Of course when we set out on that road and begin learning we start to add our own personality to it.
But drum manufacturers as a whole, have taken certain turns over the years.
Try to buy a new kit in 10x9, 12x10. Virtually non-exsistent. I don't like the new fad, 10x8,12x9. Or 10x7, 12x8. Even 10x8, 12x8 is in.
ISO mounting is in. And it's easy to tell what all this "rubber" is doing to a drum sound. I think my first comments elude to they just might have gone too far with it. I would imagine a marketing ploy in the future that will boast the latest magic but will actually be them just backing off all this isolation. Like I said to Greg, they will be switching the rubber for Polyurethane.
Your drums will now hold the road better.

But will they still swing?

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Gregory