Anyone prefer standard depth?

For years, I just played 5" deep snares, and still love them. but I am playing a 6.5x14 that I made a lot, not because I like it better, but it better matches the type of music I am playing. I like both, and each is matched to the music de-jour.
 
Up until very recently, all of my snares were 5" but a recent reimagining of my sound led me to acquire a 6.5" deep Sledgehammer. It's not for loudness or not-loudness, but for, as Bermuda said, an overall sound and tone from the drum that can be better served with different depths. And as KIS said, it's the sum totality of the instrument, not one factor, that makes it what it is.
 
I've been going for that "huge" snare sound for quite a while and, in doing so, have bought several deep snares:

Ludwig LM402 14x6.5
M4 Drum Co. Walnut Stave 14x8"
Keller Maple 14x8

Guess what? These are probably my three least favorite snares that I own.

I've found that I really don't like lots of overtones and overly ringy snares, and deep snares are a bitch to get rid of the ring, without completely choking the sound of the drum.

In a recording, my '65 Acrolite is actually the "fattest" sounding of all my snares, despite its small depth. As far as volume is concerned, I've never really noticed any snare being significantly louder than another, except my 13x6" Addiction Drum Design segmented oak snare - that thing is LOUD.
 
If I had to whittle down my collection to two I would be left with my 14x10 custom snare and my 14x6.5 Leedy. The 14x10 is a real delight because I can tune it up very high or tune it very, very low. I personally love the extra overtones that it has but I could always dry it out with a piece of moongel or my wallet.

The snare that has been giving me trouble is the 14x5 Acrolite. I think it is something about the combination of the dry material and the shallow shell. It just sounds abrupt and papery to my ears, the sounds lacks body.
 
It's always struck me as very odd that std snare drum depth sizes are 5.5 and 6.5 inches. After all toms and kicks don't generally have this 1/2 inch increment; maybe it's historical. I don't think there is anything magical about these std dimensions. I have two 6 inch deep metal snares (brass and steel) and all things considered these fall between the aforementioned std sizes in responsiveness and fatness. In summary 6 inch depth drums aren't odd, they are great and should be the norm.
 
It's always struck me as very odd that std snare drum depth sizes are 5.5 and 6.5 inches. After all toms and kicks don't generally have this 1/2 inch increment; maybe it's historical. I don't think there is anything magical about these std dimensions. I have two 6 inch deep metal snares (brass and steel) and all things considered these fall between the aforementioned std sizes in responsiveness and fatness. In summary 6 inch depth drums aren't odd, they are great and should be the norm.

Bass drums don't have snares, are much better, etc. so it follows that bigger variations are required to appreciably change the sound.

Not that a half-inch on the snare is appreciably changing the sound for most people ;)
 
The snare that has been giving me trouble is the 14x5 Acrolite. I think it is something about the combination of the dry material and the shallow shell. It just sounds abrupt and papery to my ears, the sounds lacks body.

I have to agree... Aluminum snares to my ears sounds better/fuller in 6.5" depth than they do in shallower depths...
 
I tend to go for 5/5.5 depth snares. I've always preferred the 5x14 Supra over the 6.5. When I spec'd out my latest snare, I asked for 5.5... My steel Dunnett is a 6.5, but when I ordered it, I asked Ronn what his preferred depth was - so I went with the deeper dimension. I think it works for that thin, undersized shell, but I prefer the feel of a shallower drum. I also found that you can get a 5 or 5.5 to sound pretty full, but not get too muddy if you need to drop the tension down...
 
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