I actually like the Evans EMAD

Bo Eder

Platinum Member
So I got a little Pearl Vision Bop kit the other day (in classic champagne sparkle) and before I got it I was ready to replace all the heads except for the bass drum head.

My only choice was an Evans EMAD my local Sam Ash had in stock. My plan was to get a PowerStroke 3, or something just thick because the drum is small, I didn't want it too dead. I was unsure of the EMAD. I saw one on a friend's 22 bass drum and thought it worked 'ok' - it was still a little too dead for my taste. But since this was the only bass drum head available to me without having to order something, I took it home and put it on.

I was pleasantly surprised that it sounded good on this tiny bass drum! I'm not using the fatter foam ring, just the little thin one. It sounds great. If I need to open it up a little, I simply remove the foam ring and the remaining black frame that holds the ring muffles it just enough to give you a bigger 'oomph'. Maybe with my 18" being tuned a bit tighter than your middle-of-the-road 22" that helps with the drum from sounding too dead. Anyway, I have an acceptable bass drum sound for my new acquisition, and like it. In fact, with proper heads and tuning on this kit, the kit sounds better than I thought it would.

I decided to eliminate a bad first impression by not even trying the stock Remo UT heads - as soon as they came out of the boxes, the heads were coming off! So now I have a pile of these Remo UT heads that are brand new ;)
 
Emad on a gretsch renown maple 20" kick, Heaven! friend of mine did it and it was absolutly amazing :)

So I got a little Pearl Vision Bop kit the other day (in classic champagne sparkle) and before I got it I was ready to replace all the heads except for the bass drum head.

My only choice was an Evans EMAD my local Sam Ash had in stock. My plan was to get a PowerStroke 3, or something just thick because the drum is small, I didn't want it too dead. I was unsure of the EMAD. I saw one on a friend's 22 bass drum and thought it worked 'ok' - it was still a little too dead for my taste. But since this was the only bass drum head available to me without having to order something, I took it home and put it on.

I was pleasantly surprised that it sounded good on this tiny bass drum! I'm not using the fatter foam ring, just the little thin one. It sounds great. If I need to open it up a little, I simply remove the foam ring and the remaining black frame that holds the ring muffles it just enough to give you a bigger 'oomph'. Maybe with my 18" being tuned a bit tighter than your middle-of-the-road 22" that helps with the drum from sounding too dead. Anyway, I have an acceptable bass drum sound for my new acquisition, and like it. In fact, with proper heads and tuning on this kit, the kit sounds better than I thought it would.

I decided to eliminate a bad first impression by not even trying the stock Remo UT heads - as soon as they came out of the boxes, the heads were coming off! So now I have a pile of these Remo UT heads that are brand new ;)
 
So I got a little Pearl Vision Bop kit the other day (in classic champagne sparkle) and before I got it I was ready to replace all the heads except for the bass drum head.

My only choice was an Evans EMAD my local Sam Ash had in stock. My plan was to get a PowerStroke 3, or something just thick because the drum is small, I didn't want it too dead. I was unsure of the EMAD. I saw one on a friend's 22 bass drum and thought it worked 'ok' - it was still a little too dead for my taste. But since this was the only bass drum head available to me without having to order something, I took it home and put it on.

I was pleasantly surprised that it sounded good on this tiny bass drum! I'm not using the fatter foam ring, just the little thin one. It sounds great. If I need to open it up a little, I simply remove the foam ring and the remaining black frame that holds the ring muffles it just enough to give you a bigger 'oomph'. Maybe with my 18" being tuned a bit tighter than your middle-of-the-road 22" that helps with the drum from sounding too dead. Anyway, I have an acceptable bass drum sound for my new acquisition, and like it. In fact, with proper heads and tuning on this kit, the kit sounds better than I thought it would.

I decided to eliminate a bad first impression by not even trying the stock Remo UT heads - as soon as they came out of the boxes, the heads were coming off! So now I have a pile of these Remo UT heads that are brand new ;)

Hi !

Glad you like the EMAD... It's so hard to find a 18" bass drum head today... The only one
in stock where I live is an Evans EQ3, double ply... I almost buy it but 2 ply for a 18" BD ?

The last EMAD that I had, probably in 2006, was sounding good but the foam rigs were
rattling like (E)mad... What do you think about that, did Evans correct the problem with newer
skins ?? is the foam tight enough so it doesn't move ?

Phil.
 
Hi !

Glad you like the EMAD... It's so hard to find a 18" bass drum head today... The only one
in stock where I live is an Evans EQ3, double ply... I almost buy it but 2 ply for a 18" BD ?

The last EMAD that I had, probably in 2006, was sounding good but the foam rigs were
rattling like (E)mad... What do you think about that, did Evans correct the problem with newer
skins ?? is the foam tight enough so it doesn't move ?

Phil.

I wasn't aware of that issue. Maybe that's something I have to look forward to :/
Well, I'm sure I'll have stocked a few Remo PowerStroke 3's in the next few weeks....
 
The black thing that held the foam ring in place used to split and rattle. They've since sorted that out, and it's no longer an issue. The EMAD 1 is my first choice in bass drum batter heads, without any foam rings. I like the attack, and everything else about that head.
 
Yeah every Emad I bought cracked and then buzzed long before I had kicked the life out of it. I used them for a couple of years, I just had to change the head way too often. Maybe they fixed it. They sold them like that for years though. Just one of my peeves with that brand. Not to trying start a debate, I know that many drummers have great results with, and high praise for them.
 
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I've always had great results with the EMAD, both clear and coated.

I've had my share of the plastic holders rattle itself apart too, so I switched to a Super-Kick for the last two years or so.

After recently picking up a NOS Sonor S Classix kit, that came with stock heads, I decided to try out an EMAD head once again. Man, those heads are great. Lots of definition, and with the small ring, more than enough tone and dynamic range.

Haven't had any of the usual cracks in the plastic show up yet, so maybe when Evans switched the Bass Drum heads over to "360" they addressed the problem of the plastic holder.
 
I believe the plastic sleeve that holds the foam would split because it had hard 90 degree bends which created a weak spot in the plastic. Evans addressed the issue by rounding out the bends, these changes happened in 2009. The rattling sound would have been the split plastic vibrating when the head would resonant.

Below is a video by Evans, speaking of the change...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAL7IjPuYuI

Great kick heads!
 
Yeah every Emad I bought cracked and then buzzed long before I had kicked the life out of it. I used them for a couple of years, I just had to change the head way too often. Maybe they fixed it. They sold them like that for years though. Just one of my peeves with that brand. Not to trying start a debate, I know that many drummers have great results with, and high praise for them.

We made a change in the design in May 2010 that eliminated this issue and haven't had a problem with a head made after that date. Unfortunately, it also took time for the new heads to get out into the market, but I've gladly replaced heads for people experiencing this problem in the past. Even then, the percentage of heads that experienced this issue was quite small, but we believe in our products and want to make all drummers lives easier- not just some. I think we do a pretty good job of keeping our collective ears to the ground around here. :)
 
I use the EMAD I on all my Blaemire bass drums. I run full reso heads, so the EMAD gives you external adjustment, just as described in its name. I generally run the thin ring in most venues, but have even run it with no ring at times. Works for me on all sizes thet I own. (20, 22, and 24)
 
I like those and also the Aquarian version of the same thing. I believe it's called "super-kick". On a related note, I'm literally too lazy to turn around and get up from my chair to look at the kit stacked behind me and be sure of the "super-kick" name.

Anyway, I actually use the 2 ply versions, because my kicks r' big, and have no problem giving tons of tone even with the 2 plys.

I also have an e-mad reso head on my 22 kick. I'm slightly less enthused about it as compared to the batters. It has a little tiny one of the foam rings that goes in the sound-hole on it... And I can't hear too much difference with it in or out. I think the hole itself already messes with the resonating, so the ring isn't doing much there.
 
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