Evans EMAD Bass Drum System Bundle Review:
What To Expect from These heads
Quality
The EMAD drumheads have been industry-standard options for several years, and it’s largely thanks to their high quality.
When thinking of the tones they produce, the batter head will offer a very punchy tone that will tighten the bass drum up.
If you want it to sound less punchy, you can remove the dampening ring that comes on it. If you want it to sound even punchier, you can add a thicker dampening ring.
The resonant head tightens the sound up even more, perfectly complementing the sound you get from the batter head. The port hole also dries the sound up slightly. It’s not drastic enough of a difference for drummers to be unhappy with it, though.
With that being said, some bass drums will still sound boomy with both these heads on. You could always place a pillow inside the shell to further cut down on that.
Construction
The batter EMAD head has brilliant construction quality. It’s highly durable, and it’s a drumhead that any drummer will be happy to take out on the road with them.
The design of the resonant head is a bit questionable, though. Firstly, the port hole is only 4”, which is a bit too small for certain microphones to fit through. If your mic is too big, you’ll need to consider cutting the hole to make it a bit bigger.
The other aspect of the port hole to mention is that it sits quite low to the ground if you keep the Evans logo straight. Most drummers would prefer it to be higher, so you have to rotate the drumhead to get it there.
As you do that, the Evans logo sits at an angle, which isn’t ideal for drummers who like all their logos to be straight.
However, that isn’t enough for us not to suggest the resonant head. It work’s brilliantly, and you won’t have any issues if you don’t mind those factors we mentioned.
Performance
One important thing to mention about these EMAD heads is that they make the bass drum feel quite tight. That affects the performance when it comes to rebound from your bass drum beater.
If you’re used to playing heads that are loose, it may be quite an adjustment. If you typically put a lot of muffing inside your bass drum shell, then you’ll feel right at home here.
There aren’t many drummers that don’t love how the EMAD feels, though. Since it’s a single-ply head, you get the same feeling as a single-ply head. However, you get the benefit of dampening, which is typically what you get from double-ply heads.
Price Value Ratio
The price-to-value of this package deal is a big selling point. If you were to purchase each drumhead separately, you’d be paying over $100. When buying this bundle, you’re paying much less than that.
So, it’s the perfect option for drummers who are looking to replace both their front and back bass drumheads.
However, the EMAD drumheads are still fairly expensive compared to other bass drumheads out there. If you’re happy using a more affordable drumhead, the package deal here may not be that attractive to you.