Why all the hate on I.S.S.?

BrandonXD

Senior Member
I've owned my vision kit for just under 2 years. And I have yet to change any hoops on it and I've never had a problem with the I.S.S. at all. So why all the hate?
 
The hate on ISS comes from a number of reports of hoops being pulled out of round by them. The design is inherently very clumsy - attaching a mount to two points on the tension rods can put extra tension on those rods and the head which other than pulling the hoop out of round, can affect the tuning. I would much rather have drums that are in tune than drums with suspension mounts.

The problem isn't so bad with thicker hoops. Die-casts would probably be fine with it but with the hoops that are usually used on mid-level kits like the Vision, then they are susceptible to being pulled. I think there are much better mounting solutions out there and I think the ISS is fundamentally flawed. Pearl really should change the system, they've been using it for years now and it was never a good idea in the first place. Apart from anything else, I think they're visually hideous.
 
The hate on ISS comes from a number of reports of hoops being pulled out of round by them. The design is inherently very clumsy - attaching a mount to two points on the tension rods can put extra tension on those rods and the head which other than pulling the hoop out of round, can affect the tuning. I would much rather have drums that are in tune than drums with suspension mounts.

The problem isn't so bad with thicker hoops. Die-casts would probably be fine with it but with the hoops that are usually used on mid-level kits like the Vision, then they are susceptible to being pulled. I think there are much better mounting solutions out there and I think the ISS is fundamentally flawed. Pearl really should change the system, they've been using it for years now and it was never a good idea in the first place. Apart from anything else, I think they're visually hideous.

Pearl could be playing on the fact that apparently nobody keeps their drums for more than three years anyway ;) But the funnier fact is that their higher-end drums use a more stable suspension mounting system, so it's like their aware their ISS system isn't the end-all product. I had a Pearl EXR kit with the ISS system and although solid when put together, I could 'feel' the strain just by looking at it ;)
 
Changing them out for Optimounts is an upgrade that is much cheaper than buying a cymbal or new drums. The I.S.S. is OK for smaller drums.

The Gretsch mounting system on the Catalina series sucks too. My 12" tom sounds better with the tom mount directly mounted on the shell.
 

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Changing them out for Optimounts is an upgrade that is much cheaper than buying a cymbal or new drums. The I.S.S. is OK for smaller drums.

The Gretsch mounting system on the Catalina series sucks too. My 12" tom sounds better with the tom mount directly mounted on the shell.

....and looks better too
 
I have a couple of reasons why I detest the ISS mounts. For one , I once saw a 12" rack tom fall to the floor after bouncing off the bass drum, putting a nice gouge into the bass drum. The 12" tom was wearing an ISS mount. Structurally putting an ISS mount on a hoop with a thickness of only 1.6mm will cause the hoop to bend and gyrate depending on how hard the drum is hit. It's not only the stick hit but the total weight of the drum hanging and torquing from the ISS mount. This flexing is also audible to the tuning of the drum to anyone who doesn't have a tin ear.

I probably have more, but I try not to think about Pearls abysmal contribution of the I. S. S. mounting system to the drum community.

Dennis
 
Gauger RIMS http://www.gaugerpercussion.com/ was, I believe, the first isolation mount system. And drum manufactures played "catch up". Pearl went the cheap route, with the ISS, and you get what you pay for. Optimount's followed, much better (and more expensive). Still, RIMS gets my money.​
 
I have a couple of reasons why I detest the ISS mounts. For one , I once saw a 12" rack tom fall to the floor after bouncing off the bass drum, putting a nice gouge into the bass drum. The 12" tom was wearing an ISS mount.

Dennis

I had this happened with my 10in mounted next to my bass drum, luckily I caught it as I was moving them around at the time, It was simply because I hadn't put it on properly :p but still, you'd think Pearl would've atleast put 2.3mm hoops on everything I.S.S. or atleast made sure you can only put it on correctly :/
 
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