PEARL STEEL SENSITONE VS PEARL ALUMINUM SENSITONE

Dbol

Junior Member
Searching for a Pearl snare to go w my soon to be Pearl Session Studio Selects. My local music stores don't have either of these snares? Any information will be greatly appreciated. Play alot of Warped tour music.
 
I've owned both-both great. The aluminum wide applications the steel really cuts and louder. So which ever fits your "bill" LOL. Sounds like the aluminum may fit your needs better. I'm sure others have valid opinions too.
 
I just brought home a black brass 6.5 Sensitone from Nashville and I love it. Of course, aluminum sounds great (since the Ludwig Supraphonic is aluminum, its a very familiar sound), but brass I think sounds a little more controlled - and it's a lot heavier. I put die cast hoops top and bottom on my brass Sensitone and it's really heavy now ;)
 
14x5 or 14x6.5 snare ?

6.5 if you go with aluminum, unless you’re always miked and you know your snare won’t get lost in the mix. 5” are obviously smaller and lighter, so that’s what I’d go with as long as you don’t need the extra loudness of the 6.5”. Not a huge difference either way.
 
I just brought home a black brass 6.5 Sensitone from Nashville and I love it. Of course, aluminum sounds great (since the Ludwig Supraphonic is aluminum, its a very familiar sound), but brass I think sounds a little more controlled - and it's a lot heavier. I put die cast hoops top and bottom on my brass Sensitone and it's really heavy now ;)

Hey Bo did the brass snare come with brass snare wires too?-or chrome plated or steel? 16 strands or more wires? Just curious what sounds best on it. I've never played a brass snare you'll have to make a video to show it off man.
 
I have an aluminum Sensitone, but I also have a steel Yamaha "The Metal" snare. Different brands, but same sizes.

The aluminum Sensitone hits its volume peak easily, but has a really nice offset rimshot bark.
I like the aluminum, but the steel sounds great too. It's just a different ring. It's easier for me to make the ring of the aluminum blend more musically than the steel, but if the steel has the ring in tune, it sounds really nice and sharp.

Something I'm noticing about the Sensitone is the throw-off has a rattle to it when the snares are not on. I haven't scrutinized it enough to figure out if there is an easy fix, but it's a bit annoying because I use the drum a lot without the snares.
 
Hey Bo did the brass snare come with brass snare wires too?-or chrome plated or steel? 16 strands or more wires? Just curious what sounds best on it. I've never played a brass snare you'll have to make a video to show it off man.

It came with 16 chrome plated wires. But I immediately upgraded to PureSound 20 strands. Working on a video ;)
 
The last snare I bought has a steel shell, a Mapex Tomahawk 14x5.5. I really like it. Peace and goodwill.
 
I've owned both and I got rid of the steel. I still have the aluminum but I don't use it very much at all. I played an old brass pearl Jupiter snare a friend had a while back and it beats both imo
 
The Pearl aluminum I've got is the driest snare I have. Not throwing your wallet on it dry, but like moongel dry.
The steel snares I've got are much more lively and bright.
A Yamaha brass snare I've got is wildly uncontrolled. It needs to be tamed down a lot.

Of course, heads make a huge difference, but regardless of which head is on it, the aluminum is always the driest.
 
Well - I've got that brass snare drum tamed.
I put 3mm thick triple flange hoops, and an Evans HD Dry head on it.
Sounds sweet and crisp now with just a hint of ring.
Before the change, it rang like a cymbal - ha ha.

About the steel vs. aluminum thing. When I first got the aluminum sensitone,
I was going to return it. I was too used to the singing ring I
could get from my steel snares. But I've since learned to like
it enough that it's almost a toss up.

If I was limited to one or two snares though, I think I'd have
to go with wood over metal. I've got maple and oak snares
that really do it for me.
On second thought, maybe one wood and one metal.
 
Nobody can hear all those high overtones more than a few feet away from the kit, especially when other instruments are playing. Unless you’re playing a quiet gig in a tiny room or making a recording, I think a ringy snare is not a problem. Remember, it’s not what you hear that’s important. It’s what the audience hears.

Just my 2 cents.
 
Nobody can hear all those high overtones more than a few feet away from the kit, especially when other instruments are playing. Unless you’re playing a quiet gig in a tiny room or making a recording, I think a ringy snare is not a problem. Remember, it’s not what you hear that’s important. It’s what the audience hears.

Just my 2 cents.

IMO, there are different kinds of ring.
A snare that rings sweetly with a pleasing combination of harmonics is just fine with me.
I've had snares that I enjoyed just for that - really.

A snare that rings with a discordant jumble of clashing harmonics that grates on the ears is not enjoyable at all for me.

Most of the snare drums I've gotten have taken a little bit of fiddling around with to get them where I like.
But the result is usually worth it.
 
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