Bass drum heads - EMAD?

Hey guys

I'm looking to replace my bass drum heads soon

i currently use Remo Ambassadors on my batter and resonant, but was thinking of changing to EMADS to match the rest of my kit in sound. I use an Aquarian Hi-Energy on the snare, and Remo Coated Pinstripes on the toms.

Also, i've read about the EMADs supposed muffling system - if I buy EMAD heads, do i still need to put a muffling pillow inside the drum, or does the EMAD do most of that job itself?
 
The EMAD has 2 levels of damping in addition to the tray which does a bit of its own.

I use coated EMADs on almost all of my kicks, most with the wider foam ring, no pillow, and an EQ3 on the front. The sound is wonderful acoustically, a nice thump and oomph with some resonance. But mic'd, that resonance isn't a problem, it's very controlled. It's got a very classic '60s vibe, but sounds great with any type of music. The clear EMAD will have a little more presence & 'bang'.

Bermuda
 
The EMAD has 2 levels of damping in addition to the tray which does a bit of its own.

I use coated EMADs on almost all of my kicks, most with the wider foam ring, no pillow, and an EQ3 on the front. The sound is wonderful acoustically, a nice thump and oomph with some resonance. But mic'd, that resonance isn't a problem, it's very controlled. It's got a very classic '60s vibe, but sounds great with any type of music. The clear EMAD will have a little more presence & 'bang'.

Bermuda

Hey Jon,
Do you use this same set-up on non-miced gigs?
 
The choice of extra muffling really depends the character of the drum and the sound you're looking to achieve. The decision should also be affected by the typical application/setting that you're playing in.

I play an 18" maple kick with a clear EMAD and no extra muffling for live (mic'd or un-mic'd). When recording, it's a completely different scenario and I tend to experiment with the different rings and possibly the use of a towel for added muffling if need (based on the song).

In the end, it's all up to you. You'll want to experiment with the setup on your drum. Also, depending on your playing, you may consider checking out the GMAD or EMAD2.

Let us know what you think of the EMAD!
 
Hey Jon,
Do you use this same set-up on non-miced gigs?

Same for all kicks except on the road where I use a pillow, and the EMAD couldn't do its job anyway (I use an EQ4 clear batter.) Also, they don't make a 26" EMAD, so I'm trying the EQ4.

Bermuda
 
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