Triple Flange Drum Hoops

[D2 Drummer]

I am thinking of updating the batter hoops on my 10" & 16" toms. The shell consist of 9-ply mahogany wood.

The reason i'm even considering this, is because the stock triple flange hoops, that came with it, are lighter in weight than the ones on some higher budget pro quality drum set.

There's no problem with the drums keeping tune, but for my taste i use a little amount of moon gel to tone done the ring, so it sounds more clear.

Now, I'm not big on muffling my toms because i want them to sing naturally. So would upgrading the stock hoops to some standard Gibraltar Triple Flange, which are a little heavier & stronger. Would this make any difference in sound clarity, in so requiring no moon gels on my toms?

[BillBachman]

I kinda` doubt you'd notice any difference at all. I'm thinking if it aint broke, don't fix it!

I actually prefer the lightweight 1.6mm gauge rims on my snare drums, a bit of forgiveness (flex) helps me land more consistent rimshots.

[Naigewron]

I doubt you'd hear a difference at all, but I have been known to be wrong from time to time :-)

[D2 Drummer]

Originally Posted by BillBachman

I kinda` doubt you'd notice any difference at all. I'm thinking if it aint broke, don't fix it!

I actually prefer the lightweight 1.6mm gauge rims on my snare drums, a bit of forgiveness (flex) helps me land more consistent rimshots.

Thanks, i was told the same thing at the drum shop, it's always good to get more opinion on drums in the forum

[eamesuser]

The heavier hoops may point up the sound a little bit, but not as drastic as going from triple flange to die cast.I went from a 1.6 to a 2.3 on a 9 ply 3/8 birch shell, just on the batter side,and it did make a difference.I think how much difference there would be would vary on drum by drum/kit by kit basis depending on the construction.You may try it on one tom and see what you get and go from there.

[keep it simple]

I'm going against the flow here, except for eamesuser. I've recently carried out numerous experiments on the affect hoop mass has on sustain & high frequency overtones. We all know that a cast hoop will dry out the drum. This has something to do with stability, but mainly mass. The hoops themselves resonate with the drum. More importantly, the lighter the hoop, the more resonance (sometimes also presented as high frequency overtones) is developed on the tensioned section of head between the bearing edge and the hoop. This is more pronounced on drums with a sharp & defined bearing edge. In addition to that source, adding mass to the drum affects the overall drum assembly resonance.

Technical crap aside, going from 1.6mm to 2.3mm will make a difference, although, if you're only considering the batter head, that difference will be quite small. I'd notice it though, & add the reso head, then you're talking of something worth considering. As the increase in mass is around 20% of the difference between 1.6mm triple flange and cast, expect about 20% of the affect in an A-B comparison. As already suggested, try one tom first, or perhaps other methods such as coated heads?

[dairyairman]

i've always wondered about rims and their effect on drum sound. would you say that most of the high pitched metallic resonance you hear on a ringy drum comes from the rims? or would that be going too far?

[moontheloon]

huge fan of cast hoops

[keep it simple]

Originally Posted by dairyairman

i've always wondered about rims and their effect on drum sound. would you say that most of the high pitched metallic resonance you hear on a ringy drum comes from the rims? or would that be going too far?

Probably going a bit far, & impossible for me to investigate without a lot of high end lab equipment. That said, the mass of a hoop certainly has a profound affect on the sound. Also, clearly, the material offers some voice too. A lightweight metal hoop will contribute to a metallic "ringy" sound, just as a heavy wood hoop will contribute to a "woody" sound. I also know that the tensioned portion of head between the hoop & the bearing edge makes some contribution as well. My gut feeling is that the biggest source of high frequency overtones (often the kind you don't want) is attributed to a general increase in the resonance of the entire drum assembly. As each drum is made up of different materials at different masses, they conspire together to produce multiple overtones, but again, it would take some serious R&D to nail the individual contributors.

As a footnote, I do have a theory about the production of overtones through intimate physical transfer, but I'll leave it until I've completed the experimental kit to bear that theory out, or not, as the case may be.