Fantastic thread. Thanks for raising the question, Berm.
I get a pretty steady stream of inquiries from people interested in having a drum made, and I value having discussion and planning together with my clients. A certain portion of these inquiries are from people who will send me a set of detailed specs and ask for feedback on their thinking, and when that happens my first response is usually to steer the dialogue back to what character they want the drum to have and how they're going to use it (music style, playing style, playing situations). It's great to be aware of the specs but, unless you understand them in a good deal of depth, that knowledge may not result in the sound and playability you're really after. For all the discussion I see in forums, videos, publications, etc., there's very little on some of the details that really make a difference. And there's just as little on how all these specs work or don't work in combination -- it's possible for one factor to cancel out the benefits of another. And, unfortunately, there are not always good guides to separating misleading, irrelevant, or even false information from the information that's valid. People like to say that what they personally have or use or know of is the best, be it cars or computers or drums, but it's not always the objective reality.
I would put drum buyers in three categories as regards informed shopping. First, there are the players who just want to see the end result and move on to musicianship and technique. They don't care about the specs other than out of curiosity; it's mostly about the sound and feel, and about usability (tuning, adjustments, etc.). Second, there are those who pursue quality, usually because it gives them confidence in their instrument and in their purchase decision. These folks tend to be brand-conscious, feature-conscious and materials-conscious; they want to know they're using good gear, whether or not they actually need to call on all of its capabilities. And third, there are the collectors, buyers who are focused on appearance, rarity, prestige, or the completeness of their collection.
I think all three groups are good buyers with valid interests, but for different reasons, and I like working with all three. But in the forums and elsewhere, the lines get crossed and sometimes a guy who normally takes an "I'll know it when I hear it" approach gets caught up in a "what kind of edges" discussion. I keep remembering watching a top-rank pro artist at a drum show trying out a stave drum -- the more the builder (not me) tried to explain stave construction to him, the more glazed-over his expression got. Yes, it can be too much information and it can become a turn-off. Yes, it's possible to lose sight of why we play drums if we're deluged by specifications and theories. Call it over-education if you want -- it's a forest-and-trees situation, a distraction to our focus, a redirection of our path.
But it really depends on the individual and what he or she enjoys about drums. Different strokes for different folks, as they say. I would suggest only two cautions: One, a little knowledge can be counterproductive. Unless you know and understand these details in depth they may not get what you really want out of the drum, so maybe that shouldn't be the only basis of your buying decisions. And two, don't lose sight of why you love drums; if it's for the joy of playing, make sure that's where your attention is focused. Stay on your path.