I wanted to start another thread about plies, but figure I'd better not push it. I'll just ask it here.
Given the above information about plies, why is it that it seems just the opposite applies when it comes to snares?
Multiple ply snares seem to be pretty popular.
This place:
http://www.drumgearonline.com/multiply2.html
sells 20, 30 , 40, and 50 ply snare shells.
They give an explanation, but it doesn't jive with what's here.
The text says
"The more the plies, the more the sound potential. 6, 8 and 10 ply shells can't offer the same high pitches and volume that 20+ multi-ply shells offer".
let's break that down. First up, define "sound potential". Could mean anything. If they're suggesting tonal range, low overtones (make your drum sound fat), etc, then that's just wrong. If by "sound potential" they mean amplitude/volume, then they're correct. In terms of their pitch statement, that's correct, given all other elements are equal, but there's many ways of adjusting pitch range. A 20 ply shell is extremely rigid, & if you just think about rigidity, their claims fall in line with my first post here, just at the extreme end of the spectrum.
Bottom line is this. A 20 + + ply shell offers a very limited sound palate. Bob said it just right, the snare dictates the sound. They're a one trick pony. That's fine if you want biting highs, a fairly limited effective tuning range (i.e. high or very high), something that chokes easily, & is typically prone to errant high overtones. Essentially a very one dimensional instrument that's focussed. The claim about increased sensitivity is also true. That's because there's no flex in the shell, & input from the batter head is more efficiently transferred to the reso head via the air column. Stave is just as sensitive, even in thick shell form, but it achieves that sensitivity more by transfer through the un-interrupted vertical grain of the shell than by only air column. In thin wall constructions, stave retains that sensitivity but delivers all the lower overtones & much stronger species fundamental than a multiple ply shell. In a 20 + ply shell, the wood species becomes close to irrelevant, outside of it's overall mass & inner surface hardness.
My personal view = they're a poor man's thick stave drum, with most of the character removed. Same with any thick "solid" drum made by compressing the wood longitudinally under high pressure so it bends readily. A rich man's stave drum with most of the character removed. I said that's my personal Andy POV, but I still expect to be flamed over it.