Want to hear the snare shell? Use a snare wire with less strands. Your experience?

I watched this video yesterday and it seems to contradict the fewer snare wires the more drum you hear arguement.

To me, the 40 strand snare has the most drum tone fundamental.
 
Many years ago, thanks to a few broken strand snare, I cut some more, to make it symmetrical, so 16 strands and found the drum sounded much better, more tone, less crack. I still keep a cut snare, for small venue for instance, it lessens the aggressiveness of the snare drum.
 
Liam said:
I know Gavin Harrison used to cut down his snare wires so he would only have something like eight strands. I think he did this both for the sound and to reduce tom buzz.
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His signature snares come with these 8-wire ones. I think that's what he uses mainly. The premium version includes two other types of 8s.
 
dboomer said:
I watched this video yesterday and it seems to contradict the fewer snare wires the more drum you hear arguement.

To me, the 40 strand snare has the most drum tone fundamental.
Click to expand...

I think this is a very interesting point. The other issue is that doing a snare wire test like this is very tricky. How did he get the tension the same on all of them? Anyhow, let's assume that this is a perfect snare wire test. I listened again with my eyes closed (blind test) and tried to guess which one is the test with the lowest number of snares. I am no expert in drum sound, but I surprised myself and I guessed it right.

We are all very consistent visually. If someone shows us a circle and asks "What is that shape?", we will all say it is a circle. However, when it comes to sound, do our ears absorb exactly the same frequencies and do we interpret those frequencies the same way?
 
When I want less snare sound I switch out my usual Puresound 20-strand Blasters to Gibraltar 16-strand chrome plated wires. The snares are more subtle, and I can tension them more loosely. Not as washy and rattly as higher-count wires. More tone from the drum. Works like a charm every time.
 
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