This guide compares the most popular drumhead lines from the major manufacturers, what they are made of, what they sound like, what genres they suit best, and where to buy them. It is written for real world use: live reliability, studio consistency, and fast tuning.

Fast picks

• Most versatile tom setup: 2 ply coated batters with 1 ply clear resos
• Most open and sensitive: 1 ply coated batters with 1 ply resos
• Most controlled for loud stages: 2 ply batters with built in dampening or control rings
• Quick modern kick sound: a pre muffled kick batter system plus a ported reso

How drumheads are built

• Film thickness and plies: 10 mil single ply is open and responsive, 2 ply 7 mil plus 7 mil is thicker, punchier, and more durable
• Coated vs clear: coated warms the attack and supports brushes, clear is brighter with more attack and sustain
• Dampening systems: control rings, edge underlays, vents, and felt rings shorten sustain and reduce high overtones
• Dot reinforcement: center dots increase focus and durability for heavy playing
• Collar fit systems: engineered collars help seating and improve tuning consistency

Remo

Ambassador Coated

Construction: 1 ply 10 mil coated film. Sound: open, warm, bright attack, controlled sustain. Best for: jazz, pop, worship, classic rock, studio work, and as a snare batter or tom batter when you want maximum expression.

Emperor Coated

Construction: 2 plies of 7 mil coated film. Sound: warm, open, bigger fundamental, more controlled than 1 ply, higher durability. Best for: rock, pop, gospel, country, modern worship, and a reliable touring tom batter.

Pinstripe Coated

Construction: 2 ply with external dampening at the edge. Sound: controlled, short sustain, strong attack, fast tuning for loud stages. Best for: rock, metal, live gigs where you want fewer overtones without adding gels.

Powerstroke 3 for kick

Construction: single ply with a thin underlay ring at the edge. Sound: focused low end with a defined attack. Best for: modern live and studio kick tones, from rock and R and B to pop and funk.

Extra engineering highlights

• Controlled Sound and dot style heads add focused midrange and durability with a center dot
• Vintage style coatings and thicker films add a darker, heavier fundamental

Evans

G1 Coated

Construction: single ply 10 mil film. Sound: open and expressive, bright with warm coating. Best for: jazz, gospel, pop, and lighter touch playing where tone and sensitivity matter.

G2 Coated

Construction: two plies of 7 mil film. Sound: balanced depth, sustain, and attack, very consistent and durable. Best for: all purpose tom batters across most genres, especially live.

EC2 and other controlled tom options

Construction: two plies with edge control technology. Sound: shorter sustain, more focus, less ring. Best for: rock and studio friendly toms when you want control without heavy muffling.

HD Dry for snare

Construction: two plies plus an underside control ring and perimeter dry vents that reduce stray overtones. Sound: defined attack with shorter sustain. Best for: tight modern snare sounds that sit in a mix quickly.

EMAD and EMAD2 for kick

Construction: single or two ply bass batters with an externally mounted adjustable damping system. Sound: punchy, focused, and fast to dial in. Best for: modern kick sounds on loud stages and in recording rooms where repeatability matters.

UV1 and UV2 coatings

Construction: UV cured coating for higher durability with 1 ply or 2 ply films. Sound: warm with a pre EQ style attack and long lasting coating. Best for: heavy touring, consistent studio takes, and players who burn through standard coatings quickly.

Aquarian

Texture Coated and Response 2

Construction: Response 2 uses two 7 mil plies made with a vacuum molding process that reduces air bubbles and wrinkles. Sound: full, versatile, open with good attack. Best for: drummers who play many styles and want consistency drum to drum.

Super 2

Construction: two plies with a thinner inner ply for more response and tone. Sound: big but more open than many 2 ply heads. Best for: fusion, pop, and rock when you want size plus articulation.

Hi Energy and other heavy hitters

Construction: thicker or reinforced designs aimed at extreme durability. Sound: focused, loud, and controlled. Best for: hard hitters, metal, and high volume stages.

Superkick II for kick

Construction: two 7 mil plies with a patented floating muffling system that uses a narrow felt ring. Sound: musical, controlled low end without needing pillows or blankets. Best for: quick studio ready kick tones and punchy live sound.

Attack

Tone Ridge 2

Construction: 2 ply 7 mil with a split level design in the outer portion of the head, plus Dynaflex film and Duracoat coating. Sound: dark, punchy, controlled. Best for: rock, metal, soul, pop, gospel, and country.

Proflex 2

Construction: two plies of 10 mil Dynaflex film with Duracoat coating. Sound: heavy, controlled, and built for batter side tom duty. Best for: loud stages and hard hitters.

Thin Skin 2

Construction: mixed 5 mil and 7 mil Dynaflex plies to sing more than typical 2 ply heads. Sound: more open sustain with 2 ply durability. Best for: funk, melodic tom work, and players who want durability without losing tone.

Code Drum Heads

DNA series

Construction: single ply coated 10 mil PET head with an aluminum rim and steel core. Sound: old school warmth with strong attack and medium sustain. Best for: players who want classic tone on a modern budget and a very solid rim build.

Genre matchups

• Jazz and acoustic: single ply coated batters like Remo Ambassador Coated or Evans G1 Coated for maximum sensitivity
• Classic rock and blues: 2 ply coated batters like Remo Emperor Coated or Evans G2 Coated for size and durability
• Modern rock and pop live: controlled 2 ply batters like Remo Pinstripe or Evans EC2 style heads to reduce ring fast
• Metal and hard hitters: reinforced 2 ply options like Remo Emperor X style heads or heavy 2 ply lines plus durable kick systems
• Gospel and R and B: warm coated 2 ply batters with controlled snare options like HD Dry and a focused kick system

Typical street prices in the US

Prices vary by size. These are common US street prices for popular 14 inch tom or snare batters and 22 inch kick batters.

• Remo Pinstripe Coated 14: about 18.99
• Remo Emperor Coated 14: low to mid 20s typical depending on retailer and size
• Evans G2 Coated 14: about 24.99
• Aquarian Superkick II 22: mid 50s
• Remo Powerstroke 3 kick 22 with patch: about 55.95
• Evans EMAD2 kick 22: about 59.99
• Code DNA Coated 14: about 20.99

Famous drummers associated with popular models

• Remo Emperor X Coated is documented in use by John Blackwell
• Many touring and session drummers use Remo Ambassador and Emperor style setups because they are industry staples for balanced tone and durability

Where to buy

Below are direct buy links for the popular models listed here. They open in a new tab.

• Remo Ambassador Coated 14 at Sweetwater
• Remo Emperor Coated 14 at Sweetwater
• Remo Pinstripe Coated 14 at Sweetwater
• Remo Powerstroke 3 Coated kick 22 at Sweetwater
• Evans G1 Coated official page
• Evans G2 Coated 14 at Sweetwater
• Evans HD Dry official page
• Evans EMAD2 kick 22 at Sweetwater
• Aquarian Response 2 coated official shop
• Aquarian Super Kick II official shop
• Aquarian Superkick II 22 at Sweetwater
• Attack ToneRidge2 official page
• Attack Tone Ridge 2 Coated 14 at Sweetwater
• Attack Proflex 2 Coated 14 at Sweetwater
• Attack ThinSkin2 official page
• Code DNA Coated 14 at Drum Center of Portsmouth

Practical setup notes

• Match batter and reso intent: single ply resos keep tone open, thicker resos tighten focus
• Start medium tuning: bring both heads to wrinkle free, then add small quarter turns evenly
• Control last: use minimal gels or small internal kick muffling only after tuning is stable

Bottom line: if you love the Emperor and Ambassador feel and sound, you already have a pro proven foundation. Branch out only when you want faster control on loud stages or ultra repeatable modern kick and snare sounds.