Evans 22" EMAD Heavyweight Bass Drum

When I bought my second hand kit it came with Evens EQ3 fitted on the kick drum and had a massive sound even though the drum head looked pretty battered from the previous owner. At least the guys i sometimes play with kept saying that they feel my kicks in their chests (in a small room and no amplification on the drums). Then i noticed a rip in the outer ply underneath the patch where the beater hits and so it was time for a new one. For the reason to get one that lasts me as long as possible i went for the Evans EMAD Heavyweight risking some loss of sound in exchange of punch.
After fitting the the new head the tuning was easy. I went for the lowest possible pitch without wrinkles as it suits most of the music i like playing (Rock) and used the tinner of the two dampening rings it comes with. The punch now is massive again and the attack is huge. Where the old one had a big "Plop"-sound to it with the new one it sounds as if a "F" has been added to make it "PFlop". It sounds just great. I only practise with headphones on for ear protection and thus its more the feel in my body than an actual tone. Sure it wouldn't suit for Jazz and softer styles but if Rock is the main music played then it is a good choice. Now i just have to find out how long it will last me because that was my main concern to get the Heavyweight in the first place.
It arrived in perfect condition and including a single EQ protection patch, which should be added in the product discription as i bought this seperately and now with a single pedal is a leftover. So for double pedal players an additional patch needs to be bought if not a double patch.
All in all a great product and the dampening system works just perfect, in my case with some muffling inside the kick drum with access through a hole in the reso-head for more fine tuning.

I have a hard time getting a good sound from this drum head. The room I practice in is pretty dead sounding so here is my feedback:

I use:
- 1 blanket touching the batter and the resonant.
- fabric EQpatch
- rubber beater head (iron cobra), also tried plastic and felt.
- chain drive (iron cobra HP200) + Drumcraft nighthawk DD

**Low Tuning:**
- 😑 at 50% velocity, sounded like beating on a plastic.
- 😀 at 100% it sounds good but
- 😖 it doesn't feel right, the drumhead fights the beater head and it vibrates back to pedal (as a casual drummer, it irks me).
- 😖 the wide ring buzzes and i can hear it in the mic.

**Medium Tuning:**
- 😑 at 50% velocity, still sounded like beating on a plastic.
- 😑 at 100% velocity, it's meh. might sound good to others though.
- 😖 the feedback or energy returned to the pedal is much stronger it vibrates the footboard.

I can live with the plastic sound, i don't mind burying the beater to it but, the feedback or energy returned to beater head vibrates the footboard, I thought it's because the iron cobra 200 had a single chain, i got a direct-drive and it's still pretty much the same story. I got an EQpatch, different types of beater heads, still the same.

I also don't like that the wide ring vibrates, I can hear it in the mic, it bothers me. I really want to like this drumhead because it can literally last ages but the reasons above is why it's not for me.

I purchased this kick head 1 year ago, and I am more than pleased.
I play hard rock, so my kickdrum get a beating every time I gig or practice.
This head is very strong, offers a great and natural kick sound. I've mounted it on my Sonor Force 2000 kit, and would never consider getting anything else.
For my kickdrum sound the major problem was always the unwanted resonance and the need for extra muffling. I have a pillow inside my kickdrum, and the added muffling from the ring that comes with this head brings out the perfect tone I expect from my kit.
The head itself is of very high quality, but I would never hit it without some sort of protection (see the Remo Falam Slam or the Danmar equivalent)
All in all, a great sounding, great feeling, and very strong kickdrum head.