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die cast rims

Started by cfreeze, February 21, 2007, 08:47 AM

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cfreeze

Do the higher quality die cast rims make a noticable differance in sound as opposed to the cheaper rims?  If so, in what way?  Just wondering.....

Jim Martin (cavanman)

The quick answer is yes.

However the way you phrased your question implies a couple of things:

1) Die cast rims are more expensive and better
2) Non-die cast rims(single, double, triple flange) are cheap and not as good.

I have some drums with die cast rims and some without and I love them all for different reasons.

I have a 2 year old Yamaha MCA Nouveau set with die cast aluminum rims on all the drums. I have an 80's Gretsch maple kit with die cast rims on them. They both sound different.
I also have a Yamaha Paul Leim snare with the same aluminum die cast rims. It's wonderful but believe it or not, my fav snares right now have double flange rims. A Pork Pie 5 x 13 and a Mapex Phosphor Bronze 5.5 x 13. I even had another pro drummer friend over recently who suggested putting a double flange hoop(rim) on top to 'open up' the drum(The Leim). I managed to do that by changing heads but I will still try it out at one point.

And that's kind of the difference between die cast and say triple flange hoops. A die cast rim can 'dry out' or 'focus' the sound of a drum. This can be good on some wilder types of drums, for instance a steel or bell brass snare. Then again - maybe you don't want to do that. It's really a personal preference and not one which is a qualitative difference like say changing out stock heads for fresh over-the-counter heads (best qualitative upgrade for just about any drum).

You can always check out some die casters from Musician's Friend (use the Drummer Cafe link always! :D ) and then if you don't like them, return them.

You haven't mentioned much about why you wanted to do this and what end you were desiring. Some issues might be impractical to solve with a change in rims if the drum is very low quality or if the heads are stock or trashed. A new drum or new heads might be a better way to go.

HTH

Jim

cfreeze

Thanks for your input.  I am pleased with my kits the way they sound, but I just didn't know if up-grading to higher quality rims would make them even better sounding.  I'll probably just leave them like thay are.  I believe it's mostly all about proper tuning and good heads anyway.

James Walker

Quote from: cfreeze on February 21, 2007, 02:48 PMI just didn't know if up-grading to higher quality rims would make them even better sounding.

Die cast counterhoops are not intrinsically "higher quality" than other makes and models of counterhoops - this is one of those instances when a higher price tag does not automatically translate into "better sound."  As Jim so accurately noted, some drums sound their best with die casts, but other drums sound their best with other counterhoops.