Thanks for the review guys. I think you're spot on with the comments tone and on great value. It's a shame you got a rogue head in there that didn't seat properly. I can assure anyone out there who's going to give us a go that this is a very rare issue and if someone did have a problem seating we would exchange free of charge. Mike Heaton, Director Code Drum Heads

Remo is my favorite, the most natural and authentic sounding, feels like you get the entire spectrum of sound the drum has to offer.

2:35 - Remo tom groove 3:31 - Aquarian tom groove 4:31 - Code tom groove 5:31 - Evans tom groove

I started as a teenager with Remo Pinstripes. Later switched to Evans EC2's in my twenties. Now in my thirties and I'm playing Aquarian Force 10s and have a spare set of Aquarian reflectors. What got me started down the Aquarian path was the Amazing Superkick 2 batter kickhead. The Superkick series hands down are the best batter kick drum heads available to my ears.

Thank you for actually playing dynamically and revealing the full spectrum of sound! Most reviews are just people wailing on them.

Great review, you tell it like it is. My favorites were the Remo's followed by the Evans

This review was confirming for me; Remo emperor are exactly the sound I’m looking for. However this review also highlighted that Yamaha recording custom our incredible drums no matter what heads are on.

Remo always cut through the best in my opinion. They are nice and have the most open, clear sound as well. The only downside is the amount of overtones they can have but I feel that can play a good part in live situations. Evans in my experience of using them sound amazing when you put them on but go out quickly. The head feels dead after a short amount of time and I could never get a good range out of them. Aquarian to me is right between Remo and Evans. Very controlled and very warm sounds. The heads can reach a full range of different sounds. They also seem to stay in tune way longer than most brands and last a very good amount of playing sessions. In my opinion they have the best coating as well. However, they are not as bright as Remo and Evans so I feel they don't cut through as good. Code, well I've never used those but they sound great from this video! Overall, for you guys looking to pick out heads, every brand creates their own sound and characteristics. No brand is better than the other necessarily, they are just delivering a sound and feel certain drummers are wanting and looking for. I've been using Aquarian (reflectors to be specific) for the last six months and my kit sounds amazing! However, I'm thinking about going back to Remo because I miss how big and open my drums sounded.

Good review, again, as always. I've played all the heads here aside from the Code...and have always returned to Remo. All the other companies make great products, but Remo just has the sound and feel I want. The Evans feel a bit "hard" when hit, kinda brittle feeling, almost like hitting a piece of wood. The Remos have a little bit of a "pillowey" feel, which I prefer, and that more open tone.

Fantastic work. The first 30 seconds were great and enough for me to hear what I like - the Aquarians. And for those wondering (like I was) a mil (as in 2-ply 7-mil) is 1000th of an Inch.

My favourite drum heads are Evans there really good for people that don't like having to tune there heads all the time because they stay in tune for a good period of time

02:31 - Remo Emperor 05:26 - Evans G2

I play the Remo Emperor on all of my Toms for years now and love them - no need to change

0:01 - 0:11 Remo Emperor 0:12 - 0:19 Aquarian Response 2 0:20 - 0:28 Code Generator 0:29 - 0:36 Evans G2

Great comparison, really well done! Please provide time stamps in the video description to make it easier for viewers to jump back and forth between the different drum heads or make an additional section at the end of the video where you show the 10" head of each manufacturer immediately after each other, then the 12" head of every brand and so on to make it a real "head-to-head" comparison. Keep up the good work and keep on improving!

Awesome!! Can you do a coated tom head comparison?

No matter what the Recording Custom still the king of drums for live performances, studio recording and drumhead comparisons. Thanks for this material, great video!

I could listen to Nolly talk for hours🔥🔥😂 love his (perceived) subtle passive aggressive sarcasm when critiquing products😂 seems like he loved the Evan’s the most which I FULLY support, as an Evan’s user of 20 years😅😅

The Emperor Floor Tom was gorgeous

Thank you for this video. Super useful comparison. Hope you do a similar comparison for 2-ply coated tom heads in the future.

I just swapped out a Code single ply DNA for a Code twin ply Generator on my 14" Natal acrylic floor tom. The difference was immense! The DNA head sounded thin and ring'y with no tonal quality on the acrylic shell. The Generator head sounded deep, full of tone, with great attack, and very well controlled over tones! I shall now refit the whole kit with these heads, I have found the perfect match for the Natal acrylic!

I liked Remo when I first started playing drums, but as I got older and gained more experience, I realized how fast they wear out. I do like the nice attack and sustain on it from both the coated and clear, but from someone who gigs a lot, I need something that lasts longer and not put on fresh heads every month. I eventually switched to Aquarian and I liked them a lot for a good five years or so. I tried out Evans a few years after they started doing their level 360 thing and I actually loved the way it sounded on my toms. I eventually turned everything into Evans and haven't looked back since. Everyone is different when it comes to drum companies, whether it involves drum heads, sticks, cymbals, hardware, or drumsets. I'm glad this video remained impartial about the companies.

As of August, 2018- this is the fairest, and most level-headed comparisons and discussions I have seen. Unlike other reviews, it doesn't strictly tout a single brand. It properly descibes and demonstrates the differences in sound. Personally, I've never liked the fanboy exaggerations vs objective approach. I noticed that aquarian was definately more mellow/dark/diffuse than others and probably works best on drums that are overly bright. I'd avoid the code, as they seem to be where attack heads were 20 years ago. It's intolerable to have a poor fit. Back to the drawing board, code. Bad fit is not worth saving money. I do think the remo are best to sing out, where the evans would be better for a little control. My .02 pence: makes no sense to buy a pre-damped head. They lack versatility. I can always damp an emperor, vs not being able to make a damped head sing. Honorable mention: "Vintage" emperors that have a 5+7 mil. They are more between 1+2 ply sound and my overall favorite. (aquarian super 2 and attack thin skins are the equivalent). Final point: never understood why people spend big money on a high end kit, then damp them into submission like a beginner kit.

It would be great if you would let us hear the drums without Eq and compression. Something coming from an environmental mic, so we could hear a bit more how the drums sound in person. Thanks for great the content.

Remo Emperor and Evans G2 sound the best imo. The G2 is the cleanest sounding and has a really nice round, tonal sound, which I think would work great for pop, hip hop, and the like. The Emperors, my personal favorite, have much more attack and a sort of "slappy" sound on strike, which I think would be great for hard rock and metal. Also, in by experience playing, the Evans are firmer and have more direct bounce, while the Remos have more "give" and the stick sinks in a little instead of just boinging. In my experience these qualities are apparent in all the heads I've tried from the respective brands.

Thank you for making good movies on KZfaq all the time.

I run Aquarian performance II heads and I’m a metal drummer. I love the tone and the only one that required any extra dampening was the 18. I put one stick dampener on it and I love the sound. My one complaint with Aquarian is the price

I just recently had switched from Remo to Aquarian and tho the Aquarian is more money I just love how my Toms sound. I could never get my old Yamaha Stage Customs to sound right I used Remo and Evans in the past but the Aquarian response 2 batter with the classic clear as reso’s that kit has a killer sound it’s never had before.

Definitely Love the Evans. and he nailed it , Clean and Controlled, perfect heads that don't need muffling.

Thank you for this! Much appreciated. Your reviews are some of the best I've found and really help me. Please keep up the great work! Shout out from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil!

Great review guys. Still love the emperor clears over any heads I've tried.

Thanks bro, I've been looking for new drum heads for a while and you help me decide which ones I like.

I've started using CODE heads...initially they sounded quite 'choked' but once they've bedded in they have a rich tone that has both thickened yet opened up the sound of my toms - Tama Artstar Maple Custom. The price-point can sometimes frighten people away, "that cheap they must be bad" but they're seriously worth the money.

Great review. I have a 5 tom Tama Starclassic walnut/birch kit and tried all kind of heads, Evans G2 clear, Remo Emperor clear, Remo Pinstripe clear and Remo CS black dot clear. I liked the Pinstripe the least and CS black dot the most. Yesterday I swapped my clear Emperors for CS black dots again and I am impressed about the attack, sustain and powerful sound and stick response which those heads offer.

Great review gents as always. I play G2 clears and your review largely tracks with my experience playing the.heads.

Being Aquarian fan I'd say that in this situation Remo sounded in it's best.

Remo forever

This review was superb and very eye opening to my ears Through the years I have played both REMO and EVANS in the studio as well as live now I am now in a bit of a quandary after hearing and seeing this stellar review

Great video, man! It was very informative. When using clear plastic heads for progressive, rock and metal I have always been an Aquarian fan, but they are rather pricey. However, the Evans heads sound really good and are a bit less expensive, plus they are quite durable. Remo are always a good, tried and true option, but for me, I find that they aren't quite as durable as the Evans or Aquarian. This is the first time I had ever heard of Code heads, and they sounded pretty good. I have no idea how durable they are, but for being the least expensive of the bunch, they are probably a great choice for those stints of time where people do a lot of shedding and chops workouts. I probably wouldn't use the Code heads for gigging or recording, but assuming that they are adequately durable and can take a beating (yes...pun so intended), they appear to be a very good and inexpensive solution for those who do a lot of practicing. You did a great job with this video, and I would love to see you do a similar video comparison of many of the top coated heads. Since I have been getting older, I have been playing more jazz, funk, & blues fusion and I have not been using clear heads very much anymore, playing almost exclusively coated heads these days. I mostly use Remo Fiberskyn 3 because I love the way they sound on my little Gretsch jazz kit. Please do a coated heads video, and if you would please include the Remo Fiberskyn 3 in the lineup so I can see/hear how they compare with some of the others...I haven't kept up with the most modern head innovations these days, so I'd really like to see if you could change my mind on the Fiberskyns and get me to move on to something better. Great channel! Peace.

Great review, as are all of yours. I use Evans clear and coated G2s, and am quite pleased with both.

Evans for me. Particularly as their coated heads last 20 x longer than the Remos. Just about to reckon my snare and it’s done over 50 shows and is still is reasonable nick!

REMO always and forever . . . I still wouldn't mind trying those Code though. . . . I sure did not dislike their sound .

Fantastic job here. Every brand has it's own sound and the newer one needs to fix that fitting problem asap. Don't know what the problem is with the 12 inch tom but over all everything sound quite good. Would love more the video but the Attack head is missing. Would love one with coated heads too. I am an Aquarian user but the Super 2 series. Also a 2 ply head but an uneven 5 mil/ 7 mil. Like I said, fantastic job and thanks for the video.

Code drumheads are super controlled no overtones no annoying ring after you hit them.. I'm sold

Remo by far for me then the codes, Evans and last aquarian for me. Cool review!

Great review! I liked the REMOs the best. They are on my Renown RN2 kit. I like the sound of the sustain and have overtones. I can use dampening to get a fatter less sustained sound when I want it. So a very versatile head for me. I have a AQ2 Safari coming which I will try out the Evans G2 clear on to get a fatter sound out of the smaller drums. I love this channel!

Those Evans heads sounded better than expected, Aquarian all the way on the kick though 😬

Wonderful comparisons here. I'd give the Code heads a try based on the price point being affordable with a great tune. The others were nice as well. I've had been using Evans hydraulic heads until I stopped playing. Again great review!

I've used Aquarian Performance 2 heads on my toms for years now, but the Remos in this comparison sounded the best to me.

This is where the rubber meets the road - no one I know has done HEAD reviews before and it's the most important part of any drum sound. I'm an Evans G2 guy because I like the attack of the CODE head - better for jazz. Never heard of them before this and the price is amazing. After reading Mike Heaton's response, I gotta check 'em out. Thanks!

Part of summer 2022 I used Aquarian Texture Coated Super 2 / Classic Clear on my toms, and this past summer tour I've been using Aquarian Classic Clear w/ Power Dot / Classic Clear. My practice kit has Response 2 / Classic Clear. The sound and purity of tone is incredible. They also have a very "springy" feel to them. Very lively. But where I found them lacking is in the upper dynamic range. Especially since I'm not a hard hitter, I get lost in the sauce unless mic'd up. I still had a few sets of Remo heads in my closet, so I put on a set of Clear PinStripes.... They are very controled without losing that upper dynamic range. They were fat and powerful with a lot of attack. I put Ebony Ambassadors on the reso side. The drums once again have a nice "bite" to them sonically. For my touring kit, I will be moving back to Remo Emperors. Because I'm not always called to play rock and metal the Emperor offers me just a smidge more versatility should I get called for other types of music. The Emperors have been one of my favorite heads since 1991. Between PinStripe and Emperor they are both my most purchased tom heads of all time.

My rankings with each drum: 10" tom: Aquarian, Remo, Code, Evans 12" tom: Remo, Evans, Aquarian, Code 16" tom: Remo, Code, Evans, Aquarian I gotta say that although it blended well when playing the whole kit, the 12" tom played on its own sounded pretty bad across all the heads. This was a Yamaha kit, right? I've had REALLY bad experiences with their tom mounts. They just turn the tone to complete roadkill. I wish a kit would have been used here that had a better mounting system for the rack toms. Also, despite my ranking Code and Evans the lowest on the 10" tom, those two sounded better on the final, hardest hit than the other two when playing the drums one at a time. All sounded fine when all toms were played together, but I'd rank them from favorite to least favorite in the order that they appeared in that category. At the end, Remo had the best overall sound for me here.

They all sound great because of those genera reso heads lol that deep punchy warm sound I can’t get enough of it sounds like thunder through the PA at my church

Evans for sure sounded best to me, great review

Hi. Great review and we'll put together. My favourite and what I use are the Evans. Really enjoyed your straight to the point approach. Well done and thank you. 😊

Thank you for the great review!!! I really appreciate the in-depth approach you guys take and the unbiased opinions.

I like that the Remo and Evans heads seem similar and are a little more open and bright than the Aquarian. I felt they had a better overall sound, controlled but not too much. The only reason I started only using Evans over Remo initially was because I got a few Remo heads that were fitting too tight on the shells. So instead of the head floating on the shell with the pressure from the rim, they were tight on the shell and choked the drum. I know it's not always the case, but I've had better results with Evans so that's where I'll stay, plus like the review stated, they are very easy to tune and the overtones are pretty controlled.

I'll go for the Evans G2

Regarding sound, it's not a one brand for all. There is no reason to not mix brands. Remo for the smaller toms and aquarian for the larger toms. Replay and you may really hear the difference.

I love these videos, the quality is top notch. Personally, I prefer the Remo heads the most. P.S. Am I the only one who noticed that the 12 inch tom was completely choked? Not an issue with the heads per se, just the Yamaha mounting system.

Emperor top ambassador btm (with a moon gel" inside" on the reso head plus another moongel on the top head has been my personal fav tom tone

To my ears the Remo took home the prize, with the Evans a close second. Aquarians sounded like mud to me, and the Code heads sound too plastic-y.

Love the fatness of Evans. That's exactly how I explain it to people. Feel is also very soft, punchy and pure tone. Keeps in tune and lasts forever. I tune my toms medium/low so they are perfect for me. IMO Remo is for vintage/ Evans for modern

I love Remo clear emporer as the batter and Remo clear ambassador as the resonant to give all the sustained resonance as possible so each drum is open and barks. God bless everyone

Just proves that a simple head change can add different color to your kit. Why limit yourself to one company when you can get a similar feel but unique tone for each? Great review!

Ive been playing Aquarian heads for several years, but I think it's time to go to the Remo Emperor clear heads. Beautiful tone!

Remo all the way! 👍

Those Codes sounded great!! Legit heads. I wonder if they’re available in the States.

I noticed the Emperors had more attack and the Code had less sustain. I preferred the Emperors. On my kits I use coated Evans HD Dry or coated Remo Ambassadors on the snares, Remo clear Emperors on the toms and on the bass drums Evans Emads.

I love code on my Premier snare,may buy some tom heads shortly. Thanks it was really helpful.

I always preferred remo . I used them on an oak custom.

Remo, Evans, Code, Aquarian for me. Nice video. I have been using Evans but I might have to put some clear emperors on my drums soon.

This review was superb..and thanks for giving a better orientation to drummers particularly..plus , the studio and live sound technicians. However I'd suggest to play the same tom diameter for each drumhead brand(like, having 4 different 10inch sound first..then 4 different 12 in second place..and,so on.. I think it'd even be better to really make a good pick of each brand.. thanks

Evans for your snare and bass drum,Remo for your toms!

Remo will forever be my choice...I have used Evans but the tone is not of my liking plus have no overtones and die out to quickly...the other 2 I have to interest in using..

Great work in this video. All heads sound fine to me. I like emperor's for gigs and coated ambassadors in studio. I have a couple of g2 and they are fine, I am happy with the Evans power centre snare batter too.Never liked Aquarian too thick and plasticky , hope to find code heads in my town, they sound fine in this video to me!

Thank you im going with the G2

Great comparison tho remo I think is better than the rest but the code isn't that bad

I have been buying evans for years now but in every comparison remo wins hands down. Next head purchase will be some some ambassadors for the toms.

I never could get Remos to sound good on my drums. Always had better luck with Evans. I really like those codes though.

Great video. Hope to see many more (especially one on coated heads).

They all have their own vibe. I might consider giving Code heads a try. The sounded a little less resonant to my ears, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing for certain occasions. What I indeed get the most out of the video is a latent feeling of jealousy regarding those Josephson tom mics. ;-) Cheers

Love your guys’ reviews!! Could you do the same comparison but with single ply heads?

First, listeners - PLEASE wear headphones. It will make all the difference in the world. I would have liked to hear side by side comparisons also - 10" tom with each head, one after another and then 12" etc.. But yeah, Remo for me.

Remo has a richer sound that's true, but more sub-sounds. There is also a difference in the reaction of the head, Remo vibrates like the entire surface.Evans wibruje, rezonuje jak z wnętrza głowy więcej. ułatwia mi grę na nich. Kocham to. Może o 360.

You can clearly see remo and evans has more waving but more expensive but if you are poor drummer like me you can use aquarian and code.If i had money i'd get a evans

Interesting to hear that Aquarian heads are expensive in the UK, here in Canada a top-to-bottom reskin of my whole kit with Aquarian heads cost me just shy of $100 (CAD) less than Evans, and probably close to $150 less than Remo

Kudos on your review, quite informative, well presented and helpful. Question: How do you achieve this EXTREME CONSISTENCY (!) in tuning the drums?

Liked and subbed because of the pure honesty.

fantastic video. would love more like this.

People pick Remo heads then when u see them they have tape me all Sorts of things on them, you changing the sound of the heads meaning u do t really like the pure sound of the heads. I think they always sound more papery cause of the way the heads are layered but I still would use them to toms but Evans g2 clear or coated no moon gel or dampening is what I prefer. Aquarian good but it’s more controlled and I like them a bit more opened. That being said I do like the voter focus x Aquarian for a different snare sound. I use different brands for different things lol just preference lol

I think all sound tests need to be “Blind” tests then have everyone choice the best sound! I think there’s a lot of bias based off of what equipment we have or are considering purchasing, whether by name and history or other opinions and viewpoints but if these tests were recorded but released both blindly and visuals (2 separate videos or half and half) I guarantee that people would be surprised by which they believed sounded best! This really is not a great way to choose because most already prejudge versus being neutral.

Evans for me first...then Remo for clear heads. Aquarian makes great coated heads...but so does Evans and Remo. Different drums like different heads....its really some luck involved getting a sound you like. Evans work great with vintage drums and just about anything....they seat 9 out of 10 times. I've had problems seating Remo and Aquarian with certain drums.

Aquarian won!! And I’m a Remo guy

Awesome comparison....those toms sing !

I have tryed all of them but I like Remo the best I change heads often to get best sound

Great Review! Evans is the winner for me. Question…What are the Tom mics used? Thanks!!!

Interesting, I have a mix on my kit 10and13 tom with Emperors and 14tom and snare with Evans level360 G2. I am happy with both for live playing but think for recording I would go back to trusty ambassador coated for snare and toms, they record great,good attack,tone full and sustain can be sorted with a little tape.Aquarian are pricey but ideal for heavy hitters in metal/thrash styles.

Nice comparison but perhaps the Code heads would have fared better compared to pinstripes - both being glued at the outside edge.

Why no Attack drum heads?