Drum manufacturers are forever coming up with new products that allow drummers to practice without making a big noise. This is because drums are unfortunately one of the loudest instruments around and we don’t have the luxury of being able to practice at all times.
Silent drumheads have been around for a while, but mesh head pads that you attach to your drums like normal drumheads only entered the scene in the past decade. These mesh head silent pads are offered by the two top drumhead brands, Evans and Remo.
Even though I’ve been drumming for over two decades now (and I’m still in my 20s, haha), I try to stay on top of the drumming scene so that I don’t miss out on any of the new & interesting releases. Silent heads are one such thing.
I’ve tried out both the Remo Silentstroke and Evans SoundOff within the past couple of years, so my memories are still fresh regarding my experiences with each of them. If you’re looking to extend your playing time without pissing off your neighbors, read on!
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Remo vs Evans
Evans and Remo have competed head-to-head for as long as I can remember. Both drumhead companies have been producing top-quality heads for decades. I’ve been using both of their heads on several of my kits, both at my studio and places where I teach/taught drumming. Both brands are also endorsed by some of the most famous drummers in the world.
Many products from these companies are very similar just like the Remo Silentstroke heads and the Evans SoundOff heads. In this post, I won’t get into the whole remo vs evans debate and instead only focus on their silent offerings. So, without further ado, let’s check out what the small differences between them are and what edges they have on each other.
Silentstroke vs SoundOff
My Practical Experience with Both
Before I get into specifics, I’ve used both sets alongside my existing Sabian Quiet Tones cymbals (low-volume cymbals).
First off, the Remo Silentstrokes are undoubtedly the more popular option. They’ve become the industry-standard drumhead to play on for softer and quieter (if not completely ‘silent’) practice sessions.
The Silenstroke set comes in a nice packaging, and I didn’t have any problem installing them on my kit (obviously with same-sized drums as the set itself). The process was fairly quick and hassle-free.
True to their name, they ARE actually almost silent. In fact, I couldn’t hear them myself with headphones on (let alone someone in the next room or apartment). I couldn’t even hear them with some backing tracks playing even at a relatively low volume.
If you were looking for ‘quieter’ drumming and not almost silent drumming, you’re unlikely to be satisfied with the Silentstroke.
However, I did come up with a fairly easy solution to slightly increase their output. You just need to place some lightweight tape on these heads (something you can easily take out later). It effectively works by blocking some of the pores of these heads. The reason why it works that way is because these heads are essentially designed as porous, so as to let the air escape when you hit them with your drum sticks. By adding the tape, you’re just allowing less air to escape, thereby reducing their quietening effect.
Now, coming to the Evans SoundOff heads…
Some may argue that Evans took inspiration from the Silentrokes to create the SoundOff heads since the Slientstrokes came to the market first. But Evans now offers you their SoundOff heads in two distinct output-levels - dB Zero and dB One, with the former promising the lowest output (i.e. the most silent operation). The latter promises around 80% reduction in volume compared to regular heads, and a more natural feel and sound.
The dB Zero offers a near-identical experience to the Remo Silentstroke, and everything I’ve written above about the Remo also applies here. It also makes sense because both are 1-ply pure mesh drum heads, so their core purpose is to take the volume level to near zero.
One area that both of these brands didn’t disappoint me is the amount of rebound on offer. Even though these mesh heads were practically silent, they offered plenty of rebound, so you probably won’t miss the feel of hitting the drums too much with these heads.
I’m fortunate enough not to live in an environment that forces me to almost mute my drums, so I personally enjoyed hitting the dB One much more. Although there’s not a whole lot of difference in how they look and even feel to the touch, there are plenty of minute differences, enough to make the dB One feel more realistic (or maybe it’s just the higher output swaying me in its favor!) and thus enjoyable to play.
So, to conclude my experiences, after trying out both the Remo Silentstroke and Evans Soundoff dB Zero heads, I felt that both allow similar levels of near-silent playing while still at least giving you the feeling of hitting a drum head. On the other hand, the dB One is for you, if you’re looking for quieter practice sessions without needing to make them entirely silent!
Value Proposition
Remo gives you the option of buying the Silentstroke heads in a full drum kit bundle. You’ll have a full set of heads with one purchase. With Evans, you get the dB One in multiple 3-pack and 5-pack configurations, but they don’t offer the dB Zero in multi-pack, meaning you have to buy the heads individually.
Evans does offer full packages of their SoundOff Drum Mutes, but they’re not as effective or authentic as the mesh heads (dB Zero & dB One) that you replace the drumhead with.
So, between the Silentstroke and the dB Zero, Remo offers a better deal if you’re looking to save money.
Visuals
While the mesh heads from each company feel and sound almost the same, they have complete opposite appearances. The Remo heads are white while the Evans heads are black (although it’s not as pronounced since it’s translucent). The answer to which head looks better is a subjective one.
Some drummers may like the natural look of a white head, others may love the intense and unique look of a black head. I’m personally not a big fan of flashy drum heads (hate those red ones!) and either one works for me. Whatever fits the purpose! I’m not someone who’d pick something as functionally crucial as a drum head, primarily over aesthetics.
Final Word
Both silent drumming solutions from Remo and Evans are very similarly priced to each other. Between the Silentstroke and the dB Zero, there isn’t much that differs between them other than the color and the fact that the Remo heads are more popular. They’re both made with mesh material, leading them to feel the same. They’re both designed to fit onto the drum shell in place of the drumhead.
As a bonus, you can even use these heads for converting your existing acoustic kit into a hybrid e-drum kit. Alongside these silent heads, you’d just need some drum triggers and be all set.
But I’ll just reiterate the case again for the dB One, which will be a much better option for those of you with a slightly higher volume tolerance level.
Pricing wise, Remo offers higher value in their Silentstroke bundles, but some of the Evans SoundOff heads are slightly cheaper when bought individually.
Lastly, if you’ve decided on getting the most silent heads possible, I’d suggest you get the one from your favorite drum brand between the two. Or figure which color you like and go for that option. There’s really not a whole lot separating them!
