I switched from Evans EMAD, tried out its built-in rings to reduce unwanted overtones, using various different tricks for muting.. And somehow i was never really happy with the tone. But now, with this simple, no-frills Remo head i am more than happy: Tuned in in like 5 minutes, and sounds as a 26" bass drum should. Tremendous low end, nice punch, great sustain, no annoying overtones, loud, and yet still articulate. All this without any muting tricks and magics. Of course, tone and sound are all about personal preferences and musical environments, but for me, this change has worked out beyond my expectations. Cheers!