Bought a used Evans ST Dry for $5 at 2112

I figured for $5, what have I got to lose? It’s not usually my style for a snare head, but I have a friend who loves his so I tried it.

I didn’t hate it, though I didn’t entirely love it. It does cut out some ring, but leaves some behind, which is cool for those who want rim shots to crackalacka but want more overall muffling. I’d liken it to an Amb with a gel about half an inch from the rim, maybe a little closer but not on it.

I loved how it felt tighter at lower tunings, but didn’t enjoy it once it got up to my usual medium high tuning. It wasn’t old Simmons pad hard but it gets pretty hard once you get to an A note at the lugs, and very hard at anything higher. They say 2 ply heads are tighter at lower tunings and this one is definitely an example.

On the grand dryness scale, it was drier than the Remo P77 I used to have. That head has more ring than I thought it would, so the ST Dry does live up to its billing. That’s about as grand as my experience allows for a comparison. But I’ve got the Amb back on now and will give the ST Dry to this kid around here at my wife’s church. He’ll probably like it.

I've used HD and HD dry and like them pretty good on some snares I have. I think the are one ply heads. I've never tried ST dry.

Evans HD and HD Dry are 2 ply heads: 5+7.5 mil and control ring, the dry has added dry vents (a lot of small air holes around the edge).
The Genera Dry is 1 ply: 10 mil with control ring and air vents.
The 2 ply ST (Dry) has 2 plies of 7.5 mil.
The Heavyweight (Dry) has 2 plies of 10 mil and no control ring but a reverse dot.

More heads and info on Evans heads here: https://www.daddario.com/products/percussion/evans-drumheads/drum-set/drumset-snare-batter/

I don’t know how anyone uses them.

Spongey stick feeling, loss of volume and the head generates its own pitch that doesn’t seem to go away no matter where you tune it.

Yuck.

Duck Tape said:

I don’t know how anyone uses them.

Spongey stick feeling, loss of volume and the head generates its own pitch that doesn’t seem to go away no matter where you tune it.

Yuck.

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Really? I didn't get any of that I could pick up on. But I may try it on my L&L before I bag it for good and I'll try to see if I notice it.

Any head that has been seated on a drum will never sound 100% right on a different drum, or re-installed in a different position. Which is why I always mark any head at the badge location before I remove it and reinstall it.
So you are probably getting a decent idea of the sound of the ST Dry, but not the whole nine yards.
I prefer to use a livelier head and control the tone with tuning, damping and a Big Fat Snare ring if needed.

I prefer the Genera Dry, UV1 and G1.

Chris Whitten said:

Any head that has been seated on a drum will never sound 100% right on a different drum, or re-installed in a different position. Which is why I always mark any head at the badge location before I remove it and reinstall it.
So you are probably getting a decent idea of the sound of the ST Dry, but not the whole nine yards.
I prefer to use a livelier head and control the tone with tuning, damping and a Big Fat Snare ring if needed.

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I just wanted a decent idea and not pay $35 for a head I probably wouldn’t dig so I’m fine with it. It was enough to know it’s not my bag.