These 2-ply Emperor clear heads from Remo are available in an array of colors – blue, green, orange, red, smoke, and yellow. What Remo has termed “Skyndeep” technology infuses pigment directly into the film used in the Colortone series heads, meaning that not only does the color not fade from the drumheads, but it also doesn’t transfer to sticks or skin. In other words, the color you choose lasts and doesn’t cause any marks or mess elsewhere. The heads that I received are all clear red and go nicely with my Tama Star classic B/B kit with red oyster finish. I have the standard 22” kick, 12” rack, 16” toms, and a Pork Pie 13”x7” acrylic snare. I suppose a player could go for a mixed color configuration – say: blue snare, red rack tom, orange floor tom, and smoke kick – but for my purposes I like how the matched red set works with the oyster wrap on my kit.
If you’re already familiar with Emperor Clear drumheads then you know what to expect in terms of how the Colortones perform and sound. Starting with the kick, the Colortone head provides a full-bodied tone with plenty of punch. I play with no added pillows or dampening and the sound I get with this is clean and projecting. The same goes for the toms: no added dampening is needed and a very nice overall live sound results.
As to the snare, I usually always play with coated heads, which can tend to give this particular snare a bit of a “ringy” sound – especially when played in live, mic’d situations. This head, when tuned to a medium tension, actually helps to control this problem and gives it a fuller, less “shriek-y” sound, which I liked.
Overall, these heads do not let down: great sound, great look – and would probably look even better on a clear set, such as a Vistalite kit. Remo always delivers with classic, superior sound and durability, and now this new series provides a new and unique visual element allowing drummers to show off their own personal style. Five stars.
