Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
tembo
Tech Tembo is a kid-friendly magnetic drum machine and sampler that promises "unforgettable family jam sessions"
Three pairs of in-ear monitors and their cases lying on top of a bundle of instrument cables
Studio Monitors Best in-ear monitors 2026: IEMs for stage and studio
A pair of AKG K712 Pro studio headphones on a Neumann KU 100 dummy head
Headphones Best studio headphones 2026: my pick of cans for mixing, mastering, and monitoring - tested by a working musician and producer
Quentin testing a Yamaha piano
Keyboards & Pianos Best digital pianos 2026: I'm a professional piano and music gear reviewer, and these are my top picks
An Asus ProArt P16 laptop on a desk with music production gear
Computers Best laptop for music production 2026: For home studios and mobile music-making - tested by experts
Man wearing black hat playing the Roland TD716 electronic drum set
Electronic Drums Best electronic drum sets in 2026: Top picks for every playing level and budget, tested by drummers – plus video and audio demos
Arturia KeyStep mk2
Midi Controllers Best MIDI keyboards 2026: Find the perfect match for your studio workflow
An UDO Super Gemini synthesizer on a white table
Synths Best synthesizers 2026: Top analogue, digital, mono and polysynths
A pair of Kali Audio LP-6 V2 studio monitors on a studio desk
Studio Monitors Best budget studio monitors 2026: Make your mixes sing with these wallet-friendly home studio speakers
stem splitter
Tech I tested 11 of the best stem separation tools – and you might already have the winner in your DAW
A selection of PA systems in out testing studio
Speakers Best portable PA systems 2026: Lightweight and mobile PA solutions for musicians and events
A pair of Audio-Technica in-ear monitors on top of a carry case
Studio Monitors Best budget in-ear monitors 2026: My pick of cheap in-ears for every type of musician
A boy with brown hair playing the keyboard
Keyboards & Pianos Best keyboards for beginners: Get started with our expert pick of beginner keyboards for all ages
Earplugs being tested at a loud band rehearsal
Tech Best earplugs for musicians 2026: my fully-tested pick of hearing protection, for the practice room to your next gig
An SSL BiG SiX mixer in a studio
Recording Best home studio mixers 2026: analogue and digital mixing desks for all budgets
More
  • Sly and Survivor
  • In My Life
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • One chord Diamond
  1. Drums
  2. Drum Gear

The 4 best new drum heads of 2018

News
By MusicRadar Team published 26 November 2018

The best new drum head options for your kit

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

4. Kentville Kangaroo Skin

4. Kentville Kangaroo Skin

The Rhythm Best in drums 2018 polls received an astonishing 100,000 votes, and we're now ready to roll out the winners. The nominees were what we considered to be the drummers and gear that have excelled in 2018. Here, we present the best new drum heads of 2018. First up we have the Kentville Kangaroo Skin heads...

We say: With greater tensile strength than calf, native kangaroo hide is an ethical choice for this Australian company. Expensive, but undoubtedly the way to a unique warm vintage sound.

The MusicRadar Best in drums awards are brought to you in association with Allianz Musical Insurance - the UK's Number 1 Specialist Instrument Insurer

Page 1 of 4
Page 1 of 4
3. Remo ColorTone

3. Remo ColorTone

We say: Coloured heads occupy a small but significant and fun area. Remo has finally managed to adapt its Skyndeep imaging technology to bring us coloured versions of established favourites.

Read the review: Remo Colortone review

Page 2 of 4
Page 2 of 4
2. Code Drum Heads DNA Coated series

2. Code Drum Heads DNA Coated series

We say: Code is a welcome UK-based newcomer to the highly competitive drum head market, offering a clear range of value for money heads that are designed by drummers for drummers. As with any head company, Code will likely stand or fall on the acceptance of its all-purpose single-ply Ambassador-weight Coated DNA head. So this is the acid test and it performs admirably well. It sits cleanly, rotates on the bearing edge comfortably and tunes up quickly and easily. The sound is fractionally crisper, harder, crunchier than a Coated Ambassador.

Read the review: Code Drum Heads DNA Coated Series review

Page 3 of 4
Page 3 of 4
Winner: Evans UV1 Bass Drum

Winner: Evans UV1 Bass Drum

We say: The UV1 heads are refreshingly different and so far seem to be living up to Evans’s hyperbole-soaked marketing claims. The UV-cured coating is indeed bright, super-consistent and hard wearing.

Page 4 of 4
Page 4 of 4
MusicRadar Team
MusicRadar Team
Social Links Navigation

MusicRadar is the number 1 website for music makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, djs or producers...

  • GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high- quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts.
  • TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars.
  • STARS: We talk to musicians and stars about their creative processes, and the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the actual craft of music making that no other music website can.
Read more
Man wearing black hat playing the Roland TD716 electronic drum set
Best electronic drum sets in 2026: Top picks for every playing level and budget, tested by drummers – plus video and audio demos
 
 
Music technology gear of the year 2025
Music technology gear of the year 2025: Our favourite new synths, drum machines, plugins and more
 
 
Man plays Alesis Nitro Max drum kit with black sticks
Got a new e-kit for Christmas? Transform it with 15 day one upgrades that will make it sound better and play quieter
 
 
Headphones next to electric guitar
Best guitar amp headphones 2026: My top picks for practicing your guitar quietly
 
 
PDP Concept Clear Acrylic Kit and Snare with acrylic hoops
"Cutting rimshots and controlled overtones": PDP brings a "world-first" to the acrylic drum market with its latest Concept Acrylic Kit and Snare
 
 
Man presses acoustic bridge pin into an acoustic guitar
Best acoustic guitar strings 2026: Find your favourite acoustic strings
 
 
Latest in Drum Gear
Zultan 25 series
“A versatile set with dry and dark tonal qualities”: Zultan 25 Series Cymbals review
 
 
Millenium Drums Legendary Drumbook
“An extremely well-thought-out and all-encompassing piece of drum education”: Millenium Drums Legendary Drumbook review
 
 
Man jams with a guitar player and bass player on an electronic drum kit
These huge drum deals at Sweetwater are about to disappear – here’s your last chance to bag up to 60% off electronic drums, cymbals, sticks and more
 
 
Sleep Token drummer II Drumeo
“I’ve taken inspiration from the UK dance music scene": Mixwave put Sleep Token’s drummer in a plugin
 
 
DW SonicPly
Neil Peart called him 'the Wood Whisperer' and now he's blended metal and timber in DW's new SonicPly shells
 
 
Zultan Cymbals
"Crafted from Heritage. Tuned for Tomorrow": Zultan Cymbals celebrate their 25th birthday with a new high-end 25 series
 
 
Latest in News
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 01: Ravyn Lenae performs onstage during Lollapalooza at Grant Park on August 01, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Joshua Applegate/WireImage)
How a warped sample and some Anderson .Paak magic helped Ravyn Lenae to create Love Me Not, her viral hit
 
 
Deals of the week logo
MusicRadar deals of the week: Score $140 off a Yamaha Stage Custom, $200 off a Fender Tele, and hundreds off PA and live gear
 
 
tembo
Tembo is a kid-friendly magnetic drum machine and sampler that promises "unforgettable family jam sessions"
 
 
Thomann compo poster - a man, woman and child playing music
Thomann are on the look out for customers of theirs whose stories “move people and spark inspiration”
 
 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 31: Laufey performs onstage during the 68th GRAMMY Awards Pre-GRAMMY Gala & GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Avery Lipman & Monte Lipman on January 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
In an era of loudness, Laufey is flying the flag for "the lost art of dynamics"
 
 
keystep 37 mk2
"Spark ideas in your DAW, pilot any synth or patch modular without breaking your flow": Arturia unveils KeyStep 37 Mk2 with redesigned interface, extended connectivity and generative tools
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...