Evans Drum Head Ranges Explained: G1, G2, EC2S, UV1, UV2, HD Dry and EMAD

G1, G2, EC2S, UV1, UV2, HD Dry, EMAD. The naming is more logical than it looks: the number is the ply count and the letters tell you what has been added.

~10 min read · Updated September 2026 · By the Stage Supply team

In this guide: Short answer · G1 · G2 · EC2S · UV1 and UV2 · HD Dry and Reverse Dot · Snare side · EMAD · Building a kit · Shop the range · FAQ

Evans name their head series with a letter and a number, and the system is more logical than it looks. This guide takes every series we stock, gives its exact construction, says what Evans claim it sounds like, and says which drum it belongs on. Every ply thickness quoted here comes from Evans’ own published specification.

The short answer

The G number is the ply count: G1 is single ply, G2 is twin ply. EC means it carries Sound Shaping control rings. UV means the coating is UV-cured for durability, and the number after it is again the ply count. HD is heavy duty, Dry means it has vent holes. EMAD is the bass drum system with external foam damping rings.

G1: single ply, 10mil

The open one. A single ply of 10mil film with, in Evans’ words, a very balanced attack, long sustain, bright tone and average durability. Tuned low it gives a deep rumble that lets the shell speak; tuned up it is crisp and articulate. It has the widest tuning range of anything here.

Its most common job on a working kit is as a tom resonant head, where you want sustain rather than survival. We hold G1 Clear in 10, 12, 13, 14 and 16 inch, and G1 Coated in 14 inch for players who want a traditional open snare sound or an Ambassador-style batter.

G2: twin ply, 2 x 7mil

The versatile one, and probably the most widely used twin ply head there is. Two plies of 7mil giving a balanced attack, average sustain, a slightly bright tone and moderate durability. It is warmer and shorter than G1 without being dark, which is why it suits almost any style.

We stock G2 Coated as tom and snare batters in 10, 12, 13, 14 and 16 inch, plus the G2 Coated Rock tom pack which bundles 10, 12 and 16 inch.

EC2S: twin ply with Sound Shaping rings

The controlled one. Two plies of 7mil, like G2, but with SST control rings bonded to the underside. Those rings pre-EQ the head, taking out the muddy mid-range and the high frequencies, and what is left is a defined attack, short sustain, a semi-dark tone and enhanced durability.

This is the head to fit when the toms are ringing on after every fill and somebody keeps reaching for gaffer tape. It is the standard choice for tom batters on loud stages and in studios. We stock EC2 Clear in 10, 12, 13, 14 and 16 inch, and as the EC2 Clear Rock tom pack.

UV1 and UV2: the coating that does not flake

Coated heads wear out twice: the film stretches, and long before that the coating flakes off where the stick lands. Evans’ patented UV-cured coating addresses the second problem, and it also gives a rougher surface texture, which brush players notice immediately.

• UV1 is a single ply of 10mil with the UV coating. Very balanced attack, long sustain, moderate brightness, and more durability than a typical single ply. It is the head for anyone who likes a coated Ambassador-type sound but keeps wearing through the coating. We stock it in 14 inch.
• UV2 is two plies of 7mil with the same coating. Prominent attack, shorter sustain, medium brightness, and highly enhanced durability. Evans tested it with some of the heaviest hitters they could find, and it is the tom pack to buy if you break heads. We stock it as the Rock tom pack, 10, 12 and 16 inch.

HD Dry and EC Reverse Dot: the snare specialists

Two heads that exist because the snare drum asks for something no general-purpose head provides.

• HD Dry. A coated outer ply of 5mil over an inner ply of 7.5mil, with a 2mil control ring underneath and precision-drilled dry vents around the perimeter. The vents let air out and take the ring with it. The result is a semi-defined attack with short sustain and less brightness than a standard HD, which is exactly the dry crack that survives a close microphone without a gate. This is the most widely specified touring and studio Evans snare batter, and it is the one we would put on a hire snare by default.
• EC Reverse Dot. A frost coated 7mil top ply over a 10mil bottom ply, with a 3mil dot on the underside at the centre. Putting the dot underneath adds durability, focus and attack where the stick lands without changing how the playing surface feels or how brushes behave on it. Moderate attack, sustain and tone, with above average durability.

The 300 snare side head

Underneath the snare, Evans Clear 300 is a single ply of 3mil, and it is Evans’ best-selling snare side head for good reason. Thin enough for the wires to respond at low dynamics, controlled enough not to choke at high ones. A snare side head is the component most commonly left on for a decade, and replacing one is the cheapest audible improvement you can make to a snare drum.

EMAD: the bass drum family

EMAD stands for Externally Mounted Adjustable Damping. A channel round the edge of the head holds interchangeable foam rings, so the amount of damping is a thirty second change rather than a dismantling job. Three versions, in increasing weight.

Putting a kit together

The four that move fastest

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between G2 and EC2S?

Both are two plies of 7mil. EC2S adds Sound Shaping control rings on the underside, which cut the mid-range and high frequencies and shorten the sustain. G2 is the more open of the two; EC2S is the one to fit when the toms ring on too long.

Is UV1 just a coated G1?

Same single ply of 10mil film, different coating. The UV-cured coating resists flaking and wear far better than a conventional one and has more surface texture. The sound is very close; the difference shows up after six months of playing.

EMAD or EMAD2 for a bass drum?

EMAD2 is the twin ply and the safer all-round buy: more attack definition, more durability, still adjustable. EMAD single ply gives you more low end and more of the drum’s own character. Heavyweight is for players who destroy bass heads.

What does Level 360 actually do?

It extends the flat playing surface right out to the edge and reshapes the collar so the head makes even contact with the bearing edge all the way round. In practice the head seats without being forced, and it tunes evenly across a wider pitch range. Every Evans head we stock has it.

Do you stock Remo heads as well?

Not currently. Our drum head range is Evans, held on the shelf for next-day and same-day supply. If a rider specifies a particular Remo head, talk to us and we will tell you honestly whether the Evans equivalent will do the job.