Detail 01
Hydraulic build
Two plies of film with a thin oil layer between them. The oil kills overtones, so notes decay fast and sound fat.
Product detailSKU #1274034479623
EvansHydraulic Black Tom Batter Drum Head 20 IN
1/3
Independent shopping perspective
The Korena take
A 20-inch black hydraulic tom batter head. For drummers who want a short, fat, pre-muffled tom sound without taping or adding gel dampers.
Strong match
Who this is for
- Big floor toms that ring too long in a live room
- Recording sessions where you want controlled toms straight away
- Loud rock and metal where sustain gets lost anyway
Consider the trade-offs
When to look elsewhere
- Drummers chasing open, singing, long-sustain jazz toms
- Anyone who wants a bright attack with plenty of overtones
- Toms that are not 20 inches — head size is fixed
What matters in use
The specifications, translated
Catalog numbers tell only part of the story. These are the details most likely to change how this product feels, sounds, or fits into a setup.
Detail 02
20 inch size
Measures the drum shell diameter, not the hoop. A 20-inch tom is a large floor tom or gong drum.
Detail 03
Black film
Opaque, so no shell interior shows through. Darker and warmer sounding than a clear head of the same build.
Detail 04
Batter head
Goes on the top, playing side. The bottom resonant head is a separate purchase.
Detail 05
Two-ply thickness
Takes harder hitting than a single ply and dents less, at the cost of stick response and top-end sensitivity.
Final check
Know before you order
- 01Batter side only — you still need a resonant head for the bottom
- 02Measure your shell diameter, not the hoop or the old head
- 03Two-ply heads sound choked if cranked; tune low to medium
Product questions
Before you decide
Straight answers to the questions shoppers most often ask about this product.
01Do I still need moongel with this head?
Usually not. The oil layer between the plies does the muffling, so most drummers run it bare. Add dampening only if your room is unusually live.
02Will this fit a 20 inch bass drum?
The diameter matches, but this is built as a tom batter. Bass drum heads use different film and damping for that job.
03How does black compare to clear?
Black film is opaque and reads a little warmer and darker. Clear is slightly more open on top. Tuning and build matter more than color.
04Is it good for hard hitters?
Yes. Two plies of film resist denting far better than a single ply, which is the main reason drummers pick this line.
Reference
Full specifications
The complete catalog record, organized around the decisions musicians make when comparing gear.
1 detailsBody & build
- Color
- Black
