What is the difference between Remo and Evans colourful drum heads?

• Posted on 30 January 2026
• By GRD
• Posted in Drum Heads
• 0

A practical comparison of coloured drum heads at Graham Russell Drums, focusing on the full Remo Colortone range and how it compares to Evans options.

Colourful drum heads at Graham Russell Drums

Remo Colortone vs Evans Hydraulic

Colourful heads can transform the look of a kit instantly, but the important bit is still the same as any head choice. Construction comes first, then sound, then feel. The colour should be the final decision, not the only one.

At Graham Russell Drums we love the diversity of Remo Colortone heads, which is why we aim to have the full Colortone selection in stock, every colour, every size and every head type in the range.

We also regularly update stock of all EVANS Hydraulic heads to keep them available.

What coloured heads change, and what they do not

They change the visual, obviously. Under lights, in photos, and on content clips, they can make a kit look completely different.

What they do not do is “magically” change a head type into something else. A two-ply head still behaves like a two-ply head. A dampened bass head still behaves like a dampened bass head. 

Remo Colortone at GRD

The Colortone range, what each one is, and how they sound

Remo Colortone heads use Remo’s Skyndeep imaging finish, which is designed to give the colour without turning the head into a novelty item.

Colortone Emperor

Best for tom batters and general-purpose playing

Colortone Emperors are built with two plies of 7-mil clear film, the same core construction as a standard clear Emperor. In real terms, that means the feel and sound profile sits where you expect an Emperor to sit. Punchy attack, good durability, and a controlled amount of sustain without feeling “muted”.

Colortone Powerstroke 77

Best for snare batter when you want control

Powerstroke 77 Colortone is the most controlled head in the Colortone family. It is still lively compared to oil heads, but it is designed to keep a snare focused. It uses two plies of 7-mil clear film, plus a 5-mil dot and a 7-mil dampening inlay ring to reduce stray overtones and tighten the attack.

If you like the idea of a controlled snare that still has tone and projection, this is usually the Colortone choice.

Colortone Powerstroke P3 for bass drum

Best for bass drum batter and front head looks that still work

The Powerstroke P3 Bass Colortone is built with a single-ply 10-mil film plus a 10-mil underlay dampening ring, so you get a defined attack and controlled low end without turning the drum into a pillow.

Some of the Colortone P3 bass options are supplied pre-ported with a 5 inch hole, which is perfect if you want fast internal mic placement and a gig-friendly setup straight away.

If you need something unusual, keep reading because there is a Remo custom option.

Colortone colours and sizing

Colortone is available in Orange, Yellow, Red, Green, Blue, Smoke, Pink and Purple.

Sizing depends on the head type. Emperor Colortone covers tom sizes (commonly 6 to 18). The Colortone family overall spans up to larger bass sizes, and at GRD we are stocking the complete range across the line.

Special requests and odd sizes

If you have an odd drum size, or you need a version that is not a standard stock item, Remo can make custom sizes through a retailer request. If you want to explore a special order, call the shop or email us and we can talk you through the options.

Evans Hydraulic colours at GRD

A totally different sound on purpose

Evans Hydraulic heads are their own thing. They are made with two plies of film and a thin layer of oil between them, and that construction is specifically designed to suppress overtones and shorten sustain.

The sound is fat, deep, short, and dark, and they are famously quick to tune because there is much less overtone behaviour to fight.

A coated option and a clear option both available.

For colour options, Hydraulics come in red, blue, black (and also clear, sometimes referred to as glass). Our focus for the coloured look is the red, blue and black options.

Why the Hydraulic is not “the same as a dampened Remo”

The closest Colortone head to a Hydraulic is the Powerstroke 77, simply because it is controlled.

The difference is that a P77 still behaves like a musical two-ply head with added control. A Hydraulic behaves like a pre-damped system because the oil layer changes how the head vibrates.

A practical comparison

Which one suits your goal?

Choose Remo Colortone if you want

• the drum to keep its own character - If you want to hear the specific shell or hardware that makes your drum what it is!

• brightness, resonance and tuning range - These drum heads sing better because they are not stopped from vibrating!

• colouful heads across normal ranges (No Gimmicks)- Emperors, P77s, and P3s

There are also way more colour options in the Remo range when compared to the Evans range. Our favourite COLOUR in store is the PINK!

Choose Evans Hydraulic if you want

• maximum control, minimal overtones, and short sustain

• a low, thumpy sound that stays consistent drum to drum

• something that feels pre-EQ’d and sorted from the first hit

Our general GRD take is simple. If you want to hear your shells and hardware for what they are (in many different colours), Remo Colortone is the better fit. If you want a controlled sound that is quick to dial in and stays consistent across the kit, Evans Hydraulic is hard to beat.

See the colours properly in the showroom

Colourful heads are one of those purchases that make more sense when you see them in real life. If you want to compare Colortone colours side-by-side, or you want to hear the difference between a Colortone Emperor and an Evans Hydraulic on the same drum, come into the showroom and we will help you narrow it down quickly.