I've played both and still prefer a Dyna. Similarities between the two, yes...both the Dyna and Super Sensitive are designed on the same basic principle of adjusting snare wire tension independently of the throwoff tension. The SS does have that unique feature of tensioning each snare wire individually, but I can't help speculating that the individual snare wires on a SS would never become untensioned in the first place if it weren't for those individual tensioning screws. And if all the individual snare wires on an SS aren't tensioned exactly the same, one or two loose ones can start buzzing. I've never had an individual snare wire become loose on a Dyna because they're all fixed uniformly to the snare frame. [Attachment: 104051]Even ignoring the debate of the Dyna's COB shell being superior to the Ludalloy shell, I think the Dyna is just built better. The SS is still a great drum, but why isn't there a big market for them, and why don't they garner the fan base the Dyna does? :2Cents:Any big SS fans out there?Mike
Ok, here's my :2Cents:
I would have to say it comes down to who the drums were marketed towards back then as to the fan base. The SS was marketed as a "concert" snare drum more than anything else. The Supraphonic was marketed towards everyone else and it was a standard snare drum that came with a lot of different outfit kits, so they were pushed more than the SS. Also, as pointed out above, the SS seemed more fiddley with a multitude of adjustments than the Supra.
The Dynasonic was marketed also as a standard outfit piece. Many Rogers kits came with a Dyna as standard equipment, and they were also marketed towards "jazz guys"....after all Buddy & Louie played them, right?
BTW, that Yes/Bruford snare sound is not a supersensitive, its an early Ludwig Super brass shell. Bruford confirmed this years ago in an interview I read somewhere, probably an early Modern Drummer issue. The drum was cranked to the max to get that nice tight sound.