First: to develop a shell that has as wide an expressive range as possible; and second: to create a drum that faithfully reproduces every nuance in your playing ” from a tap to full stroke. In other words, to craft a drum that delivers the tonal consistency and volume you expect in relation to player input. Then they focused on eliminating as many of the tone-inhibiting elements in the shell as possible. At this stage in development, the shells went through a critical evaluation process of over three years with thier great artists and professional recording engineers. They also underwent detailed acoustic analysis by a special team of acoustic engineers. This advanced level of research and development, a trait that Yamaha are proud of, led to three significant features that are being introduced with the new Absolute Hybrid Series. 0 mm (BD), 6. E.S.S. Absolute Hybrid shells consist of a core ply of wenge, a very hard and heavy wood native to Africa, wedged between plies of maple, known for its clear tone. This hybrid design delivers a rich, clear tone across a full dynamic range, from pianissimo to fortissimo. Lug bases are designed with a small footprint to maximize tone output from the hybrid shell. E.S.S. E.S.S. II, the Y.E.S.S. III further reduces acoustic dampening, which allows the shell to vibrate more freely bringing out more of its natural sustain and volume. A 45-degree /R1.5 edge is used on the snare and toms to achieve a balanced tone, while the 30-degree/R1.5 edge on the bass drum creates a low-end tone, for a deeper, more powerful sound. Through an exhaustive series of prototypes, Yamaha has discovered the optimal number and vent hole position depending on the air capacity of each shell. Particularly, vent holes contribute to the enhancement of tone colors in midrange to low-frequency sounds, as well as the control of sustain.