RTOM 14" Black Hole Practice Pad

The RTOM Black Hole muting system is a very convenient way of making your acoustic drums much quieter (80% apparently). I have one on a 14" snare for teaching and use it together with Remo Silentstrokes on the toms, which I bought beforehand. They both have the same bouncy mesh feel and both are tunable. The advantage of the RTOM is quickly popping it on and off your drum as needed: they do not require changing the head. I can envision using Black Holes across my entire kit in future, but not until the price drops. I understand paying for innovation, manufacturing, distribution, etc. But the materials used are not gold.

I bought this product to compare it with other drum muting pads. I test 12" Evans RealFeel pad on batter head of my snare, Remo SilentStroke and 14" Sabian QuietTone Pad. On snare drum - Remo SilentStroke is too springy and bouncy (not real rebound). Evans RealFeel gives the best sound and Feel on snare. Sabian QuietTone is good enough too. RTOM gives you ability to play rimshots, rim-clicks and everything you want.. BUT RTOM a little louder than others and it gives you unpleasant ringing from the snare of drum. but I think is the best choice for tom muting. Silentstroke has too short sustain but RTOM's sound lasts much longer.

I really like this product. My practice space is also my home office in the garden, so it's pretty small by the time I get another four guys in there. We play mostly traditional Irish music, not amplified. In this context, the Rtom Black Hole system is absolutely invaluable - I get quite a bit of the tone of my lovely walnut snare (albeit muted), and everyone else can hear themselves play.
No one ever gets upset with the loud drummer - a revelation. When alone, I can take it away in 2 seconds, put in some ear protection and practice on my normal coated head at normal tension.
The ability to adjust tension combined with the solid dot area in the middle set this system apart from normal mesh heads - it's not exactly the same as a 'proper' head either, but it's a pleasant place in between. I enjoy the sound, I get to practice on the drum I adore (which I find an important motivation to practice) and I don't have to change heads and re-tune. I consider that there's enough tone and snare sound showing through that I can probably use this in a very quiet, acoustic live setting too.
It's really expensive, but underlying tone is retained to a reasonable extent, the quality can't be faulted and the convenience is wonderful. Really good if you have deep pockets.