I'd been using a Brass Snare for the last few years and decided I wanted something that sounded a little different. I'm not a fan of the stock heads that ship on this snare, but my guess is if you're spending €500 on a snare, you'll be putting new heads on anyway. I put an Evans Power Centre head on mine. The thing that jumps out at me most about this snare is it sounds awesome through the full tuning range. If you're looking for something for a home studio or some recording, you cant go wrong with this snare. I'm really happy with my purchase.