22" has plenty of boom. I find the 20" more controlled and punchy--it cuts through better. I've played several 24s and 26s. I dunno--after you get up to 22", the sound difference isn't worth the extra diameter.

...on that note, I do have a 28x14 bass drum for show. :)

never played a 24 I have mostly played 20 and 22 but now I am playing a 26 and that is the winner for me..

My big Camco kit has a 24" bass... for rock, it rules.

24" BD looks cool..

Great for Americana music too...

The 24" also rules for big band swing! Those big basses reigned throughout the 40's and still look right at home now in a big jazz ensemble.

Sonically speaking you are physically moving more air with a 24" kick vs a 22". Now most vintage kicks 20, 22, or 24 are 12 or 14 deep so really your just looking at an overall gain in diameter. I have played all three sizes and I have to say that the 24" really does give you that nice deep thud that a lot of rockers are looking for but what most people overlook is the nice "concert band" appeal. If you use the right heads and tune it with little dampening you get some really warm ringy sounds. In my band I play a lot more like a percussionist than a drummer and really appreciate what a kick can do with the right set of toms. Again a larger head produces a slower wavelength with a lower wave peak (frequency) and will give you a lower tone. So you just need to ask yourself what kind of sound your going for. If your gonna fill it with pillows, just get a 22".

-Beau

Totally!!! Also once you get accustomed to playing a 24 it's really hard to go back to a 22". The WFL, Ludwig, and Slingerland 3ply bass drums sound absolutely killer, with no more than a Remo impact patch on a clear Powerstroke 3 batter head. I use a Remo Smooth White reso head tuned super high. The PS3 batter head tuned as low as possible without it being flubbery, basically just past the wrinkles disappearing will get a deep, phat, no ring, HUGE sound that doesn't over resonate. Note: I noticed some younger up and coming drummers think you have to use an Aquarian Superkick ll to get that sound...It's no doubt a sound that isn't just heard and noticed, you and everyone around you can feel it in their chest. Sound, depth and power are all secondary to the primary reason I use a 24" and that's because of the Fibonacci Sequence. Buddy rich and Louie Bellson were keenly aware of their presence on stage and the look of their drum sets. dw also uses the FS extensively throughout their catalogs...Ever wonder why some sets just seem to look soooo Coool and others just barely get noticed? "FS" In a nutshell, if you try and use a 13" rack tom over a 22" bass drum you've exceeded the limits of natural balance and proportion. 24"BD=13" RT, 22"BD=12" RT . In 1972 when I was 11 my drum teacher taught me this and so I've played the 24,13,16,18 setup since getting my 1st Real drum set. Sometimes adding an 8x12" but the object has always been the same. To make them look as sleek and sexy as possible with a whole lot of badass and attitude mixed in...Slung low like a Custom Harley. Yes I learned how to play them like that, like anything else, just takes a little getting used to.

If I had room one day, I wouldn't mind adding an old kit with 24". But all in all, 22" probably covers rock just fine...And also those old thinner shells tend to have a lower note, giving more bottom end anyways verses say a more modern thicker shell. Then we get into the woods and as I understand the mohagany shells are deeper as well compared to some other shell types. Don't quote me though!

24's are the $hit!