: Wood hoops vs steel hoops Is there any difference, sound wise, of having wood hoops as opposed to steel hoops in your drums? Does the wood affect the sound, or tone of the drum?

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A short summary:

flanged hoops: cheap and popular. Their low mass produce rich
overtones which may lead to a headache when it comes to tuning.
die-cast hoops: really solid and easier to tune. Some say they
produce a "focused" sound, maybe because they kill most overtones.
wood hoops: produce a warmer sound on the drum. Probably in the
middle of flanged and die-cast.

The hoops DO affect the sound of your drum along with the drumhead and its construction. I understand they are not always made of steel. You can find aluminum and brass as well. I would suggest to try and see which one fits you best.

Some physics:
The sound is a vibration of air masses in the audible spectrum. When you hit a drum, the whole thing vibrates and thus, creates sound. The vibration is induced mainly by the drumhead but the mass of the drum contributes to it. Die-cast hoops dampens this vibration due to their high density. Wood and flanged hoops allow some vibrations through themselves, then contribute differently to the sound.