This is true 60% of the time, everyime.

It's hit or miss. In most cases yes, but as materials deplete, the window becomes smaller.

I have the air hole rattle as well. I will try the ball method to fix the issue. The store called Tama, but still waiting on reply. They called Tama and emailed them 3 months ago, but still no answer. It wasn't guitar center. I would never buy drums from a store that sold anything other than drums. I also ordered a 14" floor tom, after about 4 months it came in, and the black diamond dust wrap didn't match the shell pack that was ordered only a few months before the tom. The new tom has a little more glitter in the color. I was too deep in the Tama brand to send the kit back. I have both Mike Portnoy snare drums, 8"10"12"13" toms. 14"16" floor toms. 18" x22" bass drum. Oh, and almost all Tama hardware, with the exception of the double pedal and hi hat stand. These are booth DW 9000 series. The best head's I've found for these drums are remo vintage emperor's on all toms, clear ambassador's on bottoms. P3 bass drum on both batter and resonance.