This is basically based on my own opinion, and from pics that I've seen in either Modern Drummer or DRUM! mags, as well as various websites that have drums listed for sale, and last (but not least), from what I've seen posted on Pearl Drummer Forum (
www.pearldrums.com):
Personally, if I had a drumset (I will someday, I just haven't picked the day yet, lol, but on a serious note, it more or less has to do with finances right now more than anything else)...I would not have any toms mounted on a bass drum. I'd like to have an option to put the toms any place that I would like to, for comfort reasons, and not be limited to only placing them on a bass drum mounted system. I would probably get some rack system by Gilbrater (typo?), including one of the newer ones, where you can mount a snare drum to it on one side, and a rack tom to it on the other side, plus numerous places to mount cymbals and smaller percussion instruments, such as drumset timbales, cowbells, wood blocks, so on and so forth. I'd then use tom/cymbal mounting systems for the rest - I personally would not use a large rack system to mount 2 rack toms, and 50 million cymbals/percussion "toys" to it, and have regular floor toms where they'd normally go.
But, keep in mind, this is just one guy's opinion.