New Cymbal Set Up Thoughts

DWHF

New Member
Hey guys! I'm in the market for a new set of cymbals. Here is my list below:

Sabian 10" AAX Air Splash
Sabian 12" AAX Mini Holy China
Sabian 14" Freq HH
Sabian 16" AAX X-polsion Fast Crash
Sabian 17" Artisan Crash
Sabian 18" HHX Evolution crash
Wuhan 22" China
Sabian 22" Legacy Heavy Ride

I want to know your guys' thoughts here because as you can see, there is quite a variety of tone color here, which is what I want. I play a lot of progressive rock, infusing electronic music elements, and jazz elements (not necessarily playing straight jazz or EDM, hence, infuse). Do you guys think this list of cymbals is a good combination and can work well together? Unfortunately, I don't have the ability to go to a shop and listen to cymbals, so I've just looked at several different videos of these cymbals, taking note in my head of their sound. In my head, I think these would sound interesting together. Also, I will be using these to record in a home studio.
 
That's a pretty big setup. I doubt you'll know their compatibility until you've tried them in various combinations. Also, cymbal compatibility is a thoroughly personal concept. What one drummer might like, another might loathe. This is why all cymbal reviews are hopelessly subjective. We're not talking about craftsmanship or durability but rather sound. Everyone registers sound differently. That might not be a helpful perspective, but only you can determine what works and what doesn't.
 
try and hear some sound samples of each of them cymbals, then see if they still remain what you want :)

you have a wide tonal palette there, crossing the spectrum from bright to dark. if you know those are what you want, then go for it, thats what i did with my amedia cymbals :)
 
That's a pretty big setup. I doubt you'll know their compatibility until you've tried them in various combinations. Also, cymbal compatibility is a thoroughly personal concept. What one drummer might like, another might loathe. This is why all cymbal reviews are hopelessly subjective. We're not talking about craftsmanship or durability but rather sound. Everyone registers sound differently. That might not be a helpful perspective, but only you can determine what works and what doesn't.
Yes I 100% agree with you. I'm just trying to get other people's insight or even just advice like this to pick out cymbals. I'm at crossroads on what to do, cause I've been playing on a set of 2 cracked (1 heavily cracked, sounds like a dead ting) ZBTs, a cracked ZBT HH, and my only uncracked cymbal, a ZBT ride. Yeah, not the best sounded cymbals, but they served their purpose, and now the inspiration from my drum kit has gone from 100-0. I can still practice fine and do what I need to do, but obviously, it's uninspiring to say the least. The drummer struggle is real right now lol. Thanks for the response!
 
try and hear some sound samples of each of them cymbals, then see if they still remain what you want :)

you have a wide tonal palette there, crossing the spectrum from bright to dark. if you know those are what you want, then go for it, thats what i did with my amedia cymbals :)
Thanks for the response! I've been trying to look at youtube videos on them side by side, eliminating variables by watching the same drum channel, listening on solid IEMs, etc, but I think there will always be that uncertainty in my mind until my ears hear them in person.
 
Yes I 100% agree with you. I'm just trying to get other people's insight or even just advice like this to pick out cymbals. I'm at crossroads on what to do, cause I've been playing on a set of 2 cracked (1 heavily cracked, sounds like a dead ting) ZBTs, a cracked ZBT HH, and my only uncracked cymbal, a ZBT ride. Yeah, not the best sounded cymbals, but they served their purpose, and now the inspiration from my drum kit has gone from 100-0. I can still practice fine and do what I need to do, but obviously, it's uninspiring to say the least. The drummer struggle is real right now lol. Thanks for the response!

I know what you mean. Though I play Zildjian, I do have a high opinion of the Sabian AAX and HHX models I've heard. They're great cymbals to my ears. I doubt you can go terribly wrong with them. Good luck with whatever you decide upon.
 
Well don't listen to me, because i play prog rock for the most part as well and if i would pick a setup now (disregarding budget) i would pick cymbals mostly designed for jazz and similar music haha. The only thing i would change is the china and go for a more trustworthy brand. The 19" Paragon china would be a great replacement or even the 19" AAX X-treme china. The Holy China would be great as well, but I'm hesitant for cymbals with holes or slots cut out cracking really fast (had a Zildjian 18" ZHT EFX crash which cracked at one of the slots and the replacement did the exact same thing).

Other than that it depends purely on what cymbals you need to express yourself and if you like the sound/soul of these models, go for it!
 
That's a pretty big setup. I doubt you'll know their compatibility until you've tried them in various combinations. Also, cymbal compatibility is a thoroughly personal concept. What one drummer might like, another might loathe. This is why all cymbal reviews are hopelessly subjective. We're not talking about craftsmanship or durability but rather sound. Everyone registers sound differently. That might not be a helpful perspective, but only you can determine what works and what doesn't.

This is a common sentiment around here, and I think it discourages and/or shuts down discussion. Given your thoughtful contributions across this site, I don't think that was your intent, but there are a handful of places on the internet dedicated specifically to cymbal talk, so why not get into the nitty gritty?

The question wasn't if we or DWHF would "like" the cymbal combo, but rather do the cymbals have compatibility. I don't think the concept of cymbal compatibility is entirely subjective; we can start to inch toward objectivity by teasing apart characteristics like relative pitch, sustain, etc. Surely we can agree on some qualities of sound without being in each other's heads, right?

So I'm curious, CM (or anyone else interested), do you think these 3 cymbals DWHF is considering go together? Tell us why or why not.



 
This is a common sentiment around here, and I think it discourages and/or shuts down discussion. Given your thoughtful contributions across this site, I don't think that was your intent, but there are a handful of places on the internet dedicated specifically to cymbal talk, so why not get into the nitty gritty?

The question wasn't if we or DWHF would "like" the cymbal combo, but rather do the cymbals have compatibility. I don't think the concept of cymbal compatibility is entirely subjective; we can start to inch toward objectivity by teasing apart characteristics like relative pitch, sustain, etc. Surely we can agree on some qualities of sound without being in each other's heads, right?

So I'm curious, CM (or anyone else interested), do you think these 3 cymbals DWHF is considering go together? Tell us why or why not.




I see your point, and I don't mean to undermine the value of cymbal discussions. I'm simply of the opinion that cymbals are as personal as toothpaste. Whether a player wants to go all dark, all bright, all shimmering, all quick decay, or any combination in between is a decision only the player himself can make, and he should trust only his ears along the way, no one else's, as he'll be the one playing the setup and incorporating it into whatever style of music he creates.

I don't subscribe to the view that some cymbals are better suited for rock, whereas others are more applicable to jazz and so on. Drummers defy those marketing ploys all the time and achieve admirable results in turn. Creating your own cymbal palette is a matter of individual expression. I don't think compatibility or incompatibility can be objectified in that regard.

The demonstrations you've posted are very useful. I'd just prefer that DWHF listen to them and draw his own conclusions, not mine. He writes of his proposed cymbal lineup, "There's quite a variety of tone, color here, which is what I want." And I do believe he'll be getting a variety of tone and color, but tone and color can be extracted in countless ways, and only he knows precisely how he intends to harvest it.

I do hope that's not dismissive.
 
I'd love to to hear the contrast between the 12 inch mini Holy China and the 22 inch Wuhan China!

plink!!........KERRRSMASH!!
 
I'd love to to hear the contrast between the 12 inch mini Holy China and the 22 inch Wuhan China!

plink!!........KERRRSMASH!!

And that's a great evaluation, Ben. Quite often, contrast is more appealing than compatibility in the world of cymbals. We're all out for something different.
 
I think you've picked yourself quite a good line up. Maybe not everyone's choices ..... but then your cymbals are an expression of you, as an individual.
 
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