Sabian B8 bad wrap!

V

visionvsx

Junior Member
Had a jam for the first time with new kit and cymbals today with some pretty good musos who actually loved the sounds of the B8 superset I bought. I actually have to say the really didn’t sound too bad today myself. The ride and hi hats really impressed me. Sure I’m still want to zildjian up sooner or later but the pressure is off to rush into any zildjian purchases. I’m really surprised how good they sounded today. So for those who want a budget set I do rate em and they passed by the opinions of some seasoned musos today.:)
 
The only bad cymbal is the one that doesn't sound right to you.
 
... If you A/Bed those B8s with a set of HHX Evolutions, an AAXplosion, or some Vault crashes, I'm confident you would get a different response from your muso friends.
 
I think the Sabian B-8's are very good for the money,and sound good out front when playing med to loud volume levels.

I agree about the rides and hats,I have played some exceptionally good B-8 hats,and the rides are usually always good with some being really nice.

The crashes sound good out front,but are a little harsh near field to my ears,but that is probably what helps them cut through so well.The crashes take a little getting used to for me,they seem to be a little stiff,even the thin ones,so I have to give them a pretty good whack to get them going,and I find that I have to use a 5-B minimum to control them.On the plus side,if you can get them to respond and open up when playing them lightly you should be able to really smoke on more responsive cymbals.

When I started playing years ago your only choices were pretty much pro line Zil's or Paistes,which were really expensive,or brass or bad sounding b-8 alloy trash can lids.Every once in awhile you may find a good sounding Ludwig standard or a super Zyn,but both were pretty scarce.

I think that Sabian B-8's are a great alternative for drummers who can't or don't want to pay the money for the more expensive pro lines.
 
eamesuser said:
I think the Sabian B-8's are very good for the money,and sound good out front when playing med to loud volume levels.

I agree about the rides and hats,I have played some exceptionally good B-8 hats,and the rides are usually always good with some being really nice.

The crashes sound good out front,but are a little harsh near field to my ears,but that is probably what helps them cut through so well.The crashes take a little getting used to for me,they seem to be a little stiff,even the thin ones,so I have to give them a pretty good whack to get them going,and I find that I have to use a 5-B minimum to control them.On the plus side,if you can get them to respond and open up when playing them lightly you should be able to really smoke on more responsive cymbals.

When I started playing years ago your only choices were pretty much pro line Zil's or Paistes,which were really expensive,or brass or bad sounding b-8 alloy trash can lids.Every once in awhile you may find a good sounding Ludwig standard or a super Zyn,but both were pretty scarce.

I think that Sabian B-8's are a great alternative for drummers who can't or don't want to pay the money for the more expensive pro lines.
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Agree with all of the above:)
 
There is another thread around here about someone liking the sound of B8s. They're like the Rodney Dangerfield of cymbals, but many people really like their sound and are afraid to admit it. I used a bottom hat for a dwarf ride on a cocktail set and it was too clangy for that application. But it wasn't a bad cymbal actually.
 
I got my first drum set in 1969, and I have owned way too many cymbals since then. I recently bought a used Sabian B8Pro Medium Ride because to me it sounds very good. I have used it on a blues gig, and it is my main ride. The other guys in the band like it too. Play what you like. Peace and goodwill.
 
Don't want to sound like a broken record but you did bring this up for discussion...

Not all cymbals are created equal and some do sound better. But the B8's are pretty much alike. I had a $40, XS20 ride, that I felt beat all comers hands down until I bought a used Sabian Vault. (It's a bit darker) But, that said, I hope you did not buy the B8 new. There are far too many really better USED choices for the same money. A used Sabian SR or XS20 would IMHO be a better group to look at. As alparrott said, had you compared them to a Sabians B20 bronze mix you really would hear the difference. And if you don't you need to.

Last night I was in a large Banquet hall. Another Band was playing across the hall. My bass player and I went in to listen to them. My opinion was that the drummers kit sounded really bad. His drums were tuned way to high, too much attack. They made popping sounds. He used a china to crash on. I was surprised when my bass player later told me how much better my kit sounded, although he did not know why. People can hear the difference even if they don't know why. Viva la Difference...until it sounds crappy!
 
I did compare the B8Pro ride with a Sabian AA Tight Ride and an AAX Raw Bell Dry Ride. It is not as good as the AAX RBDR, but it is just as good as the Tight Ride. Those are the only two "pro" rides I had access to for comparison. When I bought it, I compared it to several others. Play what you like. Peace and goodwill.
 
Drumolator said:
I recently bought a used Sabian B8Pro Medium Ride because to me it sounds very good. I have used it on a blues gig, and it is my main ride. The other guys in the band like it too. Play what you like. Peace and goodwill.
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I also own one of these and for certain situations it gets me the sound I need. I use it on the rare occasion that I need a ride that is bright and pingy, I don't use that kind of sound often enough to warrant buying something like an AAX or an A Custom but nor would I want to...I really like how the cymbal sounds even if it is marketed as a begginer cymbal.

I used my B8pro for a recording in December and the recording engineer we're working with really liked it because the overtones it produced gave him more frequencies to work with in the mix and trust me, when you EQ out those high frequency overtones the fundmental tone of the cymbal is very sweet.

I'm a fan!

Hope everyone is well,

Kev
 
I never liked my B8 line, mainly for the fact I have owned AAX and Vault cymbals, and to me neither compare.

I had an old B8 pro ride, and the bell sounded like a "tink". Cymbals were also too heavy for me. If I had any advice for a beginning drummer, pay the extra $100 and upgrade to the XS series. At least you get B20 bronze and a way better tone for the money.
 
I had a B8 thin crash on a practice kit that sounded pretty good years ago.. which to me is a suprise..I always though if you really had to, you could get away with the less expensive hats and rides..but crashes really need to have money spent on them.. I once had a set of Paiste 404 hats and a ride with 2000 and 3000 crashes..loved that set-up..
 
That's an interesting view point Braincamp, most people usually plug the opposite to that. I guess it further illustrates that the gear you use should always be for the sound that you want first and foremost. As with anything in drumming, having conviction is what matters, be it in your playing or in your choice of gear...not sure I'd extend that to Solar's, but hey! haha!

Hope you're well,

Kev
 
Technically, I’m a beginner. I just started playing the drums in May of last year. I have one of those cheap drum sets that came with its own company made cymbals. I got used to playing those cheap cymbals and so when I cracked my 18” crash/ride in November, I went and got an 18” B8 Medium Crash, and it sounded weird, it was louder, brighter, it had more sustain, and it “sang” a lot more. I thought it sounded unusual at first but it’s almost as if my ears adjusted to the sound and suddenly it started coming together and it sounded pretty good. It plays pretty good but I also want to upgrade to better Zildjian stuff.
 
To hear how good Sabian B8's can sound check out any of Damon Che's playing with Don Caballero.
don-cab-2.jpg
 
I have owned B8's in the past, and didnt mind them at all. Played a show recently, and I was in awe of the drummers cymbals from out front. I watched him tear down. Yep, B8's! His crash sounded fantastic micd. Whatever sounds good to you, is the right cymbal.
 
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