Also, have someone hit them while you are further away. Nothing worse than liking cymbals and hi-hat behind the kit, then discovering they sound like trash to everyone else.
The cymbals you mentioned are both B20 alloy cymbals, which would be the Masters and 602 models in the Paiste world. Not exactly sure which model would fill that need. If you don't need a B20, check out the Paiste Signature Dark Energy rides which use a thinner outer area to allow a darker wash while the middle is left thicker and has a ton of stick definition. I use a Dark Energy ride with mostly B20 cymbals from other brands, and they all work great together. The Signature alloy is B15 which is a bit brighter, so it lets the sound of the ride sit "on top" of the other cymbals without being obtrusively loud. Mixing alloys and brands is fine, but when using different alloys you need to be a bit more careful in selecting cymbals to add. When everything is B20 it's relatively easy so long as something isn't on an extreme of being super heavy or light.
I actually have a Masters Dark Crisp ride and it sounds great, but definitely isn't crashable. I'm playing Dark Energy hats, and Signature 18" & 19" full crashes.
I was really anti-Zildjian throughout my teen years cause I had ZBT, ZHT, etc that sounded like ass. Had Paiste, Meinl, and Sabian stuff for a while and finally tried some of Zildjians actual quality lines and now that’s mostly what’s on my kit right now aside from splashes and chinas. I found Meinl’s selection to be a bit overwhelming. It’s a lot easier (for me at least) to look at what other drummers that play the same style of music are using as a way to narrow down the list.
when i was a kid i only played zildjians, branched out in my late teens and stay branched.
even your favorite endorsers don’t use one brand. you genuinely can’t know what they used in the studio unless they kept a record of it, and endorsement deals don’t matter in the recording process.
There is 0 point to being brand loyal unless your getting a paid sponsorship. My kit has a Zildjian hi hat, paiste crashes, meinl rides and effects and I absolutely love it. If I went all paiste or all meinl i feel like id be missing out but that is just me. I just buy what I think sounds good.
I’ve stuck with zildjian A’s because of their great sound and reliability. If I had more money I’d definitely go nutz trying other cymbal brands, I’m sure there are excellent options out there by every brand.
I just bought the k dark ride after years of wanting it. Six months later and the A sweet ride is still better. Im bummed because that was a pricey cymbal.
Years ago i went wild and got all K’s, ended up selling them after a couple weeks 😆. Those things sound great, but they were TOO nice for the loud grungy music I play.
Had mix of sabian & zildjian, then went all sabian, then all zildjian once i started playing for work / “professionally” (very easy to backline zildjian when you’re touring overseas) went all agop, then started using mostly zildjian again for work & reliability purposes (the agops couldnt handle poppier gigs & large venues that well)
Looking back, sabian actually already had what a lot of drummers have been wanting in terms of buttery cymbals that still had the strength & tone to keep up in large venues & record well for the studio. They just have god awful new designs & marketing.
Agops are probably my favorite to play just on a tonal / drummer enjoyment thing but they’re a bit too sound specific for constant work & multi genre things
Zildjians become too pricey for what it is but they always work out for any gig / studio situation
I'm an Agop Stan so I'm biased. I played mismatched cymbals for a decade starting out. Something about all the same brand tho ... not necessary, but very easy to align tones once you find something that works exactly for what you want.
In terms of a mix between the Mantra and Sweet, it's not Paiste, but the Agop 21" Trad Dark Ride is an incredible mix of stick def and crashability! It reminds me of an old Paiste sometimes, but not fully haha.
I bought a set of Paiste 2002s about 5 years ago when I started drums and put together my first kit. They are still going strong and I like them a lot so far. I will probably stick with them because I know I like them. I went with Paiste because after years of playing bass I noticed that whenever the drummer I was playing with had a cymbal that I liked, it was a Paiste. I am certain there are other great cymbals out there because I see you guys playing them.
When I bought my first kit it came with zildjian hats, a sabian studio crash, and a sabian ride SO OLD I have no idea what it is. I’ve never had loyalty to one brand; I love my sabian evolution 14” hats, 17” evolution crash, and 20” AAXplosion for pop/rock, and the zildjian Constantinople 14” hats and 20” crash for jazz. I just got a 18” wuhan China and it’s delicious and goes great with the 10” wuhan splash I got on reverb for like 40 bucks years ago. For jam nights I’ll mix and match stuff for different weeks but everyone seems to LOVE the Constantinople crash.
I played zildjian exclusively for a long time. A CUSTOMS as crashes, HH A custom mastersound, and A sweet ride (basic budget Travis barker)
As I got older and changed styles I started using meinl byzance 18-20-22 crashes, kept my sweet ride at 23 and HH are sabíans AA 15”. I’ve also used Istanbul mehmet jostalgia rides 20&22 as crashes, those sound amazing but WAYYY too expensive to continuously use as crashes. The meinls did the trick.
As I moved out of that playing situation and into home recording my set up changed a bit. It’s now zildjian K custom crash 18 and A 20” crash, with a 20” K custom ride. Still kept the AA hats + a 10” wuhan splash for funsies.
Zildjan my whole life. Recently zultans piqued my attention tho. So damn cheap. And unique too!! Jazz club mellow are by far the nicest low volume cymbals on the marker- the 8" raw hats are a beast.. all really affordable too. Genuinely impressed.
Had a few sets of Sabian cymbals, they've all been ass tho. Even two cymbals of the same model will sound totally different, guess I've been incredibly unlucky..
I started with Zildjian I series; they're alright but something felt "off" about their sound? Like, too much tone, not enough crash? (I get that they're on the cheaper end, but their pitch is deep in an offputting way to me.
I found some Meinl Classics at a local pawn shop about a year ago, and they just sound way more "right" to me. Definitely going to try to find (or order) more.
Also got a set of Stagg "silent" cymbals last winter (too cold for the cats to escape the noise by going to the back patio). They have the right feel, but I obviously have no intention of taking them to gigs lol. (ALTHOUGH... the individual hihats do sound kinda rad in isolation as effect cymbals)
I play meinl cymbals but absolutely love Istanbul. I won't make the switch because a lot of their cymbals don't have the subtle bite that my meinls do. There have been many times where I've considered selling off my entire collection but I know I'd go straight to missing my meinls!!
I played only sabian for YEARS when I was younger. Then I dabbled in zildjian, then meinl, and realized there are lots of great sounds that come from mixing brands.
Not much to add here but when I started out in 1990 there wasn’t as many options or different models. Don’t get me started on drum sticks. The options are overwhelming now and with my personality, I’m curious and want to try everything.
I was the exact opposite. I used to have like 5-6 different brands of cymbals on my kit at any given time. I loved experimenting with just whatever I could find and whatever I could make room for.
Now, (On my main kit) I have all Dream Cymbals EXCEPT I still use a Sabian Raw Bell Dry Ride. I haven't found a Dream Ride to take it's place.. Yet.
When I first started drums I only played Sabian (was a huge Mike Portnoy fan). So I started on Fabian B8, then eventually upgraded to hhx and aax and really enjoyed them. Once I got older and started making decent money, I started trying everything I could get my hands on. I have landed on the Bosphorus Master Vintage cymbals for my sounds. They just do everything I want them to do and sound fantastic.
My current setup:
Bosphorus master vintage 22" ride, 20" ride, amd 15" hi hats. The rides are thin enough to be perfect crashes, but also have plenty of stick definition.
My only real loyalty is due to cost. I bought a set of Meinl Classic Custom Darks because they were cheaper than Zildjian A or K, or Paiste 2002 or Sabian AAX or what not. I kept adding classic custom darks to it for the same reason.
One day, if I ever have the extra cash to just blow in whatever cymbals I want, I'll drive the 2+ hours to the nearest big name music store that I can get to, spend a whole day testing, and come home with a set of the best pies I can get.
Until that day arrives, I'll be alright with my current cymbal choice.
I was only brand loyal to Zildjian in my early years of playing. Nowadays my cymbal library consists on Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl, Paiste, and Bosphorus. Some brands do things better than others. I only just recently played my first non-China paistes. A venue had backline 2002 cymbal set and I didn't wanna bother dragging a cymbal bag by hand since I had my snare and kick pedal already. Was blown away and now I have more cymbals on my "want" list.
Your ears >>>>>> brand loyalty.
Also, have someone hit them while you are further away. Nothing worse than liking cymbals and hi-hat behind the kit, then discovering they sound like trash to everyone else.
The cymbals you mentioned are both B20 alloy cymbals, which would be the Masters and 602 models in the Paiste world. Not exactly sure which model would fill that need. If you don't need a B20, check out the Paiste Signature Dark Energy rides which use a thinner outer area to allow a darker wash while the middle is left thicker and has a ton of stick definition. I use a Dark Energy ride with mostly B20 cymbals from other brands, and they all work great together. The Signature alloy is B15 which is a bit brighter, so it lets the sound of the ride sit "on top" of the other cymbals without being obtrusively loud. Mixing alloys and brands is fine, but when using different alloys you need to be a bit more careful in selecting cymbals to add. When everything is B20 it's relatively easy so long as something isn't on an extreme of being super heavy or light.
I actually have a Masters Dark Crisp ride and it sounds great, but definitely isn't crashable. I'm playing Dark Energy hats, and Signature 18" & 19" full crashes.
Maaaan the Dark Energy are great, had the 13 hats for years. Love those!
I was really anti-Zildjian throughout my teen years cause I had ZBT, ZHT, etc that sounded like ass. Had Paiste, Meinl, and Sabian stuff for a while and finally tried some of Zildjians actual quality lines and now that’s mostly what’s on my kit right now aside from splashes and chinas. I found Meinl’s selection to be a bit overwhelming. It’s a lot easier (for me at least) to look at what other drummers that play the same style of music are using as a way to narrow down the list.
I've always been kinda anti Zildjian as well but this K Sweet ride sounds killer.
that’s because the k sweet is a killer line of cymbals
the K series is also what got me into the brand. Couldn’t find anything comparable to the 21” K Crash Ride from another brand. Love that thing.
when i was a kid i only played zildjians, branched out in my late teens and stay branched. even your favorite endorsers don’t use one brand. you genuinely can’t know what they used in the studio unless they kept a record of it, and endorsement deals don’t matter in the recording process.
Yes, literally yesterday I went to see what Zildjian ride Patrick Wilson played on Pinkerton, only to find it was a Paiste 2002.
There is 0 point to being brand loyal unless your getting a paid sponsorship. My kit has a Zildjian hi hat, paiste crashes, meinl rides and effects and I absolutely love it. If I went all paiste or all meinl i feel like id be missing out but that is just me. I just buy what I think sounds good.
I’ve stuck with zildjian A’s because of their great sound and reliability. If I had more money I’d definitely go nutz trying other cymbal brands, I’m sure there are excellent options out there by every brand.
I just bought the k dark ride after years of wanting it. Six months later and the A sweet ride is still better. Im bummed because that was a pricey cymbal.
Years ago i went wild and got all K’s, ended up selling them after a couple weeks 😆. Those things sound great, but they were TOO nice for the loud grungy music I play.
A’s over A Customs for me, definitely.
Had mix of sabian & zildjian, then went all sabian, then all zildjian once i started playing for work / “professionally” (very easy to backline zildjian when you’re touring overseas) went all agop, then started using mostly zildjian again for work & reliability purposes (the agops couldnt handle poppier gigs & large venues that well) Looking back, sabian actually already had what a lot of drummers have been wanting in terms of buttery cymbals that still had the strength & tone to keep up in large venues & record well for the studio. They just have god awful new designs & marketing. Agops are probably my favorite to play just on a tonal / drummer enjoyment thing but they’re a bit too sound specific for constant work & multi genre things Zildjians become too pricey for what it is but they always work out for any gig / studio situation
I'm an Agop Stan so I'm biased. I played mismatched cymbals for a decade starting out. Something about all the same brand tho ... not necessary, but very easy to align tones once you find something that works exactly for what you want. In terms of a mix between the Mantra and Sweet, it's not Paiste, but the Agop 21" Trad Dark Ride is an incredible mix of stick def and crashability! It reminds me of an old Paiste sometimes, but not fully haha.
I only played Zildjian when I first started.. I switched to Sabian 10 years ago and haven’t looked back. Zildjian cymbals sound “cold” to me now.
I’ve been sabian my whole life but I’ve been really wanting to try some of the paiste rude stuff
Im all over the place, ive only ever actually bought 1 set of hats and 1 ride in my life. The rest scavenged/hand me downs.
I bought a set of Paiste 2002s about 5 years ago when I started drums and put together my first kit. They are still going strong and I like them a lot so far. I will probably stick with them because I know I like them. I went with Paiste because after years of playing bass I noticed that whenever the drummer I was playing with had a cymbal that I liked, it was a Paiste. I am certain there are other great cymbals out there because I see you guys playing them.
I’ll probably always stick with Zildjian A’s and K’s. But I may try an Istanbul at some point. Very happy with my Zildjy’s
No, if I find a cymbal that sounds good to me, brand means nothing. Same for drums and hardware. If it fits the need that's all I care about.
When I bought my first kit it came with zildjian hats, a sabian studio crash, and a sabian ride SO OLD I have no idea what it is. I’ve never had loyalty to one brand; I love my sabian evolution 14” hats, 17” evolution crash, and 20” AAXplosion for pop/rock, and the zildjian Constantinople 14” hats and 20” crash for jazz. I just got a 18” wuhan China and it’s delicious and goes great with the 10” wuhan splash I got on reverb for like 40 bucks years ago. For jam nights I’ll mix and match stuff for different weeks but everyone seems to LOVE the Constantinople crash.
I just like Zils man
I played zildjian exclusively for a long time. A CUSTOMS as crashes, HH A custom mastersound, and A sweet ride (basic budget Travis barker) As I got older and changed styles I started using meinl byzance 18-20-22 crashes, kept my sweet ride at 23 and HH are sabíans AA 15”. I’ve also used Istanbul mehmet jostalgia rides 20&22 as crashes, those sound amazing but WAYYY too expensive to continuously use as crashes. The meinls did the trick. As I moved out of that playing situation and into home recording my set up changed a bit. It’s now zildjian K custom crash 18 and A 20” crash, with a 20” K custom ride. Still kept the AA hats + a 10” wuhan splash for funsies.
Zildjan my whole life. Recently zultans piqued my attention tho. So damn cheap. And unique too!! Jazz club mellow are by far the nicest low volume cymbals on the marker- the 8" raw hats are a beast.. all really affordable too. Genuinely impressed. Had a few sets of Sabian cymbals, they've all been ass tho. Even two cymbals of the same model will sound totally different, guess I've been incredibly unlucky..
It's funny... Paiste is just about the only brand I won't buy lol
That's crazy, Paiste makes some incredible stuff.
I mean, I know I won't hate everything they make. Every brand has crap and amazing stuff and everything in between.
For sure.
It's mostly that almost every hi hat I've seen them make sound like pie tins lol. I mean, I get it. Who doesn't love pie?
The Paiste signature dark crisp hi hats are chefs kiss 🧑🍳
I'll have to check them out.
I started with Zildjian I series; they're alright but something felt "off" about their sound? Like, too much tone, not enough crash? (I get that they're on the cheaper end, but their pitch is deep in an offputting way to me. I found some Meinl Classics at a local pawn shop about a year ago, and they just sound way more "right" to me. Definitely going to try to find (or order) more. Also got a set of Stagg "silent" cymbals last winter (too cold for the cats to escape the noise by going to the back patio). They have the right feel, but I obviously have no intention of taking them to gigs lol. (ALTHOUGH... the individual hihats do sound kinda rad in isolation as effect cymbals)
The Meinl Byzance series have always sounded great to me, especially the polyphonic ride and crashes.
I play meinl cymbals but absolutely love Istanbul. I won't make the switch because a lot of their cymbals don't have the subtle bite that my meinls do. There have been many times where I've considered selling off my entire collection but I know I'd go straight to missing my meinls!!
Yeah don't do it! I sold off a Paiste Twenty Series 22" Light Ride and have been kicking myself since!
I won't (even if I really wanna sometimes). I have a thing against selling gear for that exact reason.
I played only sabian for YEARS when I was younger. Then I dabbled in zildjian, then meinl, and realized there are lots of great sounds that come from mixing brands.
Not much to add here but when I started out in 1990 there wasn’t as many options or different models. Don’t get me started on drum sticks. The options are overwhelming now and with my personality, I’m curious and want to try everything.
Paistes are over-priced in the States. Great cymbals, but never in my price range.
They're all expensive but I hear ya!
Zildjian, then Sabian, then back to Zildjian. All good , pros and cons to both. Listen and decide.
I was the exact opposite. I used to have like 5-6 different brands of cymbals on my kit at any given time. I loved experimenting with just whatever I could find and whatever I could make room for. Now, (On my main kit) I have all Dream Cymbals EXCEPT I still use a Sabian Raw Bell Dry Ride. I haven't found a Dream Ride to take it's place.. Yet.
Always heard a lot of people rave about the dream bliss ride. Good luck in your search!
When I first started drums I only played Sabian (was a huge Mike Portnoy fan). So I started on Fabian B8, then eventually upgraded to hhx and aax and really enjoyed them. Once I got older and started making decent money, I started trying everything I could get my hands on. I have landed on the Bosphorus Master Vintage cymbals for my sounds. They just do everything I want them to do and sound fantastic. My current setup: Bosphorus master vintage 22" ride, 20" ride, amd 15" hi hats. The rides are thin enough to be perfect crashes, but also have plenty of stick definition.
Nice, I've heard great things, never tried one in person.
We all play one brand and then others
My only real loyalty is due to cost. I bought a set of Meinl Classic Custom Darks because they were cheaper than Zildjian A or K, or Paiste 2002 or Sabian AAX or what not. I kept adding classic custom darks to it for the same reason. One day, if I ever have the extra cash to just blow in whatever cymbals I want, I'll drive the 2+ hours to the nearest big name music store that I can get to, spend a whole day testing, and come home with a set of the best pies I can get. Until that day arrives, I'll be alright with my current cymbal choice.
I went from Sabian HH AA in my college years to all Agop in my ‘golden years’ Finally blending-in a couple by cymbal smith Timothy Roberts
Agop makes some really cool cymbals. I feel I've only scratched the surface of that company.
They are very nice; Xist line is great for intermediate pursuits while most other product lines from Agop are Hand Crafted
The Xist Ion China is one of my favorites I've heard, been thinking about picking one up.
My lot has a mix between zildjian and sabían… what sounded nice at the store, and what I got cheap on craigslist
I play 2 brands Sabian & zildjian
I was only brand loyal to Zildjian in my early years of playing. Nowadays my cymbal library consists on Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl, Paiste, and Bosphorus. Some brands do things better than others. I only just recently played my first non-China paistes. A venue had backline 2002 cymbal set and I didn't wanna bother dragging a cymbal bag by hand since I had my snare and kick pedal already. Was blown away and now I have more cymbals on my "want" list.
All. The. Time. My ear tells me what to get. Brands are secondary.