I was on a mission in late 2021 to find the perfect 17" crash, so much so that my RUclips homepage was cymbals, cymbals, cymbals, and one other video titled "15 Signs You Might Be Autistic". The hunt was hell and algorithmic insult made things hotter still. But then it appeared: the Istanbul Agop Traditional Dark Crash. This cymbal, it will slap the cheeks on your face. It sounds like waves spanking the shoreline of a copper planet. It's difficult to explain, but I feel this Agop keeps an eye on me while I sleep at night. In a rocking chair, perhaps.
The Wuhan shocked me! Went to Amazon immediately to price check. For the money, huge winner. I own top of the line Meinl crashes and rides. The Wuhan I'm told might not last as long but for a bit over a hundred bucks I'm willing to take a chance.
Wuhan!!!!!! All the way.Sorry,There we’re some nice stuff in there.But for the price I could get an entire set of the Chinese made cymbals for under the price of the last sabian.
I’ve got all Wuhan cymbals, except for a Meinl big bell and a Paiste Psychoctopus Giga bell. If Wuhan made big bell rides, I would probably have got them instead, but I REALLY love the Psychoctopus.
That's crazy I couldn't hear any better than that $110 Wuhan except one of the lower end paiste sounded pretty good too. I've always been a Sabina fan but idk now. And zildjan has always sounded like a cymbal with now high or lows. It's like cranking the mids all the way. Pure ASS!
@@Myriam-nk2fw They are my favorite cymbals, but I have cracked 2 of them and I'm not a hard hitter. One cracked in a circular manner around the bell - something I've never seen. They are just too brittle for me to keep buying.
Cymbals, in general, have skyrocketed in price over the past 6-8 years. I got a brand new Sabian 22” HH Rock ride for $211.00 in 2014. It’s now listed for $650.ish
I believe you got a steal on that ride cymbal. I remember buying a Sabian 16" AAX-plosion Fast Crash for just over $205 back in 2013-2014, they're now listing for around $240-250.
Can't agree more. I am using only Turkish cymbals - Classics and Kurak series mainly - and boy, those things are singing! Beautiful overtones, very musical cymbals - for a not too high price.
The Istanbul Agop Traditional for me sounds the best. For the money though, I would have picked an Xist. Amazing sounding cymbals at a great price point. 🙌
@@johncollins5552 I have a early version. Riding it with the bead of your stick it sounds amazing. Dark and the right amount of dry. The bell is amazing. Not enough sustain to ride the edge.
Sometimes, I randomly will find a cheap cymbal that happens to have a more-expensive sound - it's hit or miss. Sometimes it's a wash. *haha, Snort* / Dad Drummer joke. Ok I'll sit down. Thank you for this video.
To answer the question in the beginning. Yes it does. Lol. Cymbals are what I spend cash on. I can make any decent kit sound like a drum set. Cymbals you are stuck with what you get. Love the vids guys. Funny how palates high end cymbals are sheet bronze and generally what you find in the lower lines but they definitely have mastered the art.
Unsurprisingly I liked the HHX Complex the most, but I should… that’s the cymbal pack I bought off DCP two years ago. Well done demos!!! I know my past choice is still right for me now!! That’s a rarity with gear.
Bought a 19" Sabian HHX complex thin crash (that's a mouthful 😂) about 5 months ago. It's one of the best cymbals I've ever owned (makes a lovely jazzy, low volume ride too). I'm majorly impressed by that Wuhan though, for the money it's staggeringly good (though I have heard they're fairly inconsistent in quality).
Haha, this Dream Cymbals Bliss Series Paper Thin Crash 18 really stands out, sound like a mixture of a splash and a china with a crash in between. Even it's more an effect cymbal than a crash, i decided to buy this as a addition to my collection and i know i WILL use this, so THANK YOU for the tip!😁👍❤
One of my crashes is a Dream Bliss paper thin, and in the flesh it's quite a complex sounding cymbal, with a nice dark decay, to my ears anyway. I also have a Dream Dark Matter paper thin crash, and to my ears, it's darker, but brighter sounding. I do love the Sabian Artisan crash, I've been saving for their 14" hi-hats...hopefully will get them sometime this year (fingers crossed). In essence, they all sounded great, it just comes down to personal preference, and the genre of music you play. Anyway, thanks guys, I really enjoy your videos.
Many moons ago, my friend wanted new cymbals and I offered to buy his for $250, which he surprisingly accepted. I received all Paiste 2002s in the form of 14" Sound Edge hats, 16" and 18" crashes, a 10" splash, and a 20" ride, all mint. I need to find another one of those deals but with a different brand 🙂
Taste is subjective to the individual. Smell, taste and sound etc. You get the idea. Personally for me I don't care much for the B20 alloy so yes I thought the ZBT recorded well compared to the $570 cymbal. However the Paiste's to me sounded the best. Especially the PST 8 and the 2002. Just because it cost a lot doesn't mean it sounds good. Many of those "dark" cymbals sound like trash can lids. But Ike I stated, taste is subjective If I only had the 2 cymbals to choose I'd pick the ZBT. As always....great fun video! Cheers!
My two favorite Paistes are the 20" 602 thin crash and the 18" and 19" masters dark crashes. For a clean 18", Zildjian A thins cannot be beat, and I always thought the K dark thins are ironically harsher in the midrange than the As because of the pitch they tend to cut at. Vintage As are all over the map.
Great video as usual guys! What I noticed most of all is how bad that Zildjian ZBT sounded as compared to the next step up Wuhan, big difference. For me, I thought the sound difference wasn’t great enough to justify the cost between the mid price to the high price point. Save yourself some money.
The great thing about cymbals, especially in a studio recording context, and while it's not foolproof, still, often enough, with proper sweet EQ, even dirty dull cheap cymbals can be made to sound like a million dollars more than they're actually worth. Having a good sonic chef behind the board, too, of course; who knows the appropriate spices of this lil cheat, helps A LOT!
Look at it this way... If you have ZBTs, you never have to worry about unloading your cymbals from your vehicle after a gig, when you arrive home late, sweaty, and tired. In fact, if they get five fingered you're sort of happy--you now have a legitimate reason to upgrade when you talk with your wife. Just be sure to drive your gear around in a beater, and leave the doors unlocked, so they don't break anything to get at the treasure within. All kidding aside, another great comparison by DCP. And, just about everything played sounded at least five times better than the ZBT... and this proves it doesn't have to cost you a sack of cash. My favorites in the sound bought for money spent: Wuhan Westerns, Istanbul Agop Xists, Zildjian A.s, and Turkish Classics. I see a set of Wuhan Westerns for worry free practice and gigging in the hopefully not too distant future.
Funny thing about the Wuhan's, if you think they're cheap now you have no idea. I first heard Wuhan's traditional, or sometimes called western style, (they never really had a proper series name) cymbals in 2010 when my teacher got a 10in splash free with a china. I was blown away by the sound. I ended up buying TONS on these cymbals over the years and have yet to be disappointed. But the price; in 2014 when I bought a set I ended up paying between $60 and $80 dollars per crash. Brand new! Last crash I bought brand new was a 22in thin for $99! They're now $250, if you can even find them. Now they tend to be thinner, even the medium and heavy labeled Wuhan's, but if you're a lighter player like myself absolutely awesome. The Koi series are the successors to these. While they do cost more, they're still a fantastic deal.
It’s like the higher you go the better the cymbal is at hiding the stick sound while maintaining a definition in the rhythm while also having good wash at a range of dynamics
The Turkish Classic and the Wuhan both seem like great values in comparison...I'm still scratching my head over that Cindy Blackman Agop cymbal. I honestly don't know what to think of it.
The best crash cymbal I own is a Zyn (British make from the 60s and 70s). I found it in a refuse skip outside a house that was having a clearout, along with a Maxwin drum set that I used for many of my gigs in the 90s. The cymbal is an 18. It's super thin, bendable and has the most wonderful smokey complex crash sound. The best bit is that the cymbal will actually bend before it cracks so you can give it some serious punishment without cracking. On low volume jazz gigs you can even ride on it.
I always really liked the Paiste 2002 crash sound. I had them for more than 15 yrs. Also, a Zildjian very wet sounding heavy ride. The Meinl crash cymbals sound good too. It all comes down to what style of music you're playing and your personal taste. It's not a one size fits all thing.
great video - don't think I've ever heard such an array of crash cymbals laid out like this in my personal opinion, yes - the quality does scale all the way up with the price however, I do think you get to a point of diminishing returns about halfway through~ that wuhan remains king for budget cymbals tho - damn
Wuhans are honestly insanely good sounding for any price. I’ve always liked their chinas but recently got a 20 ride and 18 crash as cheap practice cymbals and god damn. I actually enjoy them.
Agreed on that Wuhan. Mostly they were all interesting at higher prices. The Paiste and Meinl dropped out on the lower end and sounded less dynamic/kinda dead by comparison.
Excellent video, Gents! For me and perhaps a few other drummers listening, I think you have to start with traditional, regular finish K's and 2002's, then sort of work your way around the periphery of other brands and price points. You could start with A's instead of K's if you prefer a brighter sound, but the K's have been the more recorded cymbal of the two for quite a while now. I have to admit, that Wuhan cymbal did sound pretty good for the bucks. Conversely, I wouldn't pay $570 for the Sabian "Lidmastere' Le'garbages"-model. 😁
Wuhan all the way. Played them for 30 years. Broke a paiste 2002 replaced it and the rest of my paiste and zildjians with Wuhans. Never broken one but if I did they're so affordable it wouldn't matter.
I like the Istanbul 30th anniversary and the Zildjian Constantinople. But I like my 18” Zildjian Kerope more. I play jazz though. Lots of these would be good for rock.
My favorites from a Value Standpoint are the Paiste 2002 and the Zildjian A Thin - although these are not "budget" cymbals by any means. My favorites overall are the Paiste Signature Traditional and the Zildjian K Custom Dark which are sort of the middle of the pack cost wise and the K Constantinople which yeah, is expensive but DAMN that's a great sounding cymbal. Some of the low cost ones really do sound "cheap" to me.
Putting aside the Wuhan, Ithunk there was a noticeable change in the sound above $250. It would have been interesting to know which are pressed and which are cast/rolled cymbals
I have experience on cheap cymbals. My secondary hihat is about a $95 13'' and it sounds amazing to be a cheap hihat, and my ride is a Paiste 302, also very cheap, but it sounds amazing too. But, cheap cymbals are usually bad sounding, so, if you are going to buy cheap ones, test them yourself first
Best buys got to be the Wuhan. Sounds far better than being the second least expensive cymbal. I don't have any, but it makes me wonder if I should have.
I dig the video, but I think in order to select a crash cymbal, you need to match it with your other cymbals to have a cohesive sound. Also cymbals sounds should also be cohesive with your toms, snare and bass drums. Other considerations are type of music your playing i.e. rock, jazz, blues, country, heavy metal; The sound you want to achieve from your kit and cymbals such as dark or bright, short or long sounding, etc., just to name a few; does a certain cymbal have a discounted price for a set of cymbals or do I have to buy cymbals separately is another consideration.
To my ears, I really thought the Turkish was the overall best cymbal for the price. Now I've been playing Zildjian since the 80's, and I'm very accustomed to their sound and feel, but they've gotten so expensive the last several years. Glad I don't need any replacements, but if I ever got to that point, based on this comparison, I'd probably go with Turkish cymbals.
Wuhan sound good. I have Stagg SH series (another chinese brand and using B20 like typical Wuhan cymbal), sound also very good but cracking before a year. That what I afraid with chinnese cymbal brand. And I change to Meinl Classic Custom, it's still good many many years.
hard to judge with the headphones I'm using but didn't like any of the thin crashes, loved the Dark crashes, my set sports Zildjian "K" Dark 16" medium , 17" medium, & 18" medium thin crashes & an 18" Sabian AAX Dark crash, a 20" Zildjian "K" Dark ride, & some miscellaneous splashes & a 16" Wuhan China. So I'm obviously biased to the Dark side. playing Classic Rock like Zep, Deep Purple, Sabbath, Bad Co, etc...
So a few things didn’t surprise me at all, like my distaste for Paiste (except for the signature series). The Wuhans were nice. And it was surprising that I liked them more than the Dreams (which are essentially boutique Wuhans). But I think a wider range of dynamics might have revealed more about all these cymbals, maybe creating a different opinion. But as with all musical instruments, it’s all subjective, with no real objective winner.
i elect not to fully answer this question on the grounds that i may sound like a snob. i agree that Wuhan offers the best bang for your buck. there were about 6 cymbals i liked more than the Sabian Artisan crash.
That first Wuhan sounds amazing for its price
Was about to say the same thing
Also agree
i had to listen to it again, out of shock lol
Damn right!
Indeed. Just be very careful with it!
Wow, that Paiste signature traditionals sounds amazing.
The best..
I'd choose those, although the Wuhan is another I'd consider.
💯
That one was a nice surprise
Paiste 2002 series. The best !
The Istanbul Agop Traditional Dark just sounds gorgeus, and I didn't expect that Zildjian A Thin to sound that good!
The traditional darks ride better but the thins open up quicker.
I agree..
Wuhan’s are great for the price- pretty sure they’re made out of the same metal as paiste/zildjan all the good ones-
@anthonymarks1306 Wuhan claims they use B20 like Sabian, Zildjian, Isantbul and Byzance.
I was on a mission in late 2021 to find the perfect 17" crash, so much so that my RUclips homepage was cymbals, cymbals, cymbals, and one other video titled "15 Signs You Might Be Autistic". The hunt was hell and algorithmic insult made things hotter still. But then it appeared: the Istanbul Agop Traditional Dark Crash. This cymbal, it will slap the cheeks on your face. It sounds like waves spanking the shoreline of a copper planet. It's difficult to explain, but I feel this Agop keeps an eye on me while I sleep at night. In a rocking chair, perhaps.
The Wuhan shocked me! Went to Amazon immediately to price check. For the money, huge winner. I own top of the line Meinl crashes and rides. The Wuhan I'm told might not last as long but for a bit over a hundred bucks I'm willing to take a chance.
Wuhan!!!!!! All the way.Sorry,There we’re some nice stuff in there.But for the price I could get an entire set of the Chinese made cymbals for under the price of the last sabian.
For real tho! Best sound from the lower end for sure!
I agree I love Wuhan
Had to back and make sure wuhan was my fave, next to the k dark or byzance. I have the 16 and 18 wuhan. Ganna snage the 17 and 19 off amazon
I’ve got all Wuhan cymbals, except for a Meinl big bell and a Paiste Psychoctopus Giga bell. If Wuhan made big bell rides, I would probably have got them instead, but I REALLY love the Psychoctopus.
That's crazy I couldn't hear any better than that $110 Wuhan except one of the lower end paiste sounded pretty good too. I've always been a Sabina fan but idk now. And zildjan has always sounded like a cymbal with now high or lows. It's like cranking the mids all the way. Pure ASS!
Paiste signatures are really in a class by themselves. They sound so glassy
So true, Ill probably buy a signature traditionals set when I go to study because the 20 and 22" rides are soooo good too
Word
Yes, I’ve always said the same about Paiste… Glassy!
@@Myriam-nk2fw They are my favorite cymbals, but I have cracked 2 of them and I'm not a hard hitter. One cracked in a circular manner around the bell - something I've never seen. They are just too brittle for me to keep buying.
That Turkish Classic Crash sounds great for $225, wow! 4:00
Yeah that one made me look over at the screen.
I keep listening to it.
The Cindy Blackman OM was delicious, so too the 2002 thin. Brilliant showing DCP!
Cymbals, in general, have skyrocketed in price over the past 6-8 years. I got a brand new Sabian 22” HH Rock ride for $211.00 in 2014. It’s now listed for $650.ish
totally
You ain’t kidding they are way overpriced now
They will probably blame it on covid
I believe you got a steal on that ride cymbal. I remember buying a Sabian 16" AAX-plosion Fast Crash for just over $205 back in 2013-2014, they're now listing for around $240-250.
They have, right!? I have a 17" Sabian HH Thin Crash, but I swear I never would have spent over $200 AUD for it! Equiv to $100 USD!
That Turkish Classic crash sounds ridiculously good, regardless of price. That should be an auto buy.
I thought it sounded quite similar to the 2002 thin, but with added lovely complex harmonic overtones. so good.
Can't agree more. I am using only Turkish cymbals - Classics and Kurak series mainly - and boy, those things are singing! Beautiful overtones, very musical cymbals - for a not too high price.
That was my favorite too.
Also, I used dream cymbals as well which are fantastic at their price point and really hold up!
What a cool video! Thanks for the unbiased presentation of all.
The Istanbul Agop Traditional for me sounds the best. For the money though, I would have picked an Xist. Amazing sounding cymbals at a great price point. 🙌
The thins open up a bit more easily and the dark crashes ride better, in my experience.
I hate when people ride crashes,
crashing rides can work great on certain rides for sure .
@@johncollins5552 I have a early version. Riding it with the bead of your stick it sounds amazing. Dark and the right amount of dry. The bell is amazing. Not enough sustain to ride the edge.
@@johncollins5552 In a Jazzier context, not like metal where they keep time on the crash.
Sometimes, I randomly will find a cheap cymbal that happens to have a more-expensive sound - it's hit or miss. Sometimes it's a wash. *haha, Snort* / Dad Drummer joke. Ok I'll sit down. Thank you for this video.
My God... That Wuhan is absolutely amazing for a mere $110! One of my favorites of the bunch.
To answer the question in the beginning. Yes it does. Lol. Cymbals are what I spend cash on. I can make any decent kit sound like a drum set. Cymbals you are stuck with what you get. Love the vids guys. Funny how palates high end cymbals are sheet bronze and generally what you find in the lower lines but they definitely have mastered the art.
I knew it was fixing to be a great day!! DCP ALL THE WAY! 💯 🥁
Unsurprisingly I liked the HHX Complex the most, but I should… that’s the cymbal pack I bought off DCP two years ago. Well done demos!!! I know my past choice is still right for me now!! That’s a rarity with gear.
Bought a 19" Sabian HHX complex thin crash (that's a mouthful 😂) about 5 months ago. It's one of the best cymbals I've ever owned (makes a lovely jazzy, low volume ride too). I'm majorly impressed by that Wuhan though, for the money it's staggeringly good (though I have heard they're fairly inconsistent in quality).
Haha, this Dream Cymbals Bliss Series Paper Thin Crash 18 really stands out, sound like a mixture of a splash and a china with a crash in between. Even it's more an effect cymbal than a crash, i decided to buy this as a addition to my collection and i know i WILL use this, so THANK YOU for the tip!😁👍❤
I particularly like the Zildjian A and Constantinople. But that Wuhan was surprisingly good! Great comparisons guys-thanks!!
One of my crashes is a Dream Bliss paper thin, and in the flesh it's quite a complex sounding cymbal, with a nice dark decay, to my ears anyway. I also have a Dream Dark Matter paper thin crash, and to my ears, it's darker, but brighter sounding. I do love the Sabian Artisan crash, I've been saving for their 14" hi-hats...hopefully will get them sometime this year (fingers crossed). In essence, they all sounded great, it just comes down to personal preference, and the genre of music you play. Anyway, thanks guys, I really enjoy your videos.
Many moons ago, my friend wanted new cymbals and I offered to buy his for $250, which he surprisingly accepted. I received all Paiste 2002s in the form of 14" Sound Edge hats, 16" and 18" crashes, a 10" splash, and a 20" ride, all mint. I need to find another one of those deals but with a different brand 🙂
I’ve had a Paiste 2002 Thin ($292) for 10+ years and it’s held up extremely well and I have always loved it’s sound
Turkish classic wins the $/♥︎ equation. It sounds like a great old Zildjian survivor of the 60's/70's.
The Wuhan can't be beat for the money. Sounded really good.
Istanbul traditional dark and sabian complex sounds best for me.
Taste is subjective to the individual. Smell, taste and sound etc. You get the idea. Personally for me I don't care much for the B20 alloy so yes I thought the ZBT recorded well compared to the $570 cymbal. However the Paiste's to me sounded the best. Especially the PST 8 and the 2002. Just because it cost a lot doesn't mean it sounds good. Many of those "dark" cymbals sound like trash can lids. But Ike I stated, taste is subjective
If I only had the 2 cymbals to choose I'd pick the ZBT. As always....great fun video! Cheers!
My two favorite Paistes are the 20" 602 thin crash and the 18" and 19" masters dark crashes. For a clean 18", Zildjian A thins cannot be beat, and I always thought the K dark thins are ironically harsher in the midrange than the As because of the pitch they tend to cut at. Vintage As are all over the map.
Great video as usual guys! What I noticed most of all is how bad that Zildjian ZBT sounded as compared to the next step up Wuhan, big difference.
For me, I thought the sound difference wasn’t great enough to justify the cost between the mid price to the high price point. Save yourself some money.
The great thing about cymbals, especially in a studio recording context, and while it's not foolproof, still, often enough, with proper sweet EQ, even dirty dull cheap cymbals can be made to sound like a million dollars more than they're actually worth.
Having a good sonic chef behind the board, too, of course; who knows the appropriate spices of this lil cheat, helps A LOT!
Look at it this way... If you have ZBTs, you never have to worry about unloading your cymbals from your vehicle after a gig, when you arrive home late, sweaty, and tired. In fact, if they get five fingered you're sort of happy--you now have a legitimate reason to upgrade when you talk with your wife. Just be sure to drive your gear around in a beater, and leave the doors unlocked, so they don't break anything to get at the treasure within.
All kidding aside, another great comparison by DCP. And, just about everything played sounded at least five times better than the ZBT... and this proves it doesn't have to cost you a sack of cash.
My favorites in the sound bought for money spent: Wuhan Westerns, Istanbul Agop Xists, Zildjian A.s, and Turkish Classics. I see a set of Wuhan Westerns for worry free practice and gigging in the hopefully not too distant future.
Funny thing about the Wuhan's, if you think they're cheap now you have no idea.
I first heard Wuhan's traditional, or sometimes called western style, (they never really had a proper series name) cymbals in 2010 when my teacher got a 10in splash free with a china. I was blown away by the sound. I ended up buying TONS on these cymbals over the years and have yet to be disappointed. But the price; in 2014 when I bought a set I ended up paying between $60 and $80 dollars per crash. Brand new! Last crash I bought brand new was a 22in thin for $99! They're now $250, if you can even find them. Now they tend to be thinner, even the medium and heavy labeled Wuhan's, but if you're a lighter player like myself absolutely awesome.
The Koi series are the successors to these. While they do cost more, they're still a fantastic deal.
It’s like the higher you go the better the cymbal is at hiding the stick sound while maintaining a definition in the rhythm while also having good wash at a range of dynamics
The Turkish Classic and the Wuhan both seem like great values in comparison...I'm still scratching my head over that Cindy Blackman Agop cymbal. I honestly don't know what to think of it.
Its all good. No bad sounds. Just different tools. 18" is the smallest crash I'll use. Have a instanbul 18 om crash that I'd never sell.
that bliss thin is lovely
Paiste 2002 Thin, Zildjian K Custom Dark and ZIldjian A are my favourites here
the Wuham sounded the best up until the Zildjian A which is almost 3 times the price!
The best crash cymbal I own is a Zyn (British make from the 60s and 70s). I found it in a refuse skip outside a house that was having a clearout, along with a Maxwin drum set that I used for many of my gigs in the 90s.
The cymbal is an 18. It's super thin, bendable and has the most wonderful smokey complex crash sound. The best bit is that the cymbal will actually bend before it cracks so you can give it some serious punishment without cracking. On low volume jazz gigs you can even ride on it.
Some cymbals just make my smile. The Meinl Byzance larger sizes and Constantinoples, every time.
There were things about all of them that I liked. Every one of them has a place for sure
I always really liked the Paiste 2002 crash sound. I had them for more than 15 yrs. Also, a Zildjian very wet sounding heavy ride. The Meinl crash cymbals sound good too.
It all comes down to what style of music you're playing and your personal taste. It's not a one size fits all thing.
"Feel free to use the chapters"
Thanks for your permission 😅
Great video
Thanks for watching.
Wuhan was in my opinion the best sounding cymbal, and then there’s the price. Just magnificent
LOL
“For the price” is necessary here.
@@powbobs The Wuhan sounded identical to the $400+ cymbals despite being less than half the price.
@@mpk6664
I completely disagree.
It didn’t sound horrible, but no one would use that for jazz.
@@powbobs Miraculously, Jazz isn't the only genre of music.
Also, Jeff Hamilton has used Wuhan for years.
That Zildjian A thin sounded the best to me. Followed up by the Wuhan.
great video - don't think I've ever heard such an array of crash cymbals laid out like this
in my personal opinion, yes - the quality does scale all the way up with the price
however, I do think you get to a point of diminishing returns about halfway through~
that wuhan remains king for budget cymbals tho - damn
Honestly, that artisan sounds amazing to me
I am joining the Wuhan wagon, it sounds like the high end cymbals for a very affordable price! Thanks, great video!!!?
For my taste, Zildjan A’s rule. Middle of the road price and great full sound on the crisper side. Fast to medium fade. Ideal for me.
I’m a K fan and definitely hav bias. The Turkish Classic stood out to me from the rest.
I liked Zildjian K Custom Dark, Paiste 2002 Thin and Istanbul Agop Cindy Blackman OM
Wuhans are honestly insanely good sounding for any price. I’ve always liked their chinas but recently got a 20 ride and 18 crash as cheap practice cymbals and god damn. I actually enjoy them.
That Wuhan could easily be in the top 5. The Cindy Blackman OM sounded delicious too!
Agreed on that Wuhan. Mostly they were all interesting at higher prices. The Paiste and Meinl dropped out on the lower end and sounded less dynamic/kinda dead by comparison.
Excellent video, Gents!
For me and perhaps a few other drummers listening, I think you have to start with traditional, regular finish K's and 2002's, then sort of work your way around the periphery of other brands and price points.
You could start with A's instead of K's if you prefer a brighter sound, but the K's have been the more recorded cymbal of the two for quite a while now.
I have to admit, that Wuhan cymbal did sound pretty good for the bucks. Conversely, I wouldn't pay $570 for the Sabian "Lidmastere' Le'garbages"-model.
😁
For the value, the Dream cymbals are impressive. Otherwise, if you’re looking for a dynamic cymbal I can’t recommend the Istanbul cymbals enough.
Wuhan all the way. Played them for 30 years. Broke a paiste 2002 replaced it and the rest of my paiste and zildjians with Wuhans. Never broken one but if I did they're so affordable it wouldn't matter.
Byzance foundry reserve lovely sound. Money no object.
I like the Istanbul 30th anniversary and the Zildjian Constantinople.
But I like my 18” Zildjian Kerope more.
I play jazz though.
Lots of these would be good for rock.
HHX Legacy Crash 18” 🥇✨🇬🇧 would’ve one of the best sound and funny for money if it was tested
If we’re factoring in price, I’ll take the wuhan. If not, I like the paiste signature traditionals
If all the sub 200$ ones were "thin" or "ultra thin" cymbal, i bet it would sound 10 times better
My favorites from a Value Standpoint are the Paiste 2002 and the Zildjian A Thin - although these are not "budget" cymbals by any means. My favorites overall are the Paiste Signature Traditional and the Zildjian K Custom Dark which are sort of the middle of the pack cost wise and the K Constantinople which yeah, is expensive but DAMN that's a great sounding cymbal. Some of the low cost ones really do sound "cheap" to me.
Putting aside the Wuhan, Ithunk there was a noticeable change in the sound above $250. It would have been interesting to know which are pressed and which are cast/rolled cymbals
Wuhan sounds like Turkish. Great sound for $. Missing is my fav Zildjian 18" K Dark Thin Crash
Meinl Foundry Reserve .. nice
Zildjian A Thin, K Custom Dark & Constantinople.😍😍😍
Since I started playing drums 15 years ago, the Paiste signature where my dreamcymbals , sadly I never had the money :((
In regards to the price vs quality ratio, maybe I would be more preoccupied about the feel rather than the sound.
That wuhan for that price is my pick!
For me it’s the wuhan, Turkish classic then the last one as the best 3. HHx was pretty good too
I have experience on cheap cymbals. My secondary hihat is about a $95 13'' and it sounds amazing to be a cheap hihat, and my ride is a Paiste 302, also very cheap, but it sounds amazing too. But, cheap cymbals are usually bad sounding, so, if you are going to buy cheap ones, test them yourself first
Best buys got to be the Wuhan. Sounds far better than being the second least expensive cymbal. I don't have any, but it makes me wonder if I should have.
I have Paiste 2002 crash and ride and vintage Avedis Zildjian hi hats
Beats the heck outa me.
I dig the video, but I think in order to select a crash cymbal, you need to match it with your other cymbals to have a cohesive sound. Also cymbals sounds should also be cohesive with your toms, snare and bass drums. Other considerations are type of music your playing i.e. rock, jazz, blues, country, heavy metal; The sound you want to achieve from your kit and cymbals such as dark or bright, short or long sounding, etc., just to name a few; does a certain cymbal have a discounted price for a set of cymbals or do I have to buy cymbals separately is another consideration.
Apart from the Wuhan Surprise, the foundry f*ck*n reserve did it for me, gorgeous cymbal!
I'm surprised a PST7 wasn't in there. But yeah the Wuhan, and Turkish would've been my pick for the price.
To my ears, I really thought the Turkish was the overall best cymbal for the price. Now I've been playing Zildjian since the 80's, and I'm very accustomed to their sound and feel, but they've gotten so expensive the last several years. Glad I don't need any replacements, but if I ever got to that point, based on this comparison, I'd probably go with Turkish cymbals.
That wuhan has me like 👀
the best zildjian ZBT is still awesome!!!
Wuhan amazing for price. The Turkish supported me then it was kinda all eh until we hit the $500 mark then they were all amazing.
Wuhan crashes rule. I’ve used them for a while. Always recommend.
How many Wuhan's did you have in stock ? Because it sold out. This uploads only been up about 12-13 hrs. Love the Wuhan & Zildj K Cons..
Sabian HHX Complex Thin is my vote, although I don’t prefer 18” crashes. 16-14” are my preference
Tell your drummer buddy’s about this magical thing called a 16” crash
Your mix engineer will love you 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Didn't have to go past the Wuhan though. But I did anyway. That was it for the price.
Wow, read the replies and Yes surprised at the sound of the Wuhan. great to others on the post agree.
Wuhan sound good. I have Stagg SH series (another chinese brand and using B20 like typical Wuhan cymbal), sound also very good but cracking before a year. That what I afraid with chinnese cymbal brand. And I change to Meinl Classic Custom, it's still good many many years.
Turkish Classics for my ear.
hard to judge with the headphones I'm using but didn't like any of the thin crashes, loved the Dark crashes, my set sports Zildjian "K" Dark 16" medium , 17" medium, & 18" medium thin crashes & an 18" Sabian AAX Dark crash, a 20" Zildjian "K" Dark ride, & some miscellaneous splashes & a 16" Wuhan China. So I'm obviously biased to the Dark side. playing Classic Rock like Zep, Deep Purple, Sabbath, Bad Co, etc...
Do you have a video comparing the 20" crash cymbals?
Not yet…
So a few things didn’t surprise me at all, like my distaste for Paiste (except for the signature series). The Wuhans were nice. And it was surprising that I liked them more than the Dreams (which are essentially boutique Wuhans). But I think a wider range of dynamics might have revealed more about all these cymbals, maybe creating a different opinion. But as with all musical instruments, it’s all subjective, with no real objective winner.
@hitmeupontele_gramdrum_center_ hi scammer!! You’ve been reported. Have a nice day!
Paiste 2002 is good but my favorite is K constantinopole :)
Damn.. that Wuhan, though…
Paiste Mellow Crash and Zildjian E Thin
i elect not to fully answer this question on the grounds that i may sound like a snob.
i agree that Wuhan offers the best bang for your buck.
there were about 6 cymbals i liked more than the Sabian Artisan crash.
Sabian has lost their damn minds with their prices.