18 Hi Hat Cymbals Compared - From $50 to $900
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- Опубликовано: 27 июн 2024
- We compare 18 14" hi hat cymbals - from cheapest to most expensive. Navigate your way through the video using these handy chapters, if you wish.
00:00 Intro
01:30 Wuhan 457
01:58 Paiste PST 3
02:26 Meinl HCS
02:53 Wuhan Western
03:21 Turkish Meta
03:48 Istanbul Xist
04:16 Turkish Cappadocia
04:43 Paiste 2002 SE
05:11 Zildjian New Beat
05:38 Sabian AAX Thin
06:06 Zildjian A Custom
06:34 Meinl Byzance Medium
07:02 Paiste 602 SE
07:29 Istanbul Agop 30th
07:57 Sabian Anthology
08:25 Zildjian K Con
08:52 Sabian Artisan
09:20 Koide 703
09:50 HEAD 2 HEAD
Drum kit used in this video: Sonor SQ2 Vintage Birch in African Marble - Not yet for sale
Snare Drum used in this video: Keplinger Black Iron 14x7
Available for purchase here: www.drumcenternh.com/search?q...
Cymbals:
Wuhan 457 Hi Hat Cymbals 14"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/WU457-HH14
Paiste PST 3 Hi Hat Cymbals 14"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/CY0000634014
Meinl HCS Bronze Hihat Cymbals 14"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/HCSB14H
Wuhan Western Hi Hat Cymbals 14"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/WUHH14
Turkish Meta Hi Hat Cymbals 14"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/META-B-H14
Istanbul Agop Xist Natural Hi Hat Cymbals 14"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/XH14
Turkish Cappadocia Hi Hat Cymbals 14"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/CP-H14
Paiste 2002 Sound Edge Hi Hat Cymbals 14"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/CY0001063114
Zildjian A New Beat Hi Hat Cymbals 14"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/A0133
Sabian AAX 14 Thin Hats Brilliant
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/21401XCB
Zildjian A Custom Hi Hat Cymbals 14"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/A20510
Paiste Formula 602 Sound Edge Hi Hat Cymbals 14"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/CY0001043114
Istanbul Agop 30th Anniversary Hi Hat Cymbals 14"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/30TH14
Zildjian K Constantinople Hi Hat Cymbals 14"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/K1070
Sabian Artisan Hi Hat Cymbals 14"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/A1402
Koide 703 Traditional Hi Hat Cymbals 14"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/KO70314HP
Microphones used to capture the drums:
Bass Drum:
Audix D6 Dynamic Bass Drum Microphone - www.drumcenternh.com/audix-d6...
Audix A133 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone - www.drumcenternh.com/audix-a1...
Snare Drum:
Audix i5 Dynamic Microphone - www.drumcenternh.com/audix-i5...
Audix ADX51 Condenser Microphone - www.drumcenternh.com/audix-ad...
Toms:
Earthworks DM20 Small-diaphragm Condenser Drum Microphone - www.drumcenternh.com/earthwor...
Overheads:
Earthworks SR25 Small-diaphragm Condenser Instrument Microphone - www.drumcenternh.com/earthwor...
Room Mics:
Earthworks QTC30 Small-diaphragm Condenser Microphone - www.drumcenternh.com/earthwor...
www.drumcenternh.com
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Видеоклипы
really impressed with the Wuhan Western
I'm with you on that !
Indeed! I wonder how durable they are.
These are the ones I have been using since last year. Gigging with those, recording in studio...they really perform well.
I was gonna say the same thing. I don’t think I’d personally go with the first couple, but the Westerns were great. Even preferable to some of the more expensive models further on
@@descantinginsalubrious I think as durable as any other B20 cymbal.
DCP is the gold standard of percussion retail. An argument against that statement simply doesn’t exist. MAD LOVE! 💯 🥁
If you have gold to spend, then you are right.
@@chrisferguson1911
Tons of it buddy 💯
@@chrisferguson1911
The Turkish Cappadocia sounded like the best value to me!
Those Wuhan Westerns were impressive.
I also thought the Istanbul Agop XIST sounded pretty good for an affordable set.
@@jerrymckenzie1858 $280 is affordable hi hats? I would call the Wuhans, which sound great, imo, at around $200 (but can be bought for quite a bit less) the top end of the affordable range. I think up around $300 is getting out of that affordable range and into the solid mid priced range.
Not surprisingly, the two that appeal to my old-school drummer ears the most are 2002 SE, and New Beats, two of the gold standards for hi-hat cymbals for decades.
Exactly
Agree 100%. I will never give my 2002s up.
My favorite hi hats that I owned, EVER, were vintage 14" Zildjian Avedis (paper thin)... Man did they sound 👌
Paid $300 for them (used ofc). I let my friend borrow them for a gig once, and I got them back with a 6-7" crack in them... 😭
I can't drum much anymore thanks to a drunk driver wrecking my knee, but I would've LOVED to give them to my kid.
I totally agree brother
@@billymanilli i wanna sound like carly barrett, and no matter how hard i try my hi hat is way too harsh. and all the other hi hats i hear are way too harsh. i come to find out its because he used a 14" zildjian hollow label avedis, and put a piece of tape on the spot where he hits.
I'm really impressed with the hats in the $200 range! They sound just as good as anything more expensive.
There alot of good cymbals in the 200 to 400 dollar range they didn't put on this list, shop around. Most companies have samples on their websites so you dont have to pray your local store has one to test. Paiste's is stellar.👍
Right? Those were where I really said "woah!" Out loud.
These least to most expensive cymbal and drum comparisons are great, especially the Head-to-Head portion! They really show that just because an instrument is the most expensive, it doesn't mean that it will appeal to you the most. From a sound standpoint, I preferred the Paiste 2002's and Zildjian New Beats that were about in the middle in terms of cost over the more expensive ones. Perhaps if I were playing them my opinions would change? Brillant video series concept guys!
A perfect example is the video on 3 Tama snare drums at different price points. The look and inflections on Shane’s face after playing the SLP Spotted Gum sums up this sentiment 100%.
Totally agree with you. I can tell you from my own humble experience, that the main difference between cheap, mid-priced and expensive cymbals is not only how they sound but how soft or "buttery" they feel to the touch.
@@loko306 The feel of a cymbal or drum when you play it is so important. For example, the Ludwig Supraphonic, not only sounds great but feels so good when you strike it. There are snare drums that are better built and more expensive, but they just don't sound or feel as good as that drum. I like your term "buttery" cymbal feel.
I agree
For $50 the Wuhan sounds pretty good
The 50$ Wuhan hats are great! I play them regular and am impressed how pleasing it is to play them for cheap brass cymbals. Definitely a great starts cymbal.
I have used New Beats for 30 plus years, but I was very impressed with the Wuhan Western.
That Turkish Meta sounded really nice for 250. Plus, never heard of them. Grt comparison as always Adam. Thank u. 🍻
I agree. So smooth. Liked them a lot.
I think the consensus is that the Paiste 2002’s and the Zildjian New Beats are the gold standard of Hi Hats, and this comparison perfectly demonstrates why.
Once you get above the $400 mark, there’s really no justifiable difference in the quality, clarity or cut of the sound, just a different tone or texture, which is hard to justify spending so much more just to achieve.
The 2002’s and New Beats are a perfect balance of everything you want in a hi hat, just a preference of whether you prefer the tone of the B8 or B20 bronze.
My favorite is Paiste 2002.
Thank you for putting the Zildjian New Beat Hats in there for reference!
Everytime I hear Wuhan cymbals I'm shocked at how nice they sound for their price. Easily the best bang for your buck cymbals. The $150-250 has some nice options and I'd love to see them blindfold compared to the high end hats as I can't hear a 3-4x difference when relating to the price of each.
The difference in price is absurd and obscene. The market of cymbals has always been abusive but this exemplifies it beautifully! Thank you and take good note buyers!
I've said this before, but I'll say it again. The 14" Paiste 2002 Sound Edge is THE HOLY GRAIL of hi-hats, PERIOD!!
No one gives a fuck what you think
The Istanbul Xist sound pretty good for the money.
I had no idea you were a drummer too. Cameras and drums…it’s who I be. 👊🏻
For me the best kind of cheap hi hats are ones which aren’t made of standard B8 and are really thin. They usually never have a stamp on them. Either way I can appreciate those western wuhans. And those Istanbul 30th anniversary’s are gorgeous.
It’s the level of silver in the mix. The right amount and they are wonderful.
My 2 cents- 1985 15” Zildjian new beats have survived 38 years of punk, thrash, power pop,speed & nu metal, reggae, ska, etc., jazz,blues, funk, etc., not even hairline crack, or chip. I need 13” hats. Getting Zildjians again.
Wuhan’s western series b20 a great bang for price
It seems it’s a matter of taste after around $280. I can definitely hear a difference from those below that price. I like the Xist, New Beat and the high bell. Did not like the $900 hats at all. Great video as usual!
I feel the same. The main thing I want Hi-Hats to do is speak clearly.
I would agree with this
Yep, those Koide sounds hideous to my ears
I feel the same about spendy handmade boutique ride cymbals. A lot of them sound like trash can lids. Sorry, I mean they have "complex" sound lol.
I would agree I really did not like the sound of the $900 hats at all. As soon as they were hit I’m like no way, I would rather have the new beats or 2002s
finally i was hoping one of these would come out! thanks
I have a soft spot for the Zildjian New Beats, but the Zildjian K Constantinoples and the Paiste 602s both sounded pretty nice.
I had a pair of 13” quick beats from zildjian. Those were crisp.
Thanks a lot for the great demo. Istanbul 30th and Sabian Anthology Hi Bell are my favourites from this bunch.
Thank you for all of your videos, they are very much appreciated!
Thanks for watching 🙏
New beats always sound crispy
Great segment, I'm planning to buy new hi-hats this year at some stage, so this was very helpful. I loved your comparisons on snares recently, too. I'd love to see some information on hi-hat stands, like the DW machined direct drive, as opposed to the Tama direct drive, etc. Thank you, with so many choices out there, these posts are really helpful. Keep up the good work.
Awesome video. Can’t imagine not wanting the 2002 Sound Edge after hearing this. Love my New Beats, but for $400 the 2002 Sound Edge is well priced in that range for the amazing sound. Used to have a pair of 2002 black label Sound Edge 14 and so sad I sold them.
Love it! I really like the Zildjian New Beats.
I'm not partial to any one particular brand of cymbals and in fact play four different brands in my set but I've always loved New Beats.
The sweet spot to me is the $300-$500 price point.
Def. K Constaninople for me. Thanks guys for yet again a great comparison!
My all time fave pair is my paiste formula 602 med hats. They are so buttery and smooth. I also have a pair of 602 sound edge which are harsher due to the increased weight. I love how paistes do not stain or fingerprint like other brands. Sold my new beats since they did not compare to the 602s IMO. Nice video to see what else is on the market. Great job fellas.
The non-marking nature of Paistes is a simple wax coating, I believe. A simple coat of Pledge on any brand of cymbals will basically give you the same results after a polish. Try it!
This is exactly why I play used or 'mid-range' cymbals. You can find a used set of New Beats usually for around $175-$200, and Paiste PST 7 are only $169 new. I also just picked up a pair of vintage Paiste 2000 Colorsounds for $90! Paiste and Meinl both make killer mid-range cymbals that sound just as good if not better than some of these super pricey ones. There's TONS of vintage Zildjian As out there for great prices too.
One set that they didn't have in this shoot-out that I think bridges a gap between multiple genres better than many, are the Zildjian K Sweets. I have 4 sets of high end hats and they each have their sweet spot for a particular genre... the 15" K sweets are one of my favorites for versatility and feel. 15" hi-hats feel amazing under stick. Great feedback.
The Koide pair seems a bit higher priced than it should be for the sound. I think the higher end of Paiste, Zildjian and Sabian sounded much better overall for the money, especially the K Cons and Artisans. Thanks for the vid guys!
Vídeo maravilhoso. Obrigado!!!🥁💥✨
Personally, I liked the Sabian Artisan hats the best of all, but... I know from experience that I could make any one of these pairs work for me with no complaints if I had to.
The Artisans sound so good, always blown away by them.
Another vote for the Artisan, the crispness, definition and mellowness are incredible, well worth the price.
Love my vintage pre-AA Regulars, but those Artisans could pull me away.
I tour with a major brand because they are provided to me and they do sound great! However, my practice cymbals are Meinls HCS and I love them!
Paiste guy here, but my favorite is the Sabian Artisan! Very nice indeed.
Same here, I liked the F602 SEs but the Artisans just blew me away.
@@carlosdrummer4915 yes, most of my cymbals are 602 modern essentials and a few dark Energies. The 602 ME 15” hi-hat is amazing.
Closed sound of the Sabian Artisans and the open sound of the Koides were my two favorites.
Another fantastic video from y’all!! It’s always great to hear gear side by side.
I know this vid was about the Hi-Hat Cymbals, but that snare drum was killin’!! I also saw the Sonor kit, but was that snare Tony’s new Keplinger Black Iron?
Back to the cymbals, my favorite here were the Istanbul 30th Anniversary. They really sounded different to me than the many sets I own and what I heard in this vid.
Again, great stuff and well done!! ❤
That is my Black Iron! I couldn’t help but play it on this!
@@tinterlande Excellent!! It was blurred quite a bit but that sound was unmistakable!
Those Cappadocia ones are interesting. Never heard of them before. Don’t see the justification to spend the $900 for those Kodie ones.
My thoughts exactly on both points.
cool video! Love hi hats. Tomorrow I’ll play a gig with some Planet Z hats! And yes I own a pair of K, too.
Out of these, the Sabian Anthology are what caught my ear the most, all around.
And I agree on the Wuhan Western - they surprised me.
IMO, the meinls sounded best to me, as well as the Xist.
I honestly favored the HCS bronze (unpopular opinion to most)
Just because of the tone consistency, the closed hat, sounded identical to it being sticked and the open hat sizzle sustain was impressive to me. Just goes to show; price does always mean better. 💯🙌
Excelente comparativo !!!!
210-500$ is the most interesting range of price imo. Zildjian New Beat is my favorite
Those Istanbul 30th anniversary sound great.
The Instanbul xist sound sweet! Nice groove too!
To my ears the Wuhan's sound as good as any of them. I was a little taken back when I heard the 2002's, which sounded a little more "budget" in this comparison. Now, I've played 2002's for years so maybe it's just these pair. I liked the Istanbul Agop 30th anniversary hats too, for a trashy sound, but probably not for my regular hats.
Good demo. It’s so hard to pick what works for you. IMO, after you start pushing past 400 bucks or really depends on what you want for a sound. Btw I live in NH you guys have the best drum store on the planet. If your a drummer and you happen to be visiting Boston area take the ride.
I’ve always had the option of entry level hi hats that when you put the bottom hat on top, and the top on bottom you get a 100% difference in the quality and crispness of the sound. Try and listen for yourself.
Doing a great job on the affordable cymbals these days.
The Istanbul Xist line to me is the overall best sounding mid priced cymbals out there. My next set of hats will be Meinl Byzance 16” Medium Thin Extra Dry Hats. They’re expensive AF but the sound……ohhh so musical and perfect to my ears.
I noticed that with the Wuhan HH at 210 the sound quality definitely took a big jump from the lesser expensive HH’s.
the jump from b8 bronze to b20 is definitely noticable :)
Most of the cheaper stuff sounds just as good & sometimes better than the expensive stuff.
Anything sub 300$ sounds like absolute shit
I really liked the Istanbul Agop 30!
Great video (again!) Sweet spot is the Agop Xist and the Byzance Brilliant - you can hear instantly where the money is going.
Notable shout out to the 602s but although it’s a very subjective thing, when you want that extra smoosh from the real pricey stuff it can’t be replicated by the lower end cymbals. Agop 30th, Sabian Artisan (or whichever the pricey Sabian was, can’t check back while typing in the box) and the Koide stand out here.
The Koide really have something unique about them.
Would love to have heard Meinl Foundry Reserve hats going up against the pricey options here. Be interesting to see how they stacked up. (I have the 16’s - they’re amazing but only at some things)
After listening dozens of times and re-writing my comments about 20 times, I just deleted my full review. With every passing hour my ears change, my perception changes. At first I thought most of them were pretty bad. But now I'm hearing most are pretty good. So I'm going to go with: Wuhan Westerns because I did not expect them to sound so versatile.
This just confirmed my suspicions that hihats all kinda sound the same and when recorded, even more so. I've never once listened to a recording and thought "I need those hihats". They're just hihats! 😂
Nice test. Really like it. I just have a little wish that you would limit the range a bit. Like "only below 1000g top cymbal", "for heavy hitters of rock" or something like that.
Also would be nice thing to line up all steel snares the same way. I think that would be quite epic pile of snares.
I can't play drums, but I've been playing pots and pans for 40 years. Bought a set of stage customs. I was in a bar and asked the drummer during break why does his hi-hats sound so dam crisp and clean and that "chick" is so tight. After he found out I had Sabian B8's for hi-hats, he told me to buy the ones he is playing, A Custom 14".
Now, I still cannot play, but my God, compared to those B8's, I at least sound like I'm trying harder.
I replaced the snare with a 6.5 x 14 steel, upgraded the snare wires. Evans EC2's all around, picked up double pedals and a new 18" floor tom to go with the 16".
I really lucked out at the Salvation Army, when I spotted dusty old cymbals that turned out to be A Customs, 20 Medium Ride, 18 crash, 16 crash and 10" splash. . . I think I lucked out on that one.
good tests
From people complaining about why their favorite Hi-Hat isn't listed. Hmm🤔, The title say's "Cheapest to most expensive" not "Worst to Best" 🤪. I liked all the Hi-hats from the 2:53 to 7:57 & the Sabian Artisan at 8:52. I thought the Koide did an outstanding job keeping up with Meinl's HCS. Me thinks Paul Francis or Timothy Roberts probably could do a mod on the Koide, so it can compete with the Wuhan Westerns. From a blind test, I kept coming back to the 4:43 & 5:11 . Sounded a lot like the Hi-hat's I used tp listen to on Albums 😍. Luv your uploads DCP. You guys are the best !
Thanks, Dilan! We appreciate you.
Cymbals...like cymbals to be,BUT snaredrum realy rocks!!!
My favorites were Zildjian new beats. Sabian AAX, and Zildjian A customs.
For the money, I think I like the Paiste 2002 Sound Edge's the best, but I've always has a sweet spot for them since I first bought a pair in 1974. Wish I still had them. They were wonderful.
Those Koides ain't cheap. Not sure that the hi-hats are worth $900, but it's hard to get a complete opinion from a video. But thank you guys for trying. I also love the intentional "edits" you do. Keep on keeping on.
My favourite hats are the 15" Paiste 900 series heavy. I bought them after checking out about 10 different hats that were set up in a row for instant comparison. They weren't that expensive (about $500AUD) but they sound better than some that were several hundred dollars more expensive.
Liked the A Customs here, and the AAX.
love the paiste sound edge 602 wow
The Wuhan Westerns sound pretty good for that price point. Of the rest, I prefer the Turkish Cappadocia (I think), and definitely the A Customs (have those on the kit right now). The super expensive ones I just really can't discern that much difference. Oh, and the Sound Edge are nice, too. I love these comparison videos. It's so hard to find a decent selection of cymbals in a brick and mortar store these days.
Nice video as always 😁 the sounds I liked the most were the Xists, the 2002s and the Artisans - for the life of me, I can't understand why that last pair costs $900, it sounds absolutely awful.
Totally sound terrible. I can not imagine they sell many, if any… lol
Got the Paiste 14 SE they are great
agops sound sweet
I don’t remember any recording , by any band, at any time where I said to myself, I love those hat. Lol
Great Video though ! Thanks!
I was a Zildjian guy for many, many years. I stopped playing for a few years (18 to be exact). I recently got back into it after I bought a new house that had space for me to set up my kit again.. i had sold the Zildjian cymbals I had, and needed some new ones to start playing again. After some research, i settled on the Wuhan western series pack with 14" hats, 16" crash, and a 20" ride and i bought the 20" china to get with them.. $510 later and i couldn't believe the quality of sound for the price point. I borrowed a 20" Sabian ($400) crash from a friend to have another until i can get more... there's little difference between the western series and the Sabian to my ears.. needless to say.. i believe I'm a Wuhan guy now. Im planning on adding some of their KOI line of crash cymbals and another china along with the KOI hats and my western series hats will become my secondary set on the right side of my kit. I can't wait.
I have the Zildjian New Beat's but they are probably 20 years old now, still sound good to me.
I bought my New Beats in 85' ! It still sounds great.
Most recorded hi hats of all time. I have 15's and they're amazing.
14" New Beats are still the all hat, master of time, space and dimension.
Tell you the truth they all sound pretty good 👍
Lmao those 50$ hihats sound totally fine. This is a great example of value illusion
I listened to the Head to Head, blind. The most expensive sets of hats sounded more and more like first act toy hi-hats. The middle range shines, and a couple budget options punch way above their weight class. Over all Turkish Meta were my favorite sounding on the blind test. I wish there had been more Sabian options overall. The only high $ option I liked were the Sabians.
I gotta say, for my ears the regular ol New Beats and the 602's kinda cover all the bases for me. Great video!! Thanks so much!!
How many people walked away and just listened to the hihats?
xist hats were great as were the turkish cappadocias, but my favorite were the K cons and sabian artisans. My HHX Complex 15" are my fave tho! Perfect wash and dark enough to groove for days, but not trashy
this was fascinating. Mostly because I realized my main impressions of the cymbals were colored by how in the pocket and how grooving the particular sound example was. Some of them felt like better takes than others. Most of the hihats really sounded the same. That’s strange, because when I play hats they all sound different to me
Here I liked Zildjian A New Beat and Paiste 2002 Sound Edge. Istanbul Agop 30th Anniversary could be interesting as the secondary set of hihats for more dark and dry sound
Multiple nice ones. I thought the quality improvement started at the Turkish Meta which weee nice. Both Sound Edges by Paiste and New Beats can stand to any of them. I was also impressed with the Sabían Anthology Hi bell. The Paiste signature crispies would have been a high note of the comparison 👍🏼
I thought the A customs sounded really good.
😂the 30th anniversary tell a story when you play them🤣
Once again new beats win! Although I do love the sound of those Cappadocia Turkish
The Turkish Meta 14» sounds AMAZING
Really liked the Istanbul 30th Anniversary hats. Should have thrown in a Bosphorous too. 😎
they were my favorites too, was wondering why hardly anyone singled them out
probably cause they are 750@@philippeerville6181
Love my Koide Cymbals! I'm a huge fan of the B23 alloy Brilliant series. Glad to see they've finally arrived!
Pretty awesome Video. I prefer price midrange PAiSTe 2002 SE ❤
Wuhan Western. I was also impressed by their $110 crash in the previous comparison video. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a UK retailer unless they sell here under a different brand name.
Turkish Cappadocia for my ear.
I like the shiniest ones 🤣🥰
I love some Luxury gear as much as the next person but am I alone I’m not hearing a distinct difference in quality once you get out of budget beginner territory? Difference yes, but subtle difference that is more a matter of taste rather than raw quality of tone. Don’t think I’ll ever see fit to drop 900…hell even 300 on a set of hats. That’s just me. Really loved the Istanbul 30th anniversary though. Awesome video. This Chanel is the best.