I looked around for months, listened to many reviews and tried many cymbals in music shops before settling on the Sabian HHX Legacy. I wanted cymbals that were musically sensitive and that would sound great at different volumes for all sorts of music genres. Most cymbals you find are just so thick and heavy, sounding terrible unless you hit them hard. These were the perfect choice. Warm but bright, depending on how you play them. I bought the 14” hi-hats, 17 and 19” crashes and 20” ride, and I wear a Cheshire Cat grin every moment I play them.
So far, they’ve been used in small house parties, mid-sized club gigs and in larger outdoor venues, and everyone loves them. They are easy to mic up and come across clearly in the mix through 2 dynamic overheads (I use a single condenser mic on the top of each drum). Unmiced, they balance perfectly with my maple and walnut Saturn V drums and never overpower them.
Acoustically, every cymbal sounds beautiful and is completely versatile, whether that’s practicing quietly (softly) at home, playing at a low volume to a ballad, jazz or country song using a light touch, thin sticks or brushes , or thrashing out heavy rock anthems with 5a sticks and energy.
Every cymbal has a clear, clean bell, a responsive crash and can produce a super swell. The hi-hats are amazing played closed, partly or fully open, and have a very pleasant chick. The ride is my favourite, though, as it can be played with such feeling, whether that’s softly and building to a crescendo, as a 20” crash or even making a wonderful gong sound if struck softly at about 30 degrees.
Watch the guy who plays the Thomann demo video; he’s clearly loving them. The sound is well captured too in that recording.
Oh and did I mention how gorgeous the cymbals look or what a good deal the combined package is compared to buying the cymbals separately?
