Top 7 Best Cymbal Packs For Drums (2020 Review)

The S series has been brought in to replace Zildjian’s ZBT line of cymbals, and Zildjian has spent a good few years making improvements to their design.

These are primarily intermediate cymbals that are made out of B12 Bronze.

They have a brilliant finish with extensive hammering and lathing and overall the sound of these cymbals is impressive for the price. 

The mastersound hi-hats have a satisfyingly chunky stopped sound and they cut through well in louder environments.

The same can be said about the ride and crashes, there’s a pleasing warmth to their sound which is often not the case in lower-end cymbals.

The ride still has a little of that high pitched unwanted overtone you get with cheaper cymbals, but at this price point, it’s to be expected.

This cymbal pack is ideal for someone looking to upgrade from their budget cymbals or for someone that wants an affordable set for gigs or recordings. 

These are sheet cut from a Brass Alloy that helps to retain warmth and tone, without the hefty price tag.

A lot of entry-level cymbals tend to be quite harsh or brittle sounding, with very minimal sustain.

With the HCS cymbals, this is not the case. The crashes are lively and cutting, the hi-hats feel crisp and the ride has a rounded pleasing tone, meaning this is a great versatile pack for a beginner.

Ok, you’re not getting the same complexity and depth as Meinl’s Byzance line, but for the price, these are great cymbals! 

Ideal for a beginner buying their first cymbals or for someone on a very tight budget that needs a cheap usable set. 

The K ‘custom’ line aimed to take those awesome ‘K’ blueprints and extend their tonal palette and sonic character.

These B20 cast cymbals have a beautifully dark yet cutting sound that will work for pretty much any genre of music.

I find myself often overplaying the cymbals when I use any of my K customs as they have this rich pleasing quality that I can’t get enough of.

This pack comes with 14” hi-hats, 16” and 18” crashes, as well as a 20” ride.

These cymbals do come at a cost, however invest in them and you’ll never need another set of cymbals again!

This pack comes with a pair of hi-hats, crash, ride, and interestingly includes an ‘O-zone’ crash that has holes cut into it.

This produces a trashy, short, and very punchy sound that’s fantastic for expressive accents.

Overall these cymbals have a great sound, they have a real dark slightly trashy character that’s also bright and cutting due to their brilliant finish.

These cymbals will work really well in any amplified musical situation (I’ve even seen top death metal guys use them!).  

Due to their cutting nature they may not be the best for lower volume or more subtle jazz gigs, but where you need some bite and punch in your cymbals...they certainly deliver! 

Their super polished finish and precise hammering pattern give them a bright, rich..almost sweet sound that is incredibly pleasing, as well as being incredibly versatile.

This set includes 14” hi-hats, 16” and 18” crashes and a 20” medium ride.

I’ve used A customs on many recording sessions and live gigs and they always seem to blend really well with the music.

Their inherent brightness can be a little much for some lower volume gigs or for musical environments that require a darker/trashier tonality, but in general, they cover a lot of ground. 

If you’re looking for a high-quality set of high-end cymbals that don’t have a prohibitively expensive price tag, but will allow you to play pretty much ANYTHING, then the A customs are what you’re after. 

For the price, these cymbals really don’t sound too bad. They suffer a little from lack of resonance and tend to decay quite quickly (common to budget cymbals), but their tone is bright and overall quite pleasing.

Compared to the Sabian Solar line which these replace, they are a HUGE improvement. (those things were like dustbin lids!) 

These cymbals aren’t going to win any awards sonically, but if you’re looking to upgrade from the cymbals that come with your first drum kit, these will be a massive step up and will ultimately improve your drumming experience.

He’s put together a set of cymbals that are designed to complement each other in their tone and expression. 

They include 14” hi-hats and an 18” crash from the ‘extra-dry’ range, which as you can imagine are dark, trashy and you’ve guessed it….dry.

Coupled with the 20” extra thin hammered crash and 21” (MJ signature) transition ride, help to add some brightness and clarity to the set. 

This makes for a beautiful set of dark sounding cymbals that complement each other incredibly well, whilst still retaining their individual character.

This level of craftsmanship does come at a price however.

Each of these cymbals requires a lot of man-hours to create so expect to shell out some serious dough...but for such a unique gorgeous set of cymbals, it’s to be expected!