In the acoustic set, in my opinion, the cymbals make the (audible) difference between a good and a very good set. You should spend your money on an acoustic set (in my opinion) in the following order, sorted by the greatest benefit:
Good cymbals. Here you can really hear quality differences, more expensive cymbals usually just sound better
Snare drum. Here the money is also well spent.
Good hardware, especially foot machine and hihat machine.
Drums. High quality drums are better to tune. But already good entry-level sets offer good sound.
Which cymbals are the right ones for me? As is so often the case with drum equipment, the only thing that helps here is trial and error. Play at local stores, with friends, with other bands. That helps. And: look at what your idols play. From the songs you then also know immediately how the cymbals sound - although you have to be careful here. Through the post-processing of the recordings in the studio, the recorded sound can change quite a bit.
It is recommended to use good sets from the major manufacturers, especially Paiste, Zildjian, Sabian, Istanbul and Meinl.
Here is a selection of really good sets, depending on the purpose and budget:
Zildjian K-Set
The all-round set for professional requirements
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The set sounds simply sensational and is very broadly applicable, from rock to jazz. The cymbals feel kind of soft when you play them, I totally like that. Included are 14″ K Custom Dark Hi-Hats, 16″ K Custom Dark Crash, 18″ K Custom Dark Crash, and 20″ K Custom Dark Ride. It's not cheap, but totally worth the price.
Sabian HHX - Set
The professional set as an alternative to the Zildjian Ks
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I switched from Zildjian to Sabian years ago, because I wanted something new - I ended up with Sabian HHX. These are top cymbals, they sound really first class. They are also very versatile, from rock to jazz.
Meinl Byzance Set
The professional alternative for extremely dry sound
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The Meinl Byzance set is a very high quality set. It really sounds extremely dry, which makes it different from the Ks and the HHX.
Paiste 2002 Set
The timeless set, versatile
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The cymbals from the 2002 series from Paiste have been produced forever. And that has a simple reason: the things just sound great. In contrast to the modern, rather dry sound, the 2002 sound very "silvery", rich in overtones and finely shimmering. If you imagine a spectrum from "dry" to "silvery shimmering", in my opinion the Meinl Byzance are at the "dry" end and the Paiste 2002 are at the opposite end with "silvery shimmering". Especially with the hihat, I find the overtone-rich, shimmering super. Everyone knows the sound of the 2002s: it can be heard on Van Halen's "Jump", among others.
And here's another insider tip: the best China for rock/metal in my opinion:
the 2002 Nova China, 18"
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Paiste PST8 Reflector
The entry-level set with good sound
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Here you get Paiste quality at an entry-level price in a beautiful high-gloss finish.
(*) The links marked with an asterisk (*) are so-called affiliate links. If you click on such an affiliate link and buy through this link, I get a commission from the respective online store or provider. For you the price does not change.
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