Best Sabian 18" HHX Anthology Low Bell Alternatives

Based on 6 reviews

I have owned the 16-inch version of this cymbal for three and a half years and I rank it among the best cymbals I’ve ever heard, but his bigger brother is even more amazing. Fast response, short decay, full and warm tone and a sound that matches the dual nature of its finish: dark and shimmering at the same time. It’s very warm, although it has cutting power to make itself heard. Due to this mix, it can fit into very diverse musical styles, and it’s more versatile than its cousin, the Meinl Byzance Extra Dry Thin Crash 18, that I also own. Although its riding capabilities (using the raw area in the centre of the cymbal) are far superior to the 16-inch Dual Crash, I think that its main vocation is to be used as a crash.

Based on 4 reviews

The Byzance range are top quality cymbals made in turkey from B20 Bronze Initial appearance the surface of the cymbal is completely unlathed but lathed on the bottom, giving it a unique finish basically raw hand-hammered bronze--for a raw earthy sound. There is no wash. and extremely short sustain and stick definition which come from the deep hammer marks layered with a more traditional hammering. Wide applications such as studio, fusion, Latin, R&B, country, rock, jazz and pop.A great go to Crash cymbal that sounds great but quickly gets out of the way in my opinion. In addition the bell sounds great for accents and riding on the cymbal is also a joy producing a dry sound with short decay. Try it you wont be disappointed

Based on 2 reviews

I bought this crash cymbal to add it to my drum kit where i have a full set of Sabian AAX cymbals. After completing my set, the only thing missing (in my opinion), was a crash like the o-zones from Sabian, to get a different sound from a crash that you can't get in a "normal" one (i would call it, a sound between a crash and a china). The thing is, after spending a lot of money in big brand cymbals, i decided i didn't want to spend a lot in an AAX or HHX o-zone, and i took the risk of buying this one for a third of the price of the AAX/HHX without trying it in real life. After a year of daily use, i can tell you, the risk was 100% worth it. The crash sounds great, the volume is pretty low (not a crash for metal or something like that), it has a pretty quick response, washy...

Based on 2 reviews

This is an excellent, bright, full-bodied crash cymbal for a variety of styles of music. It speaks quickly and has just the right amount of sustain. It's loud enough to act as a great crash/ride in the heaviest heavy metal song, but also sensitive enought to respond to a light touch at fairly low volumes. The cymbal also works as a ride with a nice ping and cool wash when played softly, and its bell has an excellent, clear, cutting sound. The 18" size means that this isn't the ideal cymbal for VERY low-volume applications - a cymbal of this size and weight naturally has a certain volume level - so a smaller size Full Crash would probably work better for your dinner-party gig at the local hotel. But if you're playing pop, rock, R&B, or metal, you should definitely check this...

Based on 2 reviews

I've used this cymbal in two contest : a metal band where it was used as a crash-ride, and a post-rock/ambient band where I play softer. I'm not a heavy hitter but the cymbal seems solid. I love its overtones and sensitivity - wherever you play it it always sounds warm and defined. The only caveat I'd say, is that it's not really a cutting cymbal. Although it has plenty of power, I wouldn't recommend it for classic metal drummers playing along a dense mix of distorted guitars. The price is unbelievable for this quality.

Based on 2 reviews

This is by far one of my favourite cymbals in all of zildjians range. This cymbal is a traditional finish and has great tonality. It works in all settings and cuts through frequencies without being overpowering or over bearing. In small venues it works great because it's not a loud cymbal but in the same vein it works great in big venues because of its pitching. It's not hurtful to the wallet. Possibly the best Zildjian crash of all time! I have been using it for near enough a month and I shall haves some videos available to show you how great it sounds in various contexts

Based on 2 reviews

I was searching for a professional hand crash for a long time before coming across this guy! And boy am I glad I did :) Just as an introduction I'm going to give you an idea of my setup: -Djembe in basket stand -Stomp box -Foot Cabasa -Latin Block -Cowbell -Lots of different brushes, beaters, sticks, shakers, everything. And now the Sabian AAX El Sabor 18" Crash! My set up was incredibly low-end orientated before purchasing this cymbal and as the percussionist in a two piece group I have to fill as much frequency range as I possibly can. I used to use an old Sabian AAX 16" crash in rehearsals but found it far too cumbersome for hand techniques. For those wondering whether a cymbal specifically cut for hand is worth it; it is! With a regular stick crash you feel as if you have...

Based on 2 reviews

I bought this along with the smaller 17" Extreme metal crash to replace some old cracked crashes and record some music with my band. I was very pleased with both the sound, and the look of the cymbals. There is a loud, dark wash from this 18" cymbal which is great for filling chorus' in heavy distorted music (I think some people call it Crash/Riding??!!), while crashing the accents on the smaller 17" gives a nice bright contrast to this. The bells on both cymbals have a nice interesting sound, at times I thought they might be little dull, flat, or cheap sounding, but there are paper barcode labels attached underneath so I should really remove those before I comment further! The 17 and 18 are very well matched tonally so I'd imagine other cymbals in the range might...

Based on 1 reviews

This is perhaps a strange review, because although I bought it, it was for the drummer who has been playing in the pantomime I've been in charge of for ten weeks. Dr Brian - a real Doctor of Music, has been playing in the pit for shows for as long as I've known him and many years before. He's a hard hitter and an excellent player - he's very popular with our sound people too because when he plays, there's a very particular sound, and lots of his work for panto is single crashes, effects and suspense stuff - not just normal drummer stuff. This means lots of cymbal work, and he had had one of these cymbals for quite a while - it sounded excellent. Although described as a 'thin' crash, this isn't a lightweight cymbal - the reason I had to be another was because it got damaged. The...

Based on 1 reviews

The Zildjian 18" K-Custom Hybrid Crash was a stand-out purchase for me. I have been using the cymbal regularly now for over a year and it has seen many gigs in this time. The sound of this cymbal is exquisite. It has studio quality tones even in a live setting. Dark in tone with a beautiful decay that sustains for just the right amount of time. The wash of the cymbal is smooth and the crash can cut through any type of music with ease. This particular cymbal also boasts a beautiful, crystal clear bell suitable for accents. The stick definition is also quite clear when playing the bow of this cymbal. I drum to many different genres and I am yet to find one where this cymbal will not suffice. This cymbal has quite a sharp edge and if you are wash-riding frequently you will find that it...