Soundcheck Blindfold Challenges - Crash Cymbals

Faster Hands & Feet (in 10 days)

Jared and Bruce are back with another blind test, and today they're crashing. Cymbals, that is.

Jared and Bruce tested three 18" crashes to see if they could identify each one while blindfolded:

18" Zildjian A Custom Medium Crash
18" Sabian AAX X-Plosion Crash
18" Paiste Signature Full Crash

With all three of these crash cymbals a similar weight and size, which one will they think sounds the best? Every drummer has their own personal taste. Of the three iconic brands in this video, Bruce plays Zildjian and Jared mostly plays Paiste. They wanted to see which of these cymbals they preferred based on what they heard, not what they saw.

Follow us:

[joesmithva]

You should do a cheap vs expensive cymbal blindfold test. With more than 3 cymbals.

[baalzeroo]

You really missed an opportunity to name this video "Crash Test Dummies"

[cbaum]

Bruce looks like he's having an endorsement crisis at the end, hahahaha. Loving these videos, guys!

[snspark-public]

I would love to see a blind test of dark rides ... Meinl, Paiste, Zildjian K

[landonpeckham]

Alternate Title: Jared almost loses his Paiste endorsement

[harrisonsmith]

I know an AAX Xplosion when I hear one. The most underated and versatile crash ever

[kierancotter]

So I did the blindfold game and I guessed each one right.
The Zildjian was bright and glassy.
The Paiste was bright and silky.
The Sabian was bright and a bit warmer compared to the Zildjian.
Overall, my favourite of the bunch was the Paiste. To me it sounded like a perfect complexion of brightness with a touch of dark, silky wash. It also sounded the most musical to my ears where it could fit into more genres of music better compared to the other 2.

[ledzeppelinfan]

I actually got them all right wow. Zildjian has that distinct higher pitch shimmer to them, sabian has a slight raspy sound when laid into, and paiste just has that wonderful smoothness that I love. Paiste all the way for me.

[TheLacedaemonian]

An easy test I learned for looking for a good cymbal is, listen to the decay. Ideally you want the highs, and lows to taper off in volume together. A cymbal that has a long low hum after the highs are gone is probably not a well tuned and crafted cymbal.

If you listen to the first cymbal - the Zildjian A- you can hear how fast the sound of the highs are gone and the lows keep resonating. Paiste is near perfect when it comes to this test. All the pitches decay together, which also means it's tuned to a pitch, which they are.
I love cymbals, and in my time have heard many types.

It's really hard to top Paiste Signature Series, but if there is a cymbal that is close, I would give that to UFIP- the most underrated cymbal on the market. UFIP's 8" splash (Class Series) is second to none, and no one's even close to that splash, seriously, buy one if you can find it, you will be amazed, I promise.
Sabian's Artisan are pretty amazing too.

[jeffrittenour]

my 21” zildjian sweet ride is the best crash i’ve ever played. had it on my kit since 2004. i’ve played and owned other crashes and nothing even compares

[vasilias]

It doesn't matter what the company is, just the sound

[toddwalkerdrumstudio]

Endorsed by "Paiste" for years...."Paiste Signature Series" have been my choice all the way! Drumeo!

[captainpaul]

Always tough to determine the sounds on YouTube. But, I've been playing a mixture of Sabian and Paiste for 30 years and while I love my recent AAX Sabians, the 17" Paiste Sound Formula Thin Crash and the 8" Paiste Sound Formula Splash I have are by far my favourites. In fact, even when other long time accomplished bands we have supported that used our backline all the drummers have gotten off stage and commented how beautiful the Paiste Sound Formula's are. It's all subjective on what a person likes, but for me I love the Sabians and will never part with them but, the Paiste are on another level for me.

[frankjaegervandlarssen]

Paiste has always been more consistent from cymbal to cymbal than the other brands but you can´t beat a thin, hand picked A-custom for versatility.

[luketolley]

My drum tutor told me that Sabian and Zildjian used to be the same company at one point and this makes me believe that the A custom and AAX are made quite similarly to one another and so to my ears sound quite similar, however overall the Paiste topped the 3 in my opinion, let’s hear some Snare heads!!

[Kubakaiser]

Paiste sounds best, but Signature is from a different price range than A Custom/AAX.

[jestrickland]

Like chef’s testing their pallets, this was a brilliant idea and fun video! I LOVE how y’all continue to evolve from lessons and resources to documentary style videos and now “blind” sound tests. SERIOUSLY BRILLIANT and has influenced how I will purchase equipment in the future — seriously. MORE PLEASE!

[Newl]

I'm more of a Sabian guy myself, but from what I heard in this video the A-custom sounds beautifully clean and bright which I love.

[davidbrown]

Do a LOT of these videos. It really helps those of us that aren't brand specific choose cymbals.

[RodolfoPadilhaDrums]

The Paiste crash has that particular Paiste sounding, makes it unique. But I love the Zildjian and Sabian. any of them for me.