Sabian Quiet Tone Practice Cymbals

88
| DECEMBER 2018 WWW.MUSICRADAR.COM/RHYTHM
GEAR REVIEW
W
e’ve seen a number of
solutions in recent times to
help combat our greatest
nemesis: noise. From mesh
heads to isolation products, it’s clear that
things are moving on from the rubber
mutes of yore to provide a more realistic
and actually enjoyable solution for
keeping our kits quiet. The latest
development when it comes to our metals
are practice cymbals, and Sabian’s Quiet
Tone range is the latest to join the market.
Build
What exactly is a practice cymbal, then?
Well, it used to be a cymbal-shaped object
made of plastic or rubber that either went
‘clack’ or ‘thud’ respectively, was
unforgiving on your hands and depending
on its weight and fi tting either moved or
didn’t. Thankfully, Zildjian’s L80 series – a
spin-off from its Gen16 electronic cymbals
– gave birth to a new idea. By drilling
hundreds of tiny holes in the surface of
the cymbal, the volume is reduced
signifi cantly, while continuing to
maintain the feel and physical balance
of normal cymbals.
We saw Sabian’s FRX series earlier this
year, which the company is keen to point
out are
not simply low volume cymbals,
and that’s because the Quiet Tone is
Sabian’s take on the concept. The Quiet
Tones are available to buy in four different
sets, and at the moment can’t be
purchased individually.
The most comprehensive is our review
set – 14" hi-hats, 16" crash, 18" crash and a
20" ride. There are two three-piece setups:
one the same as ours without the 18"
crash, and a smaller set comprising 13"
hi-hats, a 14" crash and an 18" crash ride.
The entry-level set consists of the same
13" hats and the 18" crash ride.
From £239 Want real cymbal feel without the noise?
Time to burn the rubber and put the pedal to the metal
SABIAN QUIET
TONE PRACTICE
CYMBALS
WORDS: STUART WILLIAMS
"THE HI-HATS HAVE A DEFINITE
SIZZLE TO THEM, AND REMAIN
BALANCED WHEN JUMPING BETWEEN
OPEN/CLOSED AND BARKS"
Also try…
2
MILLENIUM STILL
SERIES
We say: “Following
along similar lines to
Sabian and Zildjian’s
practice cymbals, the
Thomann-owned brand
represents great value
for money”
1
ZILDJIAN L80
LOW VOLUME
CYMBALS
We say: “The L80
line from Zildjian is
impressive for practice
and give an authentic
cymbal feel”
Hands On
Sabian has remained tight-lipped on the
actual make-up of the alloy it has used
here, but it closely resembles stainless
steel, forgoing any attempt to colour it like
bronze, it promises to be, “tough, durable
and resistant to breaking or denting”. With
the whole set on our stands, it gives our
kit a very different look. The idea is
essentially the same as what we’ve seen
before: hundreds of holes perforating the
bow and bell of the cymbals. Your fi rst
notes are met by a couple of things.
First is a strong stick attack that allows
you to hear and feel every note, and the
second is how strange it is to be able to
lay into a cymbal slightly without it
erupting with wash.
Tonally, these are quite bright, but the
sound levels do remain controlled. The
hi-hats have a defi nite sizzle to them, and
remain balanced when jumping between
SECRET ALLOY
Sabian is keeping the exact formula
as quiet as the cymbals themselves,
but the result is a bright, sizzly tone
with plenty of stick defi nition
RHY288.gear_sabian.indd 88 11/5/18 4:23 PM