Sabian AAX Crystal Thin Crashes
We were recently sent some of Sabian’s AAX Crystal Thin Crashes to try out.
Sabian says about these cymbals that: Through an extensive development process we have discovered that the combination of high polish buffing and added lathing creates an added punch to the high end “crystal” attack of this design. Applying this to the popular AAX Thin Crash models delivers a higher frequency attack that is appealing to most drummers that want added projection and cut in a modern sounding cymbal with a unique, hybrid brilliant finish.
The 17 and 19” cymbals we had feature the AAX line’s typical modern bright sound and lathing/hammering.
At the risk of sounding cheesy, they’re glassy, can be delicate and in the right context, can fill a void without being abrasive or ruining the mood.
Since they’re thinner, they open up quickly and have a nice spread. They have a bright initial attack with a solid, full body and uniform decay. Both crashes are very full sounding, with the 19” model having quite a low pitch and they complement each other very well.
I love cymbals like this. I think these are slightly heavier sounding that some cymbals I personally own which are also described as ‘crystal’ and it’s nice to see and hear different takes on the same concept in that respect.
That said, they definitely have that ‘crystal’ feel and sound to them with and being a little (comparatively) thicker sounding, to my ear anyway, they could add a new dimension to an existing set up .
https://sabian.com/product/17-inch-aax-crystal-thin-crash/
https://sabian.com/product/19-inch-aax-crystal-thin-crash/
More at www.sabian.com
David Bateman
February 2023