Zildjian A Series Cymbal Pack Review

The Zildjian A line is incredibly extensive. There are multiple types of cymbals for each cymbal type, and all of them work well for varying purposes. With this particular cymbal pack, Zildjian has opted to include a set of A cymbals that are bright yet versatile enough to cover a wide variety of musical settings. 

It’s important to understand the difference between the A cymbals and the A Custom cymbals, as the two lines often get confused with each other. 

The Zildjian A cymbals have been around for longer, so they have a bit of a vintage appeal to them. This is true for both their reputation and their tone. The A Custom cymbals are more modern, and they have more brightness and attack. This makes them less versatile. 

The pack of Zildjian cymbals that we’re going to look at is called the A391 pack. It includes a pair of 14” New Beat hi-hats, 16” and 18” Medium Thin crashes, and a 21” Sweet ride. 

Combining these specific options from the A-Series line creates an excellent balance of tones around the drum kit. With that being said, let’s explore the Zildjian A line of cymbals and their sounds. 

Zildjian A Series Cymbal Pack Gallery

Contents

Zildjian A Series Cymbal Pack Ratings

Sounds

4

4/5

Build Quality

5

5/5

Playability

5

5/5

Value

4

4/5

Versatility

4

4/5

Zildjian A Series Cymbal Pack Sound Quality

The sounds of the A cymbals are the biggest reason why someone would want to buy this cymbal pack. However, there are so many A Series cymbals, and all of them sound slightly different. So, what sounds do the cymbals have in this pack? 

Starting with the hi-hats, the 14” New Beats are some of the most widely used hi-hats in the world. These hi-hats have an incredibly pronounced “chick” sound that allows them to cut through mixes fairly easily. However, they’re responsive enough to play softly whenever you need to. Even when hitting them softly, their full tone will come out. 

The 16” and 18” crashes are both from the Medium Thin A-line. These crash cymbals have a pleasant interval between them, making them sound great together on a drum set. They’re bright, but they’re not bright enough to be overwhelming like their A Custom cousins. 

However, the 18” crash tends to have a fuller tone than the 16” crash. This is quite common with 16” crashes, which is why many drummers choose not to play them. 

The 21” ride is incredible. Typically, most cymbal sets come with a 20” ride cymbal, so it’s awesome to see a larger one here. It has quite a deep tone, and it’s also quite washy. 

If you want a ride cymbal with an extremely defined stick definition, you’re not going to like this one. It’s great for crashing on, though. You get an impressively loud crashing sound that isn’t too bright and overpowering. 

Zildjian A Series Cymbal Pack Build Quality

All the cymbals that come in this pack are made from B20 cast bronze. This means that the cymbals are made with a combination of 80% copper and 20% tin. Zildjian often uses a bit of silver in their cymbals as well, but the exact alloy formula remains a secret to the brand. 

In terms of build quality, B20 cymbals are the top types of cymbals that you can get. The Zildjian A Series cymbals are expertly made, and their durability is incredibly impressive. 

When looking around on a few secondhand marketplaces, you’ll be able to find A Series cymbals that are decades old. The cymbals that come with this pack are made with the same care and intention, showing you that they’re set up to last just as long as the older versions. 

The great thing about B20 cymbals is that they start sounding better with age. When you buy this pack, it’ll never become outdated. You could record yourself playing the set fresh and then compare it to a recording of you playing the set in a few years’ time. You’ll notice how the tonal quality would have improved.

Zildjian A Series Cymbal Pack Playability

These cymbals are a bit thinner than many drummers would expect. Since the A-Series and A Custom Series get confused for each other, some drummers get this pack thinking the cymbals will be heavy, thick, and loud, and the K cymbals are the thinner options. While that’s somewhat true, they’re a lot thinner than the brighter A Custom cymbals. 

The great thing about these A Series cymbals is that you don’t need to hit them hard for them to stand out. They’re bright enough to easily make an impact, and you may not realize that until you listen to a recording of these cymbals being played. 

They tend to sound less impactful from where you’re sitting at your throne but know that they’re bringing the energy on a stage. 

However, the cymbals sound beautiful when you play them softly as well. You’ll just need to focus hard on playing softly, as they tend to open up without much effort from your side, and you may not always want that. 

Zildjian A Series Cymbal Pack Value

Getting a cymbal pack is always an excellent way of getting a full set of cymbals for a lower price than you’d pay for getting them all individually. Due to that fact alone, the Zildjian A pack already has major value to it. However, there are a few other things that boost the value as well. 

This pack is the most affordable set of B20 cymbals that Zildjian offers, making it the most affordable professional cymbal set. If you’re looking to get a great deal on cymbals that work well for gigging and recording, this pack is a great option. 

The other aspect that adds to the value of this set is that all the cymbals in the set have been selected by Zildjian because they have matching tones. All the included cymbals complement each other beautifully. 

If another cymbal from the A-line was supplemented, the overall sound you get from this pack wouldn’t be the same, and that could be good or bad, depending on the type of drummer that is getting the cymbal pack. 

Since the cymbals are guaranteed to sound great together, the pack is a great option for beginner or intermediate drummers who don’t have particular cymbal preferences yet.

Zildjian A Series Cymbal Pack Versatility

All the cymbals in the A-Series cymbal set are surprisingly versatile. There’s a general assumption amongst many drummers that Zildjian K cymbals are versatile, while A cymbals are good for rock and metal. That assumption is truer for the A Custom cymbals, whereas the standard A cymbals work incredibly well for a wide variety of musical styles. 

Whether you’re playing rock, metal, pop, hip-hop, or funk, these cymbals will work wonderfully. However, I wouldn’t recommend them for jazz or contemporary worship music. They’re still bright cymbals, after all, and the cymbals you need for those styles need to be either dark or dry. 

So, the Zildjian A Series cymbals aren’t the most versatile options in the world. They just tend to be a lot more versatile than most other cymbal lines. The New Beat hi-hats that come with this pack are more versatile than the other cymbals, though. I’d recommend using those no matter what style of music you play. 

Verdict

Overall, the Zildjian A cymbal pack is an amazing set of cymbals. There are so many drawcards to this pack, and any drummer looking for a new set of cymbals should consider getting it. The cymbals are bright, but they’re not as bright as the popular A Custom cymbals, making them a lot more versatile. 

You may not like these if you’re into more complex cymbal tones. If that’s the case, any of the Zildjian K Custom cymbal packs would be a better option for you. 

This pack is a fantastic option for drummers who want a set of punchy cymbals that they can use in most settings. Getting a pack like this is an excellent place to start. Remember that you can always add a cymbal or two to add your personal flavor to the setup.