Drums
Best cymbal packs for beginners
The cymbals that come with a beginner kit are the part built to a price. Replacing them is the biggest single change you can make to how a cheap kit sounds.
By Sawyer V. · Published · Last updated
On a complete beginner drum kit, the shells are usually fine. The heads are adequate. The hardware is heavier than it needs to be and survives. The cymbals are where the price was made, and they are the part that makes a cheap kit sound cheap.
That is why this page exists: a cymbal pack is the one upgrade that changes the sound of the whole kit, and it is far cheaper than changing the kit.
We have not played these cymbals, and cymbals are the hardest thing on this site to judge without hearing. What we can do is report the alloy each maker publishes and what each maker says about its own tiers. The method is on how we pick.
Buy a 14 inch hi-hat, 16 inch crash and 20 inch ride pack in brass. All three here are that. Meinl publishes its alloy and matches the set at the factory; Sabian hammers and lathes its brass; Zildjian includes sticks. Do not expect any of them to sound like the bronze cymbals on records — the makers themselves are clear about that gap.
What you are actually buying: the alloy
Cymbal marketing is mostly adjectives. The one specification that reliably separates tiers is what the metal is.
Brass is copper and zinc, and it is the entry tier for every major maker. Meinl is the most transparent about it, publishing its HCS alloy as MS63 — 63 per cent copper, 37 per cent zinc.
Bronze is copper and tin, and it comes in grades: B8 (92/8), B12 (88/12) and B20 (80/20). More tin generally means more complexity and a longer, richer decay, and B20 is what most professional cymbals are made from.
What that means in sound, in the makers’ own words: Zildjian reserves its claims about a rich, full-bodied tone that improves with age for cast bronze, and describes sheet cymbals as fast-responding with quick decay. Sabian states directly that brass is great for beginners but that bronze offers better sound and longevity. Meinl does not disparage brass at all, but its ladder is unambiguous: zinc-based MS63 at the entry, tin bronze and hand hammering higher up.
We are quoting those rather than paraphrasing because it is unusual for manufacturers to be that clear, and it saves us pretending we can hear a difference we have not heard.
What to check on a pack
1. The three sizes. 14 inch hats, 16 inch crash, 20 inch ride. Anything missing one of those leaves a hole a beginner will notice immediately.
2. Whether it is matched. A factory-matched set is chosen to work together. Assembling three cheap cymbals from different lines is how you end up with a ride that disappears under a crash.
3. What else is in the box. Sticks and bags are occasionally included and usually not. It is worth checking rather than assuming.
4. Whether the hardware is there to hang them. Cymbals do not come with stands. If you are replacing cymbals on a complete kit you already have the stands; if you are building from parts, that is a separate budget line.
How we ranked these
Sound for the price first, judged strictly by published construction rather than by ear. Then whether the pack covers the whole kit, then durability, then what else you need to buy, then room to grow.
The picks
The Meinl HCS Complete Cymbal Set (HCS141620)#ad is the one we would buy, mostly for reasons that are unglamorous. Meinl publishes the alloy composition outright, the three cymbals are sold as a factory-matched set, they are made in Germany, and they carry a two-year warranty. Traditional finish, lathe-formed profile, wide blade lathing.
The honest limits: MS63 brass sits below every Meinl bronze tier, no bag or sticks are included, and Meinl does not publish individual cymbal weights. One buying note worth knowing — listings that bundle a 10 inch splash with this set are retailer packs; Meinl does not list that as a standard configuration.
The Sabian SBr Performance Set (SBR5003)#ad is the pick if construction matters more to you than paperwork. The SBr line is hammered and lathed rather than plain-stamped, which Sabian ties to control and durability at the price, and the set uses the same 14, 16 and 20 inch sizes as its bronze ranges, so pieces can be upgraded one at a time later.
Its cost is the one Sabian states itself: this is brass, and Sabian’s own guide says bronze offers better sound and longevity. No bag, no sticks, and no published weights or thicknesses to compare against its B8X line.
The Zildjian Planet Z Complete Pack (ZP4PK)#ad is the one with the name on it, and the only pack here that puts a pair of 5A sticks in the box. 14 inch hi-hats with a medium thin top and medium bottom, a 16 inch crash and a 20 inch ride, made in the USA.
Zildjian describes the line as bright and cutting with a controlled, focused sound, which is a fair way of saying it decays quickly. There is no bag, no published finish or weights for the pack, and Zildjian’s own store was out of stock when we checked.
What a cymbal pack will not fix
A badly tuned kit. If the drums sound wrong, cymbals are not the problem. Start with how to tune a drum set.
Volume. New cymbals are not quieter, and cymbals are the loudest thing in the room. If noise is the constraint, the honest answers are an electronic kit or a different instrument — see best drums for apartments.
Your ears. Anyone sitting behind cymbals regularly needs hearing protection, and that is not optional at any price point. The options are in best hearing protection for drummers.
If the kit itself is the weak link rather than the cymbals, start instead with best beginner drum sets.
Quick picks
The set with the alloy published
Meinl states the composition outright, sells the three as a factory-matched set, makes them in Germany and warrants them for two years.
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meinl HCS Complete Cymbal Set (HCS141620)Meinl publishes the actual alloy — MS63, 63% copper and 37% zinc — and sells the three cymbals as a factory-matched set made in Germany with a two-year warranty. | A factory-matched setEnough | 7.6 | $279.99 · View on Amazon #ad How we’re funded |
Hammered and lathed at the entry price
Sabian's entry brass, worked rather than plain-stamped, in the same 14, 16 and 20 inch sizes as its bronze lines.
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Sabian SBr Performance Set (SBR5003)The same 14, 16 and 20 inch trio in Sabian's brass, but hammered and lathed rather than plain-stamped, which Sabian ties to control and durability at the price. | Hammered and lathed at the entry tierThe honest floor | 7.4 | $314.99 · View on Amazon #ad How we’re funded |
The pack with sticks in the box
The three standard voices plus a pair of 5A sticks, made in the USA under the name every drummer recognizes.
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Zildjian Planet Z Complete Pack (ZP4PK)14 inch hi-hats, a 16 inch crash and a 20 inch ride in brass, with a pair of 5A sticks in the box. | The Zildjian name on a budgetThe honest floor | 7.2 | $329.95 · View on Amazon #ad How we’re funded |
The picks in full
Meinl HCS Complete Cymbal Set (HCS141620)
MeinlBest for: A factory-matched set
Meinl publishes the actual alloy — MS63, 63% copper and 37% zinc — and sells the three cymbals as a factory-matched set made in Germany with a two-year warranty.
Published specifications
- Alloy:
- MS63 brass (63% copper, 37% zinc)
- Sizes:
- 14" hi-hats, 16" crash, 20" ride
- Finish:
- Traditional; lathe-formed profile, wide blade lathing
- Set:
- Factory-matched
- Made in:
- Germany
- Warranty:
- 2 years
- Splash:
- Meinl lists no standard 4-piece pack with a 10" splash; splash bundles are retailer packs
What it gets right
- Meinl publishes the exact alloy composition, which makes the entry-tier position verifiable rather than vague
- Factory-matched, so the three pieces are selected to sit together rather than assembled ad hoc
- German manufacture with a stated two-year warranty at the entry price
Where it gives ground
- MS63 brass sits below every Meinl bronze tier — B8, B12 and the hand-hammered B20 lines
- No bag, sticks or published individual cymbal weights
- Amazon listings that add a 10" splash are retailer bundles; Meinl does not list that as a standard pack
What it is not good at
Dark, hand-hammered character. Meinl reserves hand hammering and its Turkish factory for the B20 range.
How the specs score against a beginner’s needs
Scores are our reading of the published specifications above against what a beginner physically needs. They are not test results — we have not played this instrument.
Specifications from Meinl — HCS Complete Cymbal Set (HCS141620), Meinl — HCS series, Meinl — alloy definitions.
Sabian SBr Performance Set (SBR5003)
SabianBest for: Hammered and lathed at the entry tier
The same 14, 16 and 20 inch trio in Sabian's brass, but hammered and lathed rather than plain-stamped, which Sabian ties to control and durability at the price.
Published specifications
- Alloy:
- Sabian brass
- Sizes:
- 14" hats, 16" crash, 20" ride
- Surface:
- Hammered and lathed
- Finish:
- Natural
- Character:
- Sabian: crisp, bright and expressive top end, focused sound
- Bag:
- Not listed with the set
- Weights / thickness:
- Not published by Sabian
What it gets right
- Hammered and lathed surfaces rather than plain-stamped, which Sabian links to control and durability
- The same 14/16/20 core sizes as the pricier bronze sets, so pieces can be upgraded one at a time
- Sits in a deep SBr range of hats, crashes, splash and china, so add-ons match what you already own
Where it gives ground
- Sabian states outright in its own beginner guide that upgrading to bronze offers better sound and longevity
- No bag and no sticks are listed with the set
- Sabian publishes no weights or thicknesses, so there is no spec-level comparison against its bronze lines
What it is not good at
Warm, complex, long-decaying tone. Sabian describes the line as focused and bright and reserves pro-level sound for its B20 range.
How the specs score against a beginner’s needs
Scores are our reading of the published specifications above against what a beginner physically needs. They are not test results — we have not played this instrument.
Specifications from Sabian — SBr Performance Set (SBR5003), Sabian — SBr series, Sabian — beginner cymbal guide (brass versus bronze).
Zildjian Planet Z Complete Pack (ZP4PK)
ZildjianBest for: The Zildjian name on a budget
14 inch hi-hats, a 16 inch crash and a 20 inch ride in brass, with a pair of 5A sticks in the box. The standard three voices at the entry tier, made in the USA.
Published specifications
- Alloy:
- Brass
- Sizes:
- 14" hi-hats, 16" crash, 20" ride
- Also included:
- One pair of Zildjian 5A drumsticks
- Hi-hat weight:
- Medium thin top, medium bottom
- Made in:
- USA
- Bag:
- Not listed with the pack
- Finish:
- Not published for the pack
What it gets right
- Covers the three cymbal voices a kit needs, in the sizes most beginner kits are built around
- Zildjian describes the brass as bright and cutting with a controlled, focused sound, which suits an untreated room
- Sticks are in the box, which is one fewer thing to order
Where it gives ground
- Brass is the tier beneath Zildjian's sheet and cast bronze lines, and Zildjian reserves its claims about full-bodied tone that improves with age for cast bronze
- No cymbal bag is listed with the pack
- Zildjian was out of stock at its own store when we checked, and publishes no weights or finish for the pack
What it is not good at
Nuanced stick-to-wash response. Zildjian describes the line itself as controlled, focused and quick to decay.
How the specs score against a beginner’s needs
Scores are our reading of the published specifications above against what a beginner physically needs. They are not test results — we have not played this instrument.
Specifications from Zildjian — Planet Z Complete Pack, Zildjian — Planet Z collection (alloy), Zildjian — FAQ on cast versus sheet cymbals.
Questions people actually ask
Are the cymbals that come with a beginner kit any good?
They are usually the weakest part of the package. A complete kit has to hit a price, and unbranded cymbals are where that saving is easiest to make. If a starter kit sounds harsh or trashy, the cymbals are the likeliest reason.
What sizes does a beginner actually need?
14 inch hi-hats, a 16 inch crash and a 20 inch ride. That trio is what every pack here contains, and it covers essentially all beginner playing. Extra crashes, splashes and chinas are later purchases.
Brass or bronze?
Brass is the entry alloy for all three of these makers, and Sabian says plainly in its own beginner guide that moving to bronze offers better sound and longevity. Brass is the honest starting point; bronze is the upgrade, and it costs several times as much.
Can cheap cymbals crack?
Any cymbal can crack, and technique matters more than price: hitting a cymbal straight down on its edge is what kills them. None of these makers publishes a durability figure, so we do not claim one.
Should I buy a pack or one cymbal at a time?
A pack, at this level. Packs are matched and much cheaper per piece. Buying individually starts making sense when you are replacing one cymbal in a set you already like, usually with something from a bronze line.
Sources
Still deciding?
Every recommendation on this site is built the same way, and the method is published in full — including what we do not do and what would get a pick dropped.
Read next
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- Best beginner drum sets: complete kits for teens and adults
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- Every part of a drum kit, explained
What every drum, cymbal and stand is for, which parts are the weak link on a budget kit, and what a five-piece actually means.
- How to tune a drum set
The finger-tight starting method, what order to tune the kit in, and why a well-tuned cheap kit beats a badly tuned expensive one.
- Best hearing protection for drummers
Why foam plugs are the wrong tool, filtered plugs versus isolation headphones, and what the exposure numbers actually say.