Sabian Cymbal Vote Winners Announced!

Whether you have a standard drum set or you play the gong, Sabian is a company name that rings a bell. It is one of the biggest names in cymbals and the winners of its most recent Cymbal Vote contest are now listed on their website. The Cymbal Vote contest allows drummers from all over the world to have a say in which new models will be introduced the following year. Interested drummers can register and vote every year between September 1st and October 31st with results announced in January at the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) show.

To determine the Sabian Cymbal Vote winners for 2013, voters had a chance to listen to some great drummers (such as Mike Portnoy and Tomas Haake) play on video on Sabian’s website. There were twelve cymbals in the running, but only four could win. Voters were encouraged to vote every day of the contest and there was even a Cymbal Vote Tour, offering some drummers the opportunity to hear the cymbals live in various venues around the world.

This year’s Sabian Cymbal Vote winners are the AAX Air Splash, AAX X-Plosion Hats, AA Bash Ride, and AAX Freq Crash cymbals.

The AAX Air Splash was a favorite in last year’s Cymbal Vote, so it was brought back this year. It comes in two sizes, 8” and 10”. The 8” has ¾” holes and the 10” has 1” holes in order to incorporate the sounds of a raw bell with hammering and lathing. This splash cymbal is noted for its punch and cut.

The AAX X-Plosion Hi-Hat cymbals are available in 14” and 16”. The X-Plosion crashes are an award-winning design, so these hats were fated for victory. A combination of a medium top and a medium-heavy bottom makes a versatile pairing with an amazing sound. The hats boast a high profile bell and a sustain-enhancing process ensuring that they can play open and loud or tight and articulate.

Drummers who have been hammering for bigger and better will enjoy the AA Bash Ride. It is a crash-ride edition of Sabian’s ever-popular Raw Bell Dry Ride, the main difference being that it is bigger and lighter. These cymbals come in either 21” or 24”.

The 18” AAX Freq Crash cymbal produces an intense cutting sound courtesy of Sabian’s exclusive dual lathing process. The Freq Crash will deliver explosions of tone and changes of frequency that fill the stage. It is sure to impress.

These are the four cymbal models that won this year’s Sabian Cymbal Vote. If you missed out on the voting fun last year, make sure you mark your calendar for September 1st, 2013. Let your vote help determine the next round of winners in the world of cymbals.