About two weeks ago I received this shiny golden ride, replacing the Zildjan ZBT 20" ride I previously used and had played on for about 4 years. This proved to be a major step up in sound performance! For current Paiste users, the Alpha series has become a pretty standard choice even for professionals with a high demand on sound quality. I will now give you my personal review of this masterpiece of brass.
First impressions of the Alpha Metal ride is that it is very good-looking with its brilliant finish and cavities covering the surface. The bell is slightly bigger than the ZBT and also it feels more solid when hit. Like it is for every brand new cymbal, you don't want to get the surface covered in fingerprints, which it eventually will unless you clean it every once in a while.
Now for some playing tests.
I try both with wooden 7A sticks and the JJ1 sticks I reviewed last time, starting with a simple hit in the middle between the edge and the bell. It sounds very metallic, and rings out for quite a while. In comparison to the ZBT (again) it doesn't sound "pling", more like "ding". For me personally, it sounds more fitting for rock and metal.
I hit the bell section and immidiately realize it sounds just like the ride in "I Wanna Be Somebody" by W.A.S.P, which is one of my favorite songs of all time.
I figure some moongel will solve the resonance issue when coming to studio recording where long ringing time will be a b*tch at some times. For live performance I wouldn't give a doubt that it will perform beyond expectations though, but the best is yet to come.
For sound sample, visit this Thomann site. It's the real sound.
In conclusion, I would rate this cymbal 5 out of 5. For around $250 (or €199) you'll definetily not be disappointed by the performance this baby has to offer. It's cheap, it's aggressive, it's goodlooking and man, is it truly a pleasure to hit on! It's pretty thick as well, so you can really pack a punch for whatever genre you play, however it may fit the most for rock and metal as I mentioned.
I hope you enjoyed this review. If you have any questions or thoughts, please leave a comment below. Thank you!
