MEINL Byzance Dark Hi-Hats 14 in.

I have nothing bad to say about these hihats. They are dark, both visually and sonically, and are also great for recording, especially if you are heavy on the hihats and have problems with it leaking into the snare mic. At shows they cut through the mix without sounding harsh and piercing to the ears.

Although I was only using these as a temporary pair I thought they were stupendous. Earthy sound with great articulation, like it was made from Zeus' trash can: with each surface more musical than our feeble Earth cymbals. Like punching the ground with these metallic plates shifting to and fro with a loud and proud cloud perched on it's finish and voice: this set has a dark sound with rhetoric definition. I'm broken that I must return them for they were a temp pair but I would definitely recommend it to all styles.

These are fantastic hats. I mean they are bright and glassy enough to cut through loud music, but warm and dark enough for studio work. Seriously if you were thinking about getting these, just go for it. They will compliment your drums nicely. Besides that I love the unfinished hand hammered look. Keeps fingerprints and stick marks from being so visible. These hats aren't as dark as a lot of dark cymbals on the market, but they aren't bright either. They are right in between.

These hats are simply a work of art. I have the 13" and they are EXACTLY what I was looking for. The stick definition is killer, the chick is wonderful, they are REALLY pleasant and earthy, and definitely trashy when you open them up a bit. When closed, the stick attack is very defined and clean. When you open them up, they get trashy real fast. The sustain is very short, so they make their noise then die out quickly (ESPECIALLY the 13"). These are VERSATILE! You really need to go play these at your nearest shop. It might change your perspective on hats like it did for me!

I bought the 13" dark hats and the moment I played them I fell in love with them. I played a venue at Michigan State University auditorium and these hats are amazing. I like the warmth and tone that they have unlike other hi-hats in the market. They are great for the drummer that doesn't want to polish his cymbals constantly unlike others that are finger print magnets. Highly recommend these to any beginner, hobbyist, or professional. Very versatile hi-hats for any style

Just got some yesterday and boy let me tell you, at first I wasn't sure about them, they were thicker than i anticipated. But after playing on them for about 2 hours and having band practice with them, I am in love. They are sooo dark that it gives them a unique voice on my kit, they are loud enough to cut and stick definition is unreal! A very unique set of hi hats for any situation/gig, Meinl RULES!