Paiste PST 5 Sound Edge Hi-hat Pair 14 in.

At the time of writing, these Paiste PST5's are the most inexpensive Sound Edge type hi-hats available new. These are also wonderful hi-hats for the price, and arguably a good pair in general. They certainly don't sound like Paiste 2002 Sound Edges or Zildjian Mastersounds, but they don't sound like cheap-o cymbals either. These are bright, cutting hats that have have the unmistakeable "wavy bottom cymbal" characteristics; They sound very crispy when closed, and offer an excellent sizzle when opened. The chick is very strong with noticeably less "air noise" when compared to normal hi-hats being closed quickly. To me, they also sound just as good played lightly as they do when you lay into them (and they can get rather loud), so they have nice versatility in terms of volume. These PST5's do sound a little bit tinny (not to be confused with tiny) compared to more expensive hi-hats I've played and heard, and they would likely sound even better if both cymbals each had a more complex wash (more hammering might have helped), but I still do not believe these cymbals sound downright cheap. While I have only used these hats in Classic Rock/Hard Rock/Punk Rock/Metal settings, I believe these could still be applied to a wider range of music. I would definitely recommend these for solo/band practice and gigging bands who need budget cymbals that can cut, but I would not necessarily recommend them for situations where darker cymbals are needed. I also wouldn't recommend them for any kind of recording beyond home or casual projects unless you have no other options, as a mid-range hi-hat is more likely to underperform in professional studio recordings, and bright cymbals in general can sometimes be difficult to deal with when mixing a drum kit. Nonetheless, this is a good pair of cymbals, and you could have more success with them in these situations than I might assume. I've rated these five stars based on my level of satisfaction for something at this price range.