Denis Loncaric
One of the loudest instruments we have in the music world is majestic drums.
None of the neighbors are fans due to the drums’ noises, especially cymbals.
BUT either way, drummers need to practice!
There are some sets of new cymbals in the market known as silent cymbals to resolve this problem.
These low-volume cymbals allow you to do the practice without worrying about bothering anyone!
+ due to low noise levels, they are also protecting your hearing.
This means that it won’t leave any additional ringing in your ears or do any kind of hearing damage.
Low-volume cymbal concepts are made just like the regular ones, but they have more advantages than cutting down the noise feature.
Only a few drum companies have produced these cymbals, and in this article, I will list five of the best low-volume cymbals for quiet playing and practicing.
Best low volume cymbals
ThatScore
Sabian Quiet Tone
- Strong and good cymbals made from nice alloy
- Impressive design
- The feel is natural
ThatScore
Kasza Cymbals “Quiet on the Set”
- The cymbal carrying case is included
- Great value for its price range
ThatScore
ThatScore
UFO Low Volume
- Budget-friendly
- Each cymbal can easily go with other sets
- Good built quality
ThatScore
Overall Winner Zildjian L80 Low Volume
Being one of the most popular and oldest musical company manufacturers, they set a pretty big standard for cymbals.
With NO doubt in the quality of the cymbals on the drumming market, be sure that you can’t go wrong with Zildjian.
Their noise reduction is at a great level, PLUS they are very suitable for practice and rehearsals.
What’s so fascinating about these cymbals is that they have small perforations, which are helping to reduce the volume as much as possible.
With great features, there is no doubt that Zildjian L80 is overall the winner.
And down below, we will find why, with all the necessary information!
What to Know Before Buy
It’s good to know some tips before we dive into the rest of the great quiet cymbals.
Here’s an Ultimate Guide on what to know before buying your low-volume cymbals!
- The feeling should be the same as regular cymbals on the acoustic drum kit.
- Durability – According to user reviews Zildjian and Sabian make the most durable practice cymbals. It is hard to know how durable some packs are before the purchase so if you are willing to spend more and be sure you are getting the right thing, go with any of these two.
- The dimensions also should be the same as cymbals on the acoustic drum set. Choose the sizes of low-volume cymbals as the ones on the classic cymbals set. This way, you can practice your techniques on the same surface. Also, pay attention to the bell. It should have a nice curve, and it should be authentic as their noisier friend.
- The surface of the cymbals should contain something that’s suppressing the spread of waves over them. The perforations or indents are usually responsible for this feature.
These amazing low-on-sound cymbals come in three pieces set:
- 18” Crash,16”Crash,14” Hi hat Set
- 18” Crash,14” Crash,13” Hi hat Set
- 18”Crash, 13” Hi hat Set
Characteristics:
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Even with these low on volume cymbals, you will get the authentic Zildjian feel
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They might be leftovers of your fingertips due to their sandblasted finish
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They can be very responsive with different types of equipment like mallets and sticks
General Overview
If you are wondering why these are the overall winners… Let’s give it a look.
What’s so great about these cymbals is that they are made just like the regular ones, so you don’t have to worry about their functionality.
They feel the same and sound the same, but they produce 80% lower volume, perfect for practicing in an enclosed area or even tutoring.
The Zildjian L80’s are built not to be silent but to give a low noise level because each cymbal from the set reduces the volume by 80%.
There is NO significant difference from regular acoustic cymbals, except they are way quieter.
These cymbals are made from alloys, which is great for volume reduction.
They are also lightweight, like most low-volume cymbals, and also perforated.
Besides big volume reduction, these cymbals have short sustain, which is very suitable for indoor practice.
As I mentioned before, the Zildjian L80 cymbals are NOT so different compared to the regular cymbals.
Their Hi-Hats splash is just the same, and the rebound of the cymbals is identical as on the classic acoustic cymbals set.
They will provide a full volume but with much less noise.
You can use these cymbals for practicing at your home at any time of the day and night, but for rehearsals as well.
Use any techniques and additional equipment while playing without any inconvenience.
Many people recommend them for playing gigs, practicing, and actually learning on them.
Zildjian L80 Low Volume Cymbals is available for purchasing the whole set of cymbals, but also you can get a cymbal individually if that suits you more.
Fill out the form, and I will hand-pick the best cymbals for you and drop you an email.
What’s in the package:
- 14” Hi-Hats,
- 16” Crash,
- 18” Crash
- 20” Ride
Characteristics:
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Great metal cymbals for practice and tutoring
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Durable alloy with punched holes that lowers the volume
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Encourages a natural playing technique
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Nicely curved bells perfect for a ride and hi-hat embellishment
General Overview
If we compare it with Zildjian L80, they have a brighter sound with a little high-pitched tone.
Even though they are still low-volume cymbals, they are louder than the previous ones.
What’s so great about these sets of cymbals is that they are very durable!
They are made and designed to handle hard-hitting due to their very long-lasting alloy.
The cymbals are pretty light, and the tone of the cymbals, especially the ride, dwells pretty nice.
Although the rides are a little bit bigger than usual, they tend to provide a lower sound.
As regards crashes, they have a kind of a wash sound with one-shot hit ornamentation while
Hi-Hats sound great either when they are open or closed.
The bell is very well shaped and curved, so its pronunciation will suit your drumming needs.
Your techniques can maximally progress with this set of cymbals without worrying about breaking them often.
What’s maybe the best thing about the Sabian Quiet Cymbal Set, besides being durable, is that they are very versatile.
This means they will suit fine for either rock songs, pop hits, or any other kind of music.
What’s in the package:
- 14″ Hi-Hats
- 16″ Crash
- 18″ Crash
- 20″ Rid
Characteristics:
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You will get a full cymbal set
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Kasza Cymbals are a great set of cymbals for practicing
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Practice with a low volume cymbals on every level of drumming
General Overview
The Kasza Cymbals “Quiet on the Set” Low volume pack is very suitable for muffled sound practice drumming hence the name.
Coming with a full set of four cymbals, unlike the other cymbal sets,
they also have a carrying case, which can be very useful when gigging and touring.
The great thing about Kasza cymbals is that they produce low volume.
If we compare them to other, well-known brands like Zildjians or Sabian, the soundness is not much different.
These cymbals are very good for any type of instrument, such as acoustic versions but electric.
It is very affordable, probably because it stands under an unknown brand.
Many people would prefer to go with some brand with a built reputation, and that’s fine.
Just have in mind, if you are lower on the budget and you need a full set of low-volume cymbals, these will do the job just fine.
What’s in the package:
- 14″ Hi-Hat
- 16″ Crash
- 20″Ride
Characteristics:
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The name of the Cymbals comes from the German word “Ruhig” which means Quiet
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Even though they are not such a popular brand, they are making very quality low volume cymbals
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You will get a carrying case for the entire set
General Overview
Even though they come from not such a popular brand, these cymbals are built on an enviable level.
They are actually handcrafted from Turkey, and each whole inside the cymbals is crafted precisely by the human hand.
Incredible, right?
That’s why these Agean Cymbals Silent R-Series Pack are considered more expensive.
And that’s for a reason because they are considered a masterpiece.
They are handmade with B20; as I mentioned, each hole was drilled carefully to achieve a perfect low volume tone with a clear sound.
It is very suitable for tutoring and practice, but they are very fitting for gigs.
Agean Cymbals Silent R-Series Pack is made exactly like the cymbals of muffled sound. But they have the big advantage of being handcrafted in Turkish style.
Compared to other cymbals, these ones tend to be louder. For someone, it can be a good thing.
Unlike the other regular cymbals set, their volume is still reduced, so it shouldn’t be a big problem.
BUT, if you tend to play these in your residential building or apartments where it can cause issues with your neighbors, we recommend going with some more audible cymbals.
The Agean cymbals are lightweight with very good sound-producing, which you can assume.
BUT, compared to other low-volume cymbals from other companies, they are heavier.
This can result in a good way because they give you more of the real, original feeling of playing the cymbals.
All these Agean Cymbals Silent R-Series features make them very durable and hard to break.
Their best feature must be the Hi-Hats because they produce a pretty chick sound, which is not that usual for these cymbals.
As regards rides and crashes, they produce very good sound as well.
All these features make these cymbals pretty suitable for all kinds of types and genres of music.
If you have a good budget, you can’t make a mistake with these unique, handcrafted, low-on-volume cymbals.
What’s in the package:
- 20″ Ride
- 14″ Hi-hat
- 16″ crash
- 18″ crash
Characteristics:
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Fun Fact: they come in regular sizes just like the classic cymbals
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They are perfect for practicing in apartments, small areas, and other noiseless places
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UFO Cymbals have a lot of resemblance to the previous Ksaza cymbals
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Purchase cymbal individually or in a set
General Overview
A great thing about these cymbals is that they will give you the feeling of playing on the classic set of cymbals, plus it will provide you a more natural way of drumming.
The difference is that they will reduce noise, just like any other low-volume cymbals.
That’s why they are very good to play inside the apartments and small areas, great for practicing and tuition.
There is no doubt when it comes to UFO cymbals’ quality.
Their design is not such on an enviable level, it kinda reminds you of an old, not such a great quality set, BUT appearance can be deceiving.
These cymbals have shown pretty well in the drumming world, made from zinc and good maneuvering techniques.
As with the other low-on-volume cymbals, they are a little thinner and lighter, but they are built from zinc alloy, making them very durable.
Their construction is made very simple!
The main feature is to make drummers feel like they are playing on a regular cymbals setup.
You will also get a carrying case, which will help you carry your cymbals wherever you want.
They come at a very reasonable price but fairly good quality sound.
If we compare it to other well-known brands of cymbals, they are not at the same level, but you will be more than satisfied with this price range.
Conclusion
The overall conclusion is that you can’t go wrong if you choose any of these mentioned sets of low-volume cymbals.
They all contain similar features, and the differences are not that big.
It mostly depends on your preferences, budget, and style of playing that suits you the best with the mentioned brands.
Don’t forget that these cymbals are usually intended for practicing, but in some situations, with additional equipment, they can be very convenient for gigs with the audience.
I don’t know if you noticed that this time I didn’t give flags like Best for rock, Best for pop, and similarly!
That’s because these cymbals are pretty much suitable for ANY type of music and will do just fine for hard-rock, jazz but chill music as well.
Let’s sum it up.
Our overall winner is the beloved Zildjian L80 Low Volume Cymbal Set
There will be no mistakes with your drumming practice with such great features from a world-known brand.
The runners-up will also do the job, especially Sabian Quiet Tone Cymbal Set.
Some of them may not be from such a popular brand, but it will satisfy the needs of reduced volume playing.
I know, I know…
There are not a lot of choices to choose from compared to regular setups.
BUT, I did my best to single out the top ones, with the specific features to suit everyone’s pocket.
With my buying guide, I hope I have helped you pick the low-volume cymbals that suit you the best.
Never forget to protect your ears, and don’t rush when purchasing the kit.
Also, it would be a good idea to get the same brand of low-volume cymbals as the ones you have on the regular set.
If you decide not to purchase any of these cymbals and just turn the cymbal volume down, check out my article about dampening the cymbals.
Thanks for reading our article, we hope we were useful.
If you have any additional questions, or you are confused with something,
Please feel free to ask.
My name is Denis. I am a drummer, percussionist, music enthusiast, and blogger. Drums have been my passion for 15 years now. My idea is to write about the things I like and I am interested in. I want to share my drum passion with fellow musicians who walk, talk, and breathe drums.
