Moderator Cymbal-Tuner Double Set 90mm

I purchased this hoping to control the volume of my cymbals a bit when playing in a small room. When I A/Bed these against standard felts I was pleasantly surprised to find that the tone of the cymbals was also noticeably improved. Normally, volume-reduction measures cut high frequencies more than lows. The Cympads seemed to do the opposite. I tested them on a 20" AAX Stage Ride and a 16" AAX XPlosion Crash.With standard felts, the overtones of the cymbals faded out unevenly. About ten seconds after the hit, all of the nice cymbal sound was gone but some low-mid frequencies kept ringing. In the context of a mix, that just adds mud. The Cympads didn't affect the attack much, nor did they dampen the "shimmer" of the cymbal, but they caused the lower overtones to fade out around the same time as the higher ones.If you're looking for significant volume reduction, you won't get it with these. But by cleaning up that mud they do reduce overall volume a bit, and they improve the sound of the kit. That's easily worth the price.

These are not cymbal mutes, make sure you understand that going in! These are phenomenal for sustain shortening. If you understand their purpose they will do exactly what you’re looking for. If you record or play smaller clubs/venues, super awesome little way to help cut the cymbal “overtones” and sustain which makes mixing a lot easier (if that is a sound you are trying to achieve). If you are looking for something to lower the volume; play lighter or get cymbal mutes that is not the purpose of these. I went with the largest version (playing a 21” sweet ride and 18” crash) and they are outstanding.

These are GREAT for controlling big ride cymbals on sessions. I've been looking for something like this for years. It doesn't kill harmonics of the ride, it just turns them down. So far every drummer I've used it on hasn't noticed the difference while playing so I consider that a win/win. I get the control that I want, and they don't have to think about it.

The larger 90mm cympads were great for reducing some of the volume and overtones on my larger crash cymbals (20-22" size). It unfortunately was too much dampening for my 21" ride cymbal, as it really made the bell sound weak and muffled. I recommend a smaller size on the ride and a 90mm on larger crashes. They sell a kit that is pretty cheap and comes with a variety of sizes, which I've now bought in exchange for this pack. Lastly, the pads are thick and don't leave much space in the plastic washer to protect the cymbal, but after playing on them for a bit it seems it's not a huge issue.

They don't make the cymbals any quieter, and they deaden the bell sound. Not to my taste.

This has reduced the volume in my ride cymbal without affecting the overall tone.