Cymbals sound much more beautiful and complex at lower volumes to me, and lowish volume cymbals are central to my personal playing vibe. The volume at which Frank Beard plays his ride cymbal on "La Grange" always, and still does, knock me out, and I try and pattern my ride volume after that. Crashes typically only up to about 50% max volume (with exceptions of course) with the occasional out and out sheer pummeling of my poor 10" AAX splash which I have tried unsuccessfully to break on certain endings for the last 4 years or so. It's the one show offy thing I do, I beat the living snot out of my poor helpless splash. People dig it, because I don't care if I break it. Yea I live on the edge lol.
But yea, I prefer a cymbal to blossom, not go from zero to a hundred in a split second. I want to hear it swell and open up over the course of a second or so....generally speaking.
Cymbals are just my most favorite-est thing ever.
My goal is a 60" Paiste gong....just so I can hear it everyday.
It's nice to see this put into words Thaard. I've always felt that lower volume cymbals draw people in, and loud brash stuff...people put up with.