‘Member way back in the ’90s when Zildjian’s K/Z hi-hats, which combine a light and cutting top cymbal with a heavy and loud bottom cymbal, were the coolest thing on the planet?
TRX is trying to tap into a little bit of that mixing-it-up mystique with the introduction of its DRK/BRT hats. This time around, though, the combination of choice is a bright top cymbal over a dark bottom. According to TRX, the cymbals produce “bright, penetrating closed hi-hat sounds with fuller, more explosive open and half-open sounds.” You can snatch them up in 13″, 14″, and 15″ models.
Got a need to whack some seriously large cymbals? TRX has some new metal for you.
[Press Release]
In response to requests from hardcore and progressive drummers for larger, more powerful cymbals, the TRX Cymbal Company has announced that it is expanding its popular BRT series to include a 24″ ride, 21″ and 22″ crashes, and 15″ hi-hats.
“In the past, the biggest crash cymbals were 20″ and only the most aggressive players were using them,” comments TRX spokesperson David Levine. “We recently began noticing that more and more drummers were playing the bigger sizes and some were even using 21″ and 22″ ride cymbals as crashes. But ride cymbals aren’t designed to be crash cymbals. It’s just not the right sound. So, we developed these larger crashes and matched them with a bigger ride and hi-hats to meet the needs of today’s hard rock players.”
TRX’s BRT series cymbals are custom-crafted by master Turkish cymbalsmiths and feature heavier weights with extensive hand-hammering and a highly-polished surface. Available in a wide range of crash, splash, ride, hi-hat, and china models, the line is noted for its clarity, projection, and durability in high-volume playing situations.
“We don’t want anybody getting hurt by the massive sound and extreme power of these big BRTs, though,” Levine adds. “We’re warning players to use them carefully. With great power comes great responsibility.”
TRX crept onto the scene a few years ago with fistfuls of Turkish-influenced, acronym-laden cymbals—the BRT, ALT, DRK, and MDM series. Because having four forgettable three-letter designations is clearly not enough, the company has now introduced a fifth, the LTD line. It includes 20″ and 18″ crash-rides as well as a pair of 14″ hi-hats.
So far, so boring. But here is where TRX’s shite gets interesting: an LTD cymbal features three finishes, a different one for the outer edge, the bow, and the bell. According to the press release (more or less), this tri-finish process apparently produces a crash sound that is more crash-y and a ride sound that is more ride-y than ever before heard from a dual-purpose cymbal. Plus, they look pretty damn cool.
