Zildjian ZXT 8" Trashformer

Group: Effects
Type: Trashformer
Size: 8 Inch
Series: ZXT
Weight: 168g
Median Weight: 168g (n=1)
Years of production: 2010 - 2013
Sound File: ZXT 8" Trashformer
ZXT 8 & 10" Trashformers
ZXT 8" Trashformer
ZXT 8" Trashformer
ZXT 8" Trashformer
Zildjian's Description: <<< - >>>
Review: "First up are the 8" ($90) and 10" ($108) ZXT Trashformers, which are joining the popular 14" Trashformer that was introduced in 2002. The unique shape of these models was inspired by an old brass cymbal that belonged to a student of Berklee professor Mike Mangini. Mangini brought that piece to Zildjian, claiming it would make a great effects cymbal, and the Trashformer was born. Paul Francis, Zildjian's director of research and design/quality, won't say exactly how the company achieves the unique bent design, but the misshapen cymbals offer an incredibly trashy effect at a very reasonable price. "These are great add-ons in an economy like this," Francis says. "It's a good item to pick up at the checkout counter and apply however you see fit. The cymbals are fully lathed and have a weird oxidization, which is the byproduct of an annealing [heating and then cooling] process, so they have an orange, purple, or green tinge to them."

The paper-thin 8" model had a harsh, dirty, metallic sound that was fun to experiment with by stacking the cymbal over or inside Chinas or atop small crash- es. The 10" Trashformer had a bit more sonic depth and presence than the 8", but it produced a similarly noisy effect. Despite looking and sounding like cymbals that escaped from the Land Of Misfit Toys, both models were very functional on their own. When I stacked the 8", the 10", or both, the Trashformers gated the decay of the primary cymbal, with the 10" providing a slightly more gated sound than the 8".

Review written by David Ciauro ("Zildjian EFX, FX, ZHT, and ZXT Additions", Modern Drummer, September 2010, p.20)

Artist/song where it can be heard: Chad Szeliga