Sabian XS20 16" Medium Thin Crash

Group: Crashes
Type: Medium Thin Crash
Size: 16 Inch
Series: XS20
Weight: 1018g, 1042g, 1066g, 1074g, 1083g, 1105g, 1120g, 1131g
Median Weight: 1079g (n=8)
Years of production: 2003 - 2016
Sound file: XS20 16" Medium Thin Crash
XS20 16" Medium Thin Crash
XS20 16" Medium Thin Crash
XS20 16" Medium Thin Crash
XS20 16" Medium Thin Crash
XS20 16" Medium Thin Crash
Sabian's Description: <<< - >>>
Review: "The responsive 16" medium-thin crash was anything I wanted it to be. Due to its sensitivity and overall spread, in certain situations it reminded me of a Chinese cymbal. But this cymbal could also be used for sonic jabs. And although it was not designed for the purpose (as far as we know), it could also double as a ride."

Review written by Will Romano ("Sabian XS20 Series Cymbals - High Sonic Performance At Low-End Prices", Modern Drummer, July 2003, p.31)

Review: "The Medium Thin crashes are attractive, quite silkily dark, with no lip curlingly nasty over- or aftertones. There's a fast initial response, but then the sound doesn't develop and open out as much as you'd like before it decays."

Review written by The Music Radar Team ("Sabian Xs20 Splash 10" review - Both the Medium and Rock versions of the Xs20s have musical timbres, but they lack body and spread", Musicradar.com, November 19, 2007)

Review: (NOTE: This is for the wide blade lathing version) "I’ve saved the best for last. I was extremely impressed by the acoustic qualities of the 16" and 18" medium thin crashes, as well as the 18" crash-ride. They were the best of the batch in terms of sonic range and versatility. Like all Xs20 models they lean toward the bright side, with no dark undertones. But they had excellent sibilance and spread, with moderate explosiveness that wouldn’t overpower the music, despite the high-frequency emphasis. The 16" crash had a relatively quick decay for punctuation; the 18" had a longer sustain that would support big chords.

As is often the case, the 18" crash-ride seemed better suited as a big, powerful crash than as a small ride cymbal. It certainly could be used as a very bright, clean-sounding ride at a low impact/volume level, but it’s rare for that sort of sound to be appropriate in that sort of situation. On the other hand, it might be a good choice for use in thrashy, punky ride situations where riding on a regular crash might not produce enough rhythmic definition. It does have a big, domed bell, which could be used to good effect.

As a trio, the 16" and 18" medium-thin crashes and the 18"crash-ride made a very good melodic ensemble. They also worked very well with the medium hats, offering a consistent tonal character that could serve in a wide variety of musical applications."

Review written by Rick Van Horn ("Sabian “New Look” Xs20 Cymbals", Modern Drummer, March 2008, p.38)

Review: (NOTE: This is for the Brilliant finish version) "This understated quality didn't work quite so well with the smaller Medium Thin 16" crash which still suffers the most, projection-wise."

Review written by Geoff Nicholls ("Sabian Xs20 Brilliant Finish Cymbals review - Sabian's budget-conscious B20 cymbals receive a brilliant update", Musicradar.com, August 16, 2010)

Review: "The 16" and 18" Medium Thin crashes were paired better sonically than the Rock crashes. They were more homogenous, held a wider appeal, and were less brash. They had a nice shimmer and warmth, and their thinner wash made for a pleasing decay. The Rock models felt like cymbals made for harder-hitting gigs. They had a bit more bite and volume but weren't jarring."

Review written by Michael Dawson ("Sabian Xs20 Brilliant Series Cymbals", Modern Drummer, May 2010, p.24)

Review: "I placed four crash cymbals in this latter semi-professional category: the 16″ Medium crash, the 16″ Rock crash, the 18″ Medium Thin crash, and the 18″ Rock crash. Each produces a loud cutting crash that would be more than acceptable for semi-professional use. On the other hand, each also suffers from one-dimensional qualities that lack the “sparkle” or sonic range that I look for in a professional studio-quality crash.

To elaborate, the 16″ Medium Thin crash initially screams with lots of higher range mid frequencies that quickly end with a weird muffled sound. The 16″ Rock crash is heavier than the Medium model with a clear and powerful tone that’s slightly lower in pitch but also, unfortunately, a bit clangy. The 18″ Medium Thin crash speaks almost exclusively with mid-range tones that linger for a long time. Finally, the 18″ Rock crash is heavier in weight, yet higher in pitch and a bit more stifled sounding than the 18″ Medium Thin model."

Review written by David Libman ("Sabian XS20 Cymbals Reviewed!", drummagazine.com, July 6, 2010)

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