Pure Alloy
Meinl Cymbals has quickly risen in popularity to become one of the leading cymbal manufacturers today. Many drummers know Meinl for the Byzance line, which is made in Turkey, cast from B20 bronze, and shaped by hand-hammering.
The Byzance cymbal line, while cemented among drummers as a professional level, high-quality choice, only covers the darker side of the tonal spectrum. This is why we developed the Pure Alloy line of cymbals; to be the high-quality choice of drummers looking for clean tones from their cymbals.
What is a clean tone?
Byzance cymbals are often described as having a dark or warm sound. This comes from the combination of B20 alloy and hand-hammered shaping, which builds that darker complexity into the cymbal by creating an uneven surface riddled with craters from thousands of hand-hammered strikes. To some, this is the sound they seek. When they find that one cymbal, it becomes a sacred tool of expression to be guarded with their life. However, some drummers prefer a pure tone that speaks fully and with great clarity. This is Pure Alloy, made in Germany, where precise hammering and lathing creates the other voice sought after in cymbals.
Can they coexist?
A coin always has two sides, but together, they form one single coin. In the same way, Pure Alloy and Byzance differ in both how they are created and where they fall on the sound spectrum. Yet they are both part of the Meinl sound, which is why they can work so well together. Many drummers have assembled set ups featuring both bright and dark sides of the cymbal spectrum for many years. Perhaps, Pure Alloy is the missing link you have been searching for to balance your sound.
Check out the Pure Alloy pages to learn more about the individual models offered. If you are looking for a quick way to blend Byzance and Pure Alloy on your kit, we have a few suggestions you can try:
Medium Hihats
The Pure Alloy 15” Medium Hihats have been one of the most popular models from this line.
Many of our artists quickly started using these hats with their Byzance set and liked the results. You can find examples of this in some of our artist performance videos. This hihat has a nice blend of highs and lows, making them sit perfectly in a mix. They feature a thin top over a medium-thin bottom, which gives them a lush feel, and makes them a great hihat pair to support any groove.
Medium Crash
The Pure Alloy 18” Medium Crash has that perfect classic crash sound.
It’s bright with a mid-punch, but the full tonal spectrum in the medium sustain adds a touch of shimmer and sparkle on top. It will penetrate a mix, but without being overly bold. If you like playing with two 18” crashes, consider pairing this with an 18” Byzance, which would be darker and lower pitched to provide contrast.
Medium Crash
The Pure Alloy 20” Medium Crash strikes a great balance between the bright and dark worlds of cymbals.
The weight makes it very versatile as well. If you were to have only one crash on your kit, this is one you should consider. Crash it, use it as a light ride, or crash/wash ride; it will do it all well, and sit nicely in the mix with a full tonal spectrum and shimmer.
