14†HHX Evolution Hats are exactly the essence of what Dave Weckl was looking for when he approached SABIAN. In fact, that’s exactly what the HHX Evolution line is all about. These are cymbals that retain the low end while brightened the highs. And sensitivity is increased so that the lightest touch of a stick sets them off. “Dave has a very acute sense of hearing and knows exactly what he wants from his cymbals,†comments Vault Specialist Mark Love. “In addition to high-response sensitivity, he requested a specific degree of separation between the brighter high-end tones and the warmer low end, for a sound that was both warm and cool. He was very specific, and this is why our craftsmen were able to design Evolution to such exact standards. We are extremely pleased with the results and anticipate enormous interest in these cymbals. â€
Until HHX, dark cymbals simply did not cut. With HHX, SABIAN changed all of that. Using an innovative combination of high-profile shape, large raw bell and jumbo sized hammering, they ensured that the dark, tonally complex sound of HHX cuts in any situation. Essentially, they took the warm, dark, complex tone of HH cymbals and made it cut for modern musical settings. While other cymbals may generate darkness, HHX stirs up more simmering heat, more musical dirt, more of what drummers want to hear – and projects it. It gets you heard. It’s just another innovative design feature, created by the SABIAN Vault team.
Delivering simmering Modern Dark tone at all volumes, it’s little wonder HHX is played by top SABIAN artists like Tomas Haake (Meshuggah), Jojo Mayer (Nerve), Karl Brazil (Robbie Williams), Brian Frasier Moore (Madonna), Mark Guiliana (Mehliana), Dom Famularo, Chris Dave (Robert Glasper), Mike Portnoy (Winery Dogs), and many, many more. “The magic of HHX is the darkness that allows me to go places I wasn’t able to go before. These cymbals inspire me to play great because they always sound great,†claims drumming’s global ambassador Dom Famularo. Tomas Haake, the powerhouse drummer for tonally dense Swedish extreme metal band Meshuggah, approaches it from a different angle, “Other cymbals may be dark, but HHX is dynamic…cymbals can disappear when you’re playing outdoor stages to 60,000 people. But HHX cymbals always sound great, they’re always there. †Another man with a deep experience of SABIAN sounds is Mike Portnoy. His monstrous set-ups with Dream Theater were – to quote the man himself – “vastâ€. “HHX added a whole new level of diversity. It combines the best elements of AA, AAX and HH into one. I love the dark side of HHX. It’s definitely something other cymbals just do not have. â€
Like all SABIAN B20 Cast Cymbals, the HHX Evolution Mini Chinese begins its life in the Foundry, where a centuries-old family process is used to create the most musical and durable of all cymbal alloys. Inside the Foundry, SABIAN metallurgists combine carefully measured amounts of Copper, Tin and Silver, heat it to 2100 degrees Fahrenheit, and pour it into casts. At this stage, it’s hard to believe these castings will eventually become a cymbal. But first, they must go on a journey that will take them through the processes of Multi-rolling for intensity, Hammering for tone, Lathing for enhanced response and projection, and a final Aging process in the legendary SABIAN Vault for optimum sound. In a sense, it’s a journey that’s only complete when you play the cymbal of your choice − an evolution from idea to reality. It is this process – innovation blended with traditional cymbal-making – that made HHX an award-winning sensation when it burst upon the scene in 2001.
