One thing all drummers can agree on about top rated acoustic drum kits is that they tend to be really loud. This can lead to many problems. It can disturb the people living around you and can also damage your hearing, limiting the amount of time you can practice. So, here are five best low volume quiet cymbals reviewed and compared.
Bottom Line: The best low volume quiet cymbal set in 2024 is the Zildjian L80 Low Volume Quiet Cymbals. A more premium and beginner-friendly product is the Sabian QTPC501 Quiet Tone Practice Cymbal.
Read also: best quiet drum set 2024
Best Low Volume Cymbals: Quick Comparison
BEST RATED  |
Zildjian L80 Low Volume Quiet Cymbals
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RUNNER UP  |
Sabian QTPC501 Quiet Tone Practice Cymbal
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Agean Cymbals Silent R-Series Low Volume Cymbal
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CYMBALS Low Volume Set
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Best Low Volume Cymbals 2024: Reviews
- Zildjian L80 Low Volume Quiet Cymbals
Top Rated
Made with proprietary alloy and given a matte finish, Zildjian has developed an outstanding product with the L80 low volume quiet cymbals.
Thanks to their unique design, they sound exactly like your much-loved regular cymbal, but only produce a tiny fraction of the volume.
Plus, they don’t feel artificial like low-cost rubber cymbals.
If you buy a full pack, you also get five Quiet Remo drumheads, which can also help a lot in minimizing the volume of your drum kit.
Because they are made from a kind of single-ply mesh material, it gives them the feel and rebound that you’re used to on regular drumheads, but with much less volume.
All in all, the Zildjian L80 Low Volume Quiet Cymbals will not only give you a high-quality straight ride cymbal experience, but with much reduced sound.
This makes them a great choice for a practice kit or any kind of recording session.
Pros
- High-end build quality
- Accurate stick rebound
- Super quiet
Cons
- Flimsy alloy, so could break with long hours of use
- Sabian QTPC501 Quiet Tone Practice Cymbal
Runner Up
Just like the L80’s, the Sabian QTPC501 Quiet Tone Practice Cymbals put feel and response on the top of the list of priorities.
This is very important when buying a low volume cymbal set for practice.
If your practice setup feels identical to your gig setup, then it can lead to effective learning and developing good habits.
With this pack, you receive an 18” crash-ride along with a pair of 13” hi-hats. As you might notice, they are slightly smaller, although they still do provide plenty of space for fine-tuning your rhythm with practice.
As Sabian claims, they’re developed from a dent-resistant and durable alloy. The thousands of tiny holes on the surface area help block the sound waves, which lowers the total volume significantly.
As many happy customers have said, being of such a limited size the ride still produces a wide range of tones perfectly.
Overall, they create a powerful presence without being loud and headache-inducing, and this makes them a great option for any dummer who wants to avoid waking up the neighbors.
Pros
- Natural feel
- Low weight
- Durable alloy
Cons
- Bright silver design could stand out from the rest of your drum kit
- Agean Cymbals Silent R-Series Low Volume Cymbal
Most Premium Low Volume Cymbals
Agean is a very underrated cymbal brand, and much smaller compared to the popular brands, but they develop some great cymbals.
With the Silent R-Series, they’ve become a player in the low volume cymbal game too.
As you might expect, these also have hundreds and hundreds of holes in them to minimize noise reproduction.
The feature that sets these apart from the pack is that they’re just slightly louder. This can be an advantage in certain use-cases and a disadvantage in others.
An ideal scenario is if you want cymbals to be used not only for practice but also for playing at small gigs. They’d be quite audible in such a situation whereas the others on this list probably won’t.
On the other hand, this doesn’t make them a great option for private practice in your home.
So, everything considered, go for these cymbals if you find the other low-volume cymbals too silent and want something middle-of-the-road in terms of noise levels.
Pros
- Hand-crafted by masters in Turkey
- Premium and durable build quality
- Shiny bronze finish
Cons
- Relatively pricey
- CYMBALS Low Volume Set
Most Budget-Friendly Low Volume Cymbals
The CYMBALS low-volume set cymbals have been specially designed to give you the freedom to practice at any time you want, day or night.
Similar to the other low-volume cymbals on this list, they feature many tiny holes to lower the volume as much as possible.
The design still feels very authentic, and cuts the volume by up to 80%!
This cymbal set wins over the others on this list with superior build quality. Made with a stainless steel alloy, it is over 20% thicker than standard cymbals.
This ensures reliability and a dent-free experience. However, it’s not all about durability. The edges are smoothed as well, giving them a soft feel.
This pack includes the following: a pair of 14” hi-hats, a 16” crash, an 18” crash, a 20” ride, making for a total of five pieces.
Not to forget, it also includes a free cymbal bag, which means you can move these around at jam sessions or band practice with relative ease and comfort.
All things considered, they’re a great option for home practice and rehearsals.
Pros
- 70-80% noise reduction
- Polished stainless steel edges provide natural and smooth feel
- High-quality construction
Cons
- Could decay over long-term use
Top Silent Cymbals FAQ
How Do I Make My Cymbals Quieter?
The best way to make your cymbals quieter by yourself is by using gaffer tape. Just stick a patch of it on the edge of your cymbals.
As sound is generated through vibrations, this will highly dampen the overall volume that you hear. You might be asking, why not regular tape? It usually leaves residue on the cymbal when removed, so it’s not a safe option.
If you don’t want to go the DIY route and just want a specially designed product for this purpose, you can buy MoonGel.
After applying it, it develops into gooey-like substance on the cymbal which can help a lot in lowering the sound. Plus, unlike tape, it won’t damage your cymbals—you can simply wash it off with water.
Of course, the best option by far is just to go for low volume cymbals specially designed for that purpose.
They’re no different than regular cymbals except that they have thousands of holes on their surface. This makes them significantly less loud than regular cymbals, but still have the same overall sound.
What Are Sabian Quiet Tone Cymbals Made Of?
The Sabian Quiet Tone cymbals are developed from a durable stainless steel perforated alloy.
This has the double effect of not only generating a quiet and non-disturbing sound even during hardcore practice sessions, but also protection from damage or denting over long-term use.
With the pack we recommend, you receive an 18″ crash-ride along with a pair of 13″ hi-hats. Although they are slightly smaller, they still provide plenty of space for fine-tuning your rhythm with practice.
Plus, Sabian hasn’t tried to make the original silver shine of the stainless steel alloy with bronze or some other color. This gives it a unique and enriching look which is sure to brighten up your kit!
How Do You Muffle Ride A Cymbal?
There are many ways you can muffle a cymbal. It can even be achieved by common household items like tape and cloth. The best way is to put some cloth in between your hi-hats.
When doing this, remember to use something that’s soft enough to be wadded into a ball. Once you put them together into a ball, place them in between the cymbals.
Another option is to muffle your drumsticks directly. For this, sticky fabric or gaffer tape works just perfectly.
If placed on the tips, it can reduce the “crashing” sound by a large margin. If you don’t want to go the DIY route, you can always purchase some silicone dampers too.
Final Words About The Best Low Volume Cymbals On The Market
After repeated complaints from your neighbors regarding your loud music sessions, if you’ve finally made the choice to get a low volume quiet cymbal set, these are your two best options.
The Zildjian L80 Low Volume is one of the most top rated quiet virtually silent ones you can buy in 2024. If you’re looking for a beginner-friendly set for practice, the Sabian QTPC501 Quiet Tone is the perfect pick!
Dave Pearson is a Canadian musician, sound editor, and audiophile. He is also the founder and owner of the website SoundProofGeek. On SoundProofGeek, Pearson offers advice and resources on audio equipment, including how to assess and improve audio quality, how to troubleshoot and repair audio equipment, and how to improve the music listening experience.
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