When Zildjian asked their new computer to come up with the ultimate cymbal the result was a series of incredibly heavy cymbals featuring a selection of pretty hammering patterns designed to improve the respective qualities of the different types of cymbals on offer.

They also adopted four equally pretty hammer shapes, each of which effects the metal in a different way.

Starting with the hi-hats we find that the top is hammered with the Open Penta shape which makes the metal much thinner and denser at the point of impact giving the thick, heavy cymbal a better response to accents. The bottom features the Closed Hex hammer shape which condenses the metal much less giving the cymbal a very tight sound. Therefore the top is light and responsive while the bottom is heavy and dull. The overall effect is very good; not too tinny but still responsive and cutting.

The heavy power crash also has the Open Penta shape which, although it is responsive to accents, is basically solid and so you have to hit this one hard to get any real life out of it. The bell has a good low ting to it which makes it pretty good as a ride.

The light power crash on the other hand is lighter and responds better to soft playing. This is hammered with the Six Point Star shape which compresses the metal very evenly making it thinner and more responsive but strengthening it at the same time. Even playing very loud I found that the light power crash was more effective than the heavy one.

The heavy power ride features the Closed Hex shape again. This makes for a very tight sounding ride cymbal where each stroke stands out very clearly and so fancy stick-work is accentuated.

However, I prefer the light power ride which is hammered with the Open Penta shape and so is more responsive and has more of a swish to it. The definition is still good so individual strokes stand out above the overtones. There is a good variation of sound in different areas of this cymbal, getting much more swishy towards the edge and with a good ring on the bell.

The last cymbal in the set that we were sent is the power smash which is beaten with the Five Point Star shape. This compresses the metal similarly to the open penta but gives a more china sounding crash as it's shape would suggest. This is the most versatile of all the Z series cymbals. You can ride it, crash it or splash it and all three sound pretty good.

There is also a 12" splash in the series which we didn't get to look at but, just for the record, it is hammered with the Six Point Star shape which, if you remember, has the effect of strengthening the lighter cymbals. Therefore you can hit them really hard without them breaking. Completely brilliant.

In fact it must be pretty near impossible to break any of the Z series cymbals by conventional means (ie. hitting them with drum sticks). As I said earlier, these are the heaviest cymbals I've ever dropped and as Ian from Zildjian will testify, if you drop one of the big ones right way up on a lino floor you're in big trouble.

Individual tastes in cymbals vary a great deal and because of this there will always be certain ones in a range which you don't like. However, within the Z series I found a comprehensive selection which I'd like to own. All day long I'd zing ting tish, as Topol once said, if I were a wealthy man.