LIKE ME, you may have been getting out of touch with the increasing number of cymbal brands, not to mention the diversity of brand models. The generally inelegant names are trauma enough: Tosco, Meinl, Paiste, Zildjian, Zilco, Zyn... and does anyone remember Krut? I had a Krut once and, without fear of libel, I think I can safely say that the name referred admirably to its sound.

Yes, we've all at some time cast a wandering eye over the gleaming new Zonkl on the cymbal display and surreptitiously given it a half-hearted crash. After the dryness in the throat clears, you consider the feasibility of sampling the wretched "instrument" as a white-noise chip for your keyboardist's birthday.

As always, there has been good and bad. However, I sense things are clearing, if not actually settling. While the established heavies, Zildjian and Paiste, battle it out with regular new additions to their lines (One Two passim), another company is emerging as a serious alternative with a range to suit all pockets. This is the rather more smoothly titled Sabian company. And do you know who's behind Sabian? None other than the estranged brother, Robert Zildjian himself.

A bit of history: when the K Zildjian factory in Istanbul was closed in the 1970's, the operation was relocated in Canada. At the time, the Canadian output was patchy. A lot of Zildjian seconds were marketed as Zilcos. Later, the brothers Zildjian "parted", Armand taking the family name to Massachusetts, while Robert took on the Canadian factory.

To make a go of it under the new Sabian name the product had to be top class, and, as of about four years ago, Sabians started to impress players (and pick up endorsees). The most influential of these over here would undoubtedly be Phil Collins — while in the US it's people like Gerry Brown and Harvey Mason.

Top of the range are the HH ("Hand Hammered") which owe ancestry to the K Zildjians previously produced in the Canadian plant (but now apparently under strict quality control). The AAs (not, I suppose, "'And 'Ammered") are rivals to the A Zildjians. In both cases they are marginally less expensive than the Zildjians claim Sabian importers. With Zildjians — and now with Sabians — it's always been a matter of trying out a few till you find one to your taste.

Now we're getting close to the main subject. Bob Zildjian also owns the Tosco cymbal plant (yes, we're now in Italy). Once the top-range Sabians were underway the decision was made to launch a medium-priced range made in the Tosco factory. And these are the B20s on review. They're not Toscos, they're Sabians, being of the same metal as the HHs but worked in a more economical fashion.

Zildjians and top Sabians are produced by a casting and rolling process. (Paistes are different because they are generally stamped.) In fact, they are rolled seven times and, because of this harsh treatment, the bronze used has to be especially tough. To make it strong the tin content (bronze = tin plus copper) is increased: the proportion used is 20% tin/80% copper, and the 20 of B20 refers to this 20%. So these B20s are cast like the expensive cymbals, but are then hammered instead of going through the extensive rolling procedure. This enables the B20s to retail at about 30% less than the AAs.

There's also a fourth budget line. These B8s have (guess?) 8% tin to 92% copper, and are aimed at what Sabian call the "student" market (a crash cymbal for £35). They're made under the Sonor wing in Germany (and yes, Bob Zildjian has a stake in Sonor, too).

I tried a set of the B20s — they look like Zildjians... the same silvery colour and characteristic bow shape — and they sound like Zildjians rather than Paistes. But there's a definite lack of sparkle that you get from the top line Sabians and Zildjians. I was immediately taken with the very clear stick response of the very up-to-date 20in medium ride (£85), which was stickier than, say, a 20in A Zildjian medium ride, but duller than the dearer cymbal. The sound is also lower in pitch, more like a K Zildjian or an HH. The dullness extends to the bell, which is a pity.

Funnily enough, the 18in crash-ride (£75) has a better bell and is still a relatively "sticky" if undistinguished ride. But on the crash side I was impressed: stable and silvery, suggestive of the clarity of a Paiste with the tone of a Zildjian. Which can't be bad.

The 14in hi-hats (£95/pair) are certainly loud enough. When pedalled, the "chick" is loud and clear; when struck open then closed (or "snatched") the response is very clean and sharp. Quite funky. But again they suffer from being a little bit too low in pitch for my liking — in some respects, dullish. For instance, when the bell is tapped while they're closed, there's very little happening. Mind you, if you open the cymbals and tap the top one the sound is that slightly unrefined tone of a dinner-gong in a Torquay guesthouse. Fruity.

The 18in "Regular Chinese" (£87) is pretty good. Being a China type the low pitch suits, and it's loud without being crass. The bell is of the normal cup shape and can therefore be played in a traditional manner (depending which way up you mount the cymbal). A good variety of rise and crash effects are thus possible.

The B20 range as a whole has a rather business-like and pro-on-a-budget quality about it. All the cymbals are medium weight and, with the relatively high tin contact, they should be durable. They offer a Sabian/Zildjian sound, but in a price range where you might previously have gone for something like a Paiste 505 (ie a good quality, medium-priced cymbal). So now you can choose between, or mix, the B20 Zildjian sounds and the cleaner but less broad Paiste sounds if you wish.

The most pleasing aspects of these cymbals for me were the clear stick response on the rides and hi-hat, plus the uniformity of tonal feel throughout the set. The cymbals are all loud enough, and obviously well made — I couldn't find any obvious dead spots and there was a distinct lack of unpleasant overtones. The negative aspect of this last point is the hint of dullness and the apparent lowness of pitch. So: polite, tasteful cymbals, certainly not brash (with the possible exception of the open hi-hat) and a welcome addition to the choice in the drum shop. But I'd change the name and logo to something a bit more exciting and colourful — after all, they are made in Italy.

SABIAN B20 cymbals: £see text

CONTACT: Sonor (UK) Ltd, (Contact Details).