Building on their long-standing, 30-year relationship Sabian and Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy have just rebuilt and revamped an entire raft of cymbals, producing seven new chimes, splash and rides, available in eight new product packs.
Kicking off their new collabs in Sabian’s MAX line are AA bell chimes that come in 6”, 6.5” and 7” sizes. They’re each available separately or as a set featuring all three.
Next there are new AA MAXX splash cymbals, being updated and improved version of the original MAX splashes which were originally released in 2000. Once again, these new MAXX versions (note that double X…) come in 7”, 9” and 11” form.
And finally, there’s a new 22” HHX MAX ride cymbal uniquely featuring both lathed and un-lathed surfaces.
Digging in deep
The new AA Bell Chimes are now crafted to be thinner than a cup chime or ice bell but are thicker than a splash. Additionally, they can be mounted either solo, upside down, or even find a home on top of other cymbals. Sabian promises a “crisp, clear, and well defined” sound that’s able to fit with any melody.
The new AAX MAXX splashes now have a larger, raw bell and a new shape, producing more volume and projection when compared to the original versions.
And that 22” HHX MAX Ride is a whole new Portnoy vision. It combines his favourite features from Sabian’s 22” HH Rock Ride that’s been part of his kit for years, along with his more recent favourite mainstay, Sabian’s 40th Anniversary Artisan Raw Bell Dry Ride.
The new medium-heavy ride is lathed on the bow to the edge on both the top and bottom and finished with an un-lathed HHX hammered bell, delivering a “powerhouse” sound, promise Sabian.
“I’ve been with [Sabian] for over 30 years. They believed in me in the early days when I was just coming up. And their love and support to me has always meant so much,” said Portnoy. “Obviously the cymbals speak for themselves, they’re so beautiful. …. The MAX Chimes, I love them, they just sing, they’re absolutely gorgeous. …The 22” MAX ride – which is a work of art, absolutely beautiful, is clean and crisp, it sings, and the bell just cuts like a knife.”
“With Dream Theater back out on tour and Mike’s drumming sounding better than ever, the timing was too good to be true to miss working with Mike on some new cymbals,” said Sabian’s VP Sales & Marketing, Stacey Montgomery-Clark. “Please excuse the pun, but he’s a dream to work with and we’re very proud of the new cymbals we’re releasing today.”
“All of these new models are already part of Mike’s set-up on the Dream Theater tour,” confirms Chris Stankee, Sabian’s Global Artist Relations Director. “There’s no better demonstrator than Mike himself to show you how these new chimes, splashes, and ride sound.”
All eight new products – seven cymbals and that bell chime set - are available now.
Find out more at sabian.com.
