The Meinl Pure Alloy Cymbals are a professional line of cymbals that sit between the Byzance and Classic Custom ranges. These cymbals have a clean sound that isn’t to be missed.
Let’s go through what makes the Meinl Pure Alloy Cymbals unique and what models are currently available.
What are they made from?
The Meinl Pure Alloy Cymbals are made from a B12 bronze that was previously featured on the now discontinued Soundcaster Series cymbals.
Although they are made from B12, an alloy seen as subpar to B20, Meinl has a way of getting incredible sounds with their manufacturing techniques.
These Pure Alloy cymbals are made with computerized hammering, a fine lathe on top with a smooth finish and a fine lathe on the bottom without any smoothing.
The bells of the cymbals are not hammered but have the same finish as the rest of the cymbal.
This gives the cymbals a very clean and traditional look which is a step away from the raw finishes often seen on Meinl cymbals.
What do the Meinl Pure Alloy Cymbals sound like?
In general, the Pure Alloy cymbals are bright and do pack a punch. They aren’t as cutting as the Classic Custom line giving them more diversity to the playing situations.
That being said, although intended for a wide variety of playing styles, these cymbals will sound best in amplified band scenarios. The brightness is likely too much for a jazz ensemble.
The cymbals also have a wide dynamic range with them responding well to light touches through to big bow hits.
If you are looking for cymbals with a lot of character these won’t be the option for you.
These cymbals are very clean delivering a precise sound.
Take a listen in this video!
What cymbals are available?
Currently, the Meinl Pure Alloy line has a relatively small selection available. That being said, there are all the key cymbals you would expect.
Meinl Pure Alloy Medium Hi-hats
Available in either 14″ or 15″ these hi-hats are very crisp and respond nicely at all dynamic levels.
They also wash nicely when open making them perfect for rock playing.
If you are looking for some extra depth of sound the 15″ hats are the ones to look at. These are a truly great pair of hi-hats.
- Sizes availalbe: 14″ or 15″
- Weight: medium
Meinl Pure Alloy Medium Crashes
There is a good selection of sizes available when it comes to crashes. If you are a fan of big crash cymbals these are worth considering.
The crash cymbals in this series do shine. They are bright and cutting but have a nice wash when used in a beat.
The larger crash cymbals (20+) also work nicely as a ride. The bells sound clear with a nice definition on the body of the cymbal.
- Sizes available: 16″, 18″, 19″, 20″, 22″
- Weight: medium
Meinl Pure Alloy Medium Rides
Like the crashes, there are some big rides here. They have a nice clear sound with a good stick response when played on the body.
The bells have are very pure without much character as you would expect but they are cutting.
These rides are also great for crashing. They are just light enough to avoid the gong sound you can get on some rides.
- Sizes available: 20″, 22″, 24″
- Weight: medium
Meinl Pure Alloy 10″ Splash
Unfortunately, there is only currently one splash available in the Pure Alloy range. This is a shame as this is a great sounding cymbal hopefully, more will be added in the future.
This splash produces a nice clean tone with a medium sustain.
There isn’t much to say about this cymbal, it is what you would expect from a bright splash and sounds great.
- Size available: 10″
- Weight: medium
Meinl Pure Alloy 12″ Trash China
Currently only available in one size, the 12″ Trash China does pack a punch.
This gives you a quick trashy yet bright burst of sound. This cymbal also features a quick cutting pattern the cymbal to produce the sound.
This cymbal has a lot in common with the Sabian AA Holy Chinas and is a great lower-cost alternative to these.
Hopefully, the range of sizes will be expanded in the future.
- Size available: 12″
- Weight: medium
Meinl Pure Alloy 18″ China
Once again there is only one size of this type of cymbal.
That being said, it sounds amazing. This china is very bright and cutting. It is perfect for accenting with the snare or riding in a beat.
- Size available: 18″
- Weight: medium
Our thoughts
If you are looking for a bright set of professional-grade cymbals these are a great option.
They have a beautiful classic finish with a clean bright sound. Sure, they aren’t going to be to everyone’s taste but what cymbals are?
And not to mention, these are cheaper than most equivalent pro line bright cymbals due to Meinl’s machining technology.
The only downside of this line currently is the selection of cymbals available. Meinl does seem to be slowly adding more selection each year but not as fast as you might expect. As to why I am unsure. Maybe Meinl are testing the popularity of the line before expanding it too fast?
Meinl has been busy working on the second line of Pure Alloy cymbals though. The Meinl Pure Alloy Custom line. These are lighter weight and feature a unique finish and are worth a look.
What do you think of these cymbals? Let us know in the comments.
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