NEW FOR 2021 - WUHAN KOI SERIES CYMBALS
Today we're taking a look at the brand new Wuhan Koi series cymbals. These are a whole new look for Wuhan. The Wuhan that we all know and love is cheap china cymbals and very affordable beginner cymbals - these are totally different. These are a whole new line with a whole new sound. It's important to note that this is a new iteration of the brand, as it was taken over by Cardinal Percussion back in 2018, and these are the same guys that are completely revamping the Attack drum head line. The new Koi Series is just one of many cool, innovative things coming out of Cardinal Percussion.
These cymbals are made from b20 alloy, which is pretty much synonymous with all high-end traditional sounding cymbals on the market. We can definitely see and hear the influences that the Koi Series has drawn from, but we’ll let you make your own conclusions for that. What we hear is a very sweet, explosive, complex, yet very musical sounding cymbal that opens up very easily. They also possess a distinct character that we feel separates them from all other cymbals in this price range.
CONICAL CHINAS
The Koi Series Conical Chinas were the first cymbals that were introduced in this lineup, and we knew right away that these were special. They sound just like a large china cymbal that you would want to hear in a picture-perfect scenario would sound - short and trashy, yet smooth with a nice white-noisy kind of top end.
KOI CRASH CYMBALS
They rounded out the rest of this lineup with a selection of crash cymbals, high hats, rides and splash cymbals that are available in a few sizes. We have 17, 18,19, and 20 inch crash cymbals, 21 and 22 inch ride cymbals and 14 and 15 inch high hats, with the addition of 10 and 12 inch splash cymbals. As far as we’re concerned, they absolutely nailed the crash cymbals. They are both explosive and musical. The sustain is the right length, in that they don't go on forever, but they're also not so short that they sound like nothing's going on. They feel great to play and they're very buttery. They seem to sit in the mix while not necessarily standing way out on top, making them applicable and really useful in a lot of different situations.
KOI RIDE CYMBALS
The ride cymbals are exceptional as well, with the caveat that their flatter profile gives them slightly less stick definition. These have some, but it's definitely more of a spread than some of the more traditional rock rides. The bell is pronounced, and they crash with ease. They definitely match the character of the crash cymbals in this regard.
KOI HI-HAT CYMBALS
The hi-hats lie somewhere in-between a medium-top and medium-heavy bottom, landing them somewhere on the “jazzy” side. They aren’t as all-purpose a set of New Beats, but they have a good foot chick, closed sound, and washy good open sound. These Koi hi hats have a smokiness to them that we really enjoy. As for the splashes, we have no complaints. Be forewarned that they are quite thin, so they are much more suited to quieter situations.
PROFESSIONAL SOUND - AFFORDABLE PRICE
One of the biggest strengths that these cymbals have is their affordability. We'll use an 18-inch crash as a benchmark - for a comparable model from another manufacturer we're looking at three to four hundred dollars. The new Koi 18 comes in under 200 dollars. If you want a professional sounding cymbal, you can't argue with these new Wuhans - especially for the price point. The value proposition is simply through the roof, and that can be attributed to the new direction Cardinal Percussion has given to the brand. At Drum Center of Portsmouth, we are most concerned with SOUND, and when great sound is combined with excellent VALUE, count us in!