Best Budget Cymbal Pack

Ignition by Dream

• Don Makoviney
• Last Updated: August 30, 2020

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Unlike other budget cymbal packs, these are hand-hammered and lathed from cast B20 bronze. They also get rave reviews from users and publications alike. If you need to buy a cymbal pack on a budget that sounds great the Ignition Pack by Dream Cymbals is the one to get.

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What to look for in a great budget cymbal pack

Most people will tell you to buy your cymbals separately, as you need them. They’ll suggest you shop around on Craigslist, or eBay.

That is great advice, and you should do it if you have the time and money.

But there are times you may need to buy a cymbal pack. Maybe time is an issue, or you need to buy them as a gift for a friend or family member. So while you might not get “the best” of each cymbal, you can get some pretty great ones. That way, as you (or your drummer) start shopping around for the perfect cymbal, they can keep the ones from the cymbal pack as “pretty good” back up cymbals in case of emergency.

Too many budget cymbal packs sound terrible. Often these will be the packs included with budget drum kits. The difference is often in the material. Most budget packs will use inferior bronze, or even skip it altogether and use brass, which sounds terrible.

So when you’re shopping around, make sure they cymbals you choose say they are made with B20 bronze.

Our pick

The Ignition Pack by Dream Cymbals is the best budget cymbal pack for most people. They are made from B20 bronze and hand-finished. You won’t find anything close to this good at this price. You get a pair of 14″ hi-hats, a 16″ crash and a 20″ ride, the set is supplied with a black padded cymbal bag.

Reviews

Here’s what hands-on reviews have to say.

Music Radar gushed about the Dream Ignition Cymbal pack:

Dream cymbals have always been superb value for money but this selection represents a new high water mark. The quality of the sound on offer for the money is nothing less than sensational. […] Beneath the lathing the bronze has been well worked with a hammer. Far from appearing like budget cymbals these all feel like ‘proper’, well-finished instruments.

Drum Magazine also noted how they sound like much more expensive (better sounding) cymbals:

Dream cymbals have always been superb value for money but this selection represents a new high water mark. The quality of the sound on offer for the money is nothing less than sensational.

The Ignition pack is Dream’s first ever off-the-shelf cymbal bundle. Consisting of a pair of 14″ hi-hats, a 16″ crash and a 20″ ride, the set is supplied with a black padded cymbal bag.

As with all Dream cymbals each model is cast – not sheet cut – from B20 bronze before being hand hammered and lathed. Dream says that Ignition cymbals are hybrids of the company’s Bliss and Contact ranges, which would suggest classic, warm voicing.

Beneath the lathing the bronze has been well worked with a hammer. Far from appearing like budget cymbals these all feel like ‘proper’, well-finished instruments. The bag, meanwhile, will accommodate 22″ cymbals, allowing for an expansion in diameter further down the line.

Also great

The great thing about our pick is they sound as great as cymbals twice the price, which is why the ones that sound comparable are about twice as much – the Zildjian A-Series Custom.

Reviewers from drum forums to Reddit speak highly of these, and they are a great upgrade for anyone beginning to get serious about their drum sound.

The bonus with the A-Series Custom is the pack also comes with a FREE 18″ Crash, in addition to the 14″ Hi-Hats, 16″ Crash, 20″ Medium Ride.

Many users of Zildjian A’s echo the sentiment of this Guitar Center customer in online reviews:

Amazing set! I love these cymbals great sound and look. I have been playing for over 10 years … I have owned and played shows with Ks (Editor’s Note: K’s are higher end Zildjian cymbals) but these a custom are just the right sound for me. Best money I ever spent. If you are a serious drummer nothing will make you happier than getting yourself this set of cymbals. My Christmas was getting these cymbals and I’m truly enjoying my drum sets sound again!

Conclusion

Out of our choices listed above, the Ignition Pack by Dream sound the best overall, to me anyways. They can often be hard to find – although they’re on Amazon at the moment.

If you can’t find them, the Zildjian A-Series are fantastic cymbals (but pretty darn pricey!), plus you’ll get the bonus crash cymbal for expansion later, if you like.

Happy drumming!

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Tell Me If There's A Deal For This

Originally published: February 26th, 2016

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