The combination of a thin profile, heavy hammering, lathed underside and raw upper part results in a dark and low-pitched cymbal. I own several cymbals from Meinl Byzance Extra Dry series (10 and 12-inch splashes, 18-inch crash, 20-inch china and 15-inch hi-hats) and this is the one with the dullest looking upper part – and it also sounds duller than its smaller and bigger brothers. It’s OK, but I expected a livelier response and a drier and more pappery sound. I guess that in hand-made cymbals one has to expect a wide variation from one cymbal to the other, within the same model.