I've been playing for eleven years and have my degree in music performance. You can bet I've seen cheap cymbals. I don't own the 5 series, to be honest. But I've been reading about them and couldn't find a detailed, informed review. I've played these cymbals many times. I'm wowed every time. I rated four stars in most categories simply because they are plenty of better lines out there. But please note that I'm not rating these cymbals "for what they are." I'm simply rating them as cymbals. They're solid, they sound great, they're versatile, and they're affordable.

Sound
They have a thinner, more brilliant sound than you might think. They're bright, a little scooped in the mid ranges, and not too loud. The ride has a lot of great wash with only a very minimal amount of the less desirable sheet cymbal sound. It doesn't have too much ping, but can definitely be crashed on. I'd be cautious about crash-riding it depending on the setting. It has the right sound, but can be overpowered. Comparable to Zildjian's A-Custom rides or Sabian's AAX Studio. The crash has a tame, but present attack, has a healthy sustain, and sounds better than most top-of-the-line cymbals with a few exceptions. Easily comparable to Sabian's AAX X-Plosion crashes or the A-Customs. The hat is unique, a little darker than I was expecting but overall still a bright set of hats. The hats, specifically, are heavier than I've come to enjoy. They play and sound much like the Zildjian… read more Brilliant New-Beat hats. All the bells are rather quite and toneful. The splash (not sure if that comes in this pack, but I know it exists) is thinner than a lot of splashes. Very punchy. I've heard these cymbals be compared to the Sabian B8 series. I don't agree at all - based on my experience with both. That could definitely be said about the PST 3 series. Another review on ZZ compared them to the Zildjian A-Series. I've never liked the regular A. They're thick, untamable, and seem to fit virtually no genre of music. The opposite is true of the PST 5. I can see these passing in a lot of settings, except maybe for big band/swing, but that's just a matter of preference.

Features
Not a lot of cymbals have that bronze color to them. I'm honestly not sure if they're sheet or cast. They sound too good for sheet cymbals, though the technology has come a long way in recent years. Either way, they seem durable.

Ease of Use
It sounds a little silly, but it is possible to get a bad tone from a good cymbal. These don't present that problem.

Quality
Admittedly, I've heard of people cracking these cymbals easily. However, I haven't heard this from anyone I know personally or from other professionals. A close friend has owned these cymbals for roughly four or five years and, to my knowledge, has had no problems with them.

Value
It's a shame that drummers that don't tout $300+ rides get looked down on. I think the PST 5 is just the kind of justice in value we need on the market. To my knowledge (and I might be wrong on this), most packs only come with hats, one crash, and a ride. I wish it came with more, but for the price, it's a steal.

Manufacturer Support
I've never dealt with they're support and haven't heard either way. Disregard my rating on that.

The Wow Factor
The sound is right, simply put. If I didn't know the price of these cymbals, I would have thought they were high-end.

Musical Background:
Degree in music performance, percussion. Been playing for eleven years

Musical Style:
Rock, contemporary Christian worship music read less