Sabian 122OMX HHX Series Omni Crash/Ride Cymbal 22"

Omni is a revolutionary new cymbal from Sabian. Developed with the astonishing Jojo Mayer, the vision for Omni was to create a cymbal with outstanding sonic contrast, both when played on its own or with other cymbals. And Swiss-born drummer Jojo Mayer certainly knows what he’s doing. With an extensive jazz background and forays into NYC’s drum ’n’ bass/electronica/jungle scene and beyond, including Screaming Headless Torsos and his own Nerve, Mayer is also a long-time Sabian endorser. “For me, this opens up a whole new approach to playing cymbals,” says seminal artist Jojo Mayer. “Never has so much sonic versatility existed in just one cymbal. This is a go-anywhere, play-anywhere cymbal, and ultimately, you can play any gig with just this one cymbal on your kit. ”

Highly Musical – Incredibly Versatile

A medium-weight center and an extra-thin, natural finish edge make for a cymbal that’s striking in appearance. But it’s the highly musical tone structure and careful balance of frequency that enable this cymbal to sit so well in any musical setting. The extra-thin edge possesses the dark, throaty undertones usually associated with a jazz ride or crash – as a result, it excels as a shoulder-stick crash. The bell speaks with forceful clarity on straight-eighth funk and Latin grooves. And all playing surfaces respond with uniform warmth to brushes. With mallets, they are stunning in their orchestral beauty!

Sabian HHX – Modern Dark

Until HHX, dark cymbals simply did not cut. With HHX, Sabian changed all of that. Using an innovative combination of high-profile shape, large raw bell and jumbo sized hammering, they ensured that the dark, tonally complex sound of HHX cuts in any situation. Essentially, they took the warm, dark, complex tone of HH cymbals and made it cut for modern musical settings. While other cymbals may generate darkness, HHX stirs up more simmering heat, more musical dirt, more of what drummers want to hear – and projects it. It gets you heard. It’s just another innovative design feature, created by the Sabian Vault team.

Who Plays HHX?

Delivering simmering Modern Dark tone at all volumes, it’s little wonder HHX is played by top Sabian artists like Tomas Haake (Meshuggah), Jojo Mayer (Nerve), Karl Brazil (Robbie Williams), Brian Frasier Moore (Madonna), Mark Guiliana (Mehliana), Dom Famularo, Chris Dave (Robert Glasper), Mike Portnoy (Winery Dogs), and many, many more. “The magic of HHX is the darkness that allows me to go places I wasn’t able to go before. These cymbals inspire me to play great because they always sound great” claims drumming’s global ambassador Dom Famularo. Tomas Haake, the powerhouse drummer for tonally dense Swedish extreme metal band Meshuggah, approaches it from a different angle, “Other cymbals may be dark, but HHX is dynamic…cymbals can disappear when you’re playing outdoor stages to 60,000 people. But HHX cymbals always sound great, they’re always there. ” Another man with a deep experience of Sabian sounds is Mike Portnoy. His monstrous set-ups with Dream Theater were – to quote the man himself – “vast”. “HHX added a whole new level of diversity. It combines the best elements of AA, AAX and HH into one. I love the dark side of HHX. It’s definitely something other cymbals just do not have.”

Hand-Crafted – Every Step of the Way

Like all Sabian B20 Cast Cymbals, the HHX Omni begins its life in the Foundry, where a centuries-old family process is used to create the most musical and durable of all cymbal alloys. Inside the Foundry, Sabian metallurgists combine carefully measured amounts of Copper, Tin and Silver, heat it to 2100 degrees Fahrenheit, and pour it into casts. At this stage, it’s hard to believe these castings will eventually become a cymbal. But first, they must go on a journey that will take them through the processes of Multi-rolling for intensity, Hammering for tone, Lathing for enhanced response and projection, and a final Aging process in the legendary Sabian Vault for optimum sound. In a sense, it’s a journey that’s only complete when you play the cymbal of your choice − an evolution from idea to reality. It is this process – innovation blended with traditional cymbal-making – that made HHX an award-winning sensation when it burst upon the scene in 2001.

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