I am a real Paiste fan, they look great and sound amazing, this cymbal was my very first ride cymbal and I loved it. I have been beating the crap out of this thing and it never broke or dented! you only notice that its a bit cheaper because its pretty thick. I now use a pst 7 ride that came with the pst 7 pack, this ride sounds better and is thinner. so if your a beginner i would absolutely recommend this ride, if you want a more pro sound I would invest in some more exspensive cymbals. by example the pst 7 series.