Zultan 16" Aja Crash

I've tried the 16" and 17" crashes and the 10" splash from the Zultan Aja series and I must say that I've got close to no complaints considering their price.

The sound is not as refined as the expensive series from the reknown brands like Zildjian, Sabian, Paiste etc, but you can get these at a fraction of the price.
The price might make you think otherwise, but they can hold their own in a live or recording setting since they sound like actual cymbals and nothing like the cheap brass entry series and probably better than most of the cheap bronze series as well.

Now in particular about this 16" crash, I would call it a great all-rounder since it can marginally handle heavy music, but since it's a 16", it isn't overwhelming in softer settings as well. It makes a great starter cymbal if you can only afford one crash (or go for the 17" if you're going to be playing heavy stuff).
Sound-wise, It doesn't sound as bright as a 2002 or an A custom, but I'd say it leans towards the brighter side of the spectrum (I wouldn't call it dark).

If you plan to pair it with another crash, I would suggest the 18", since I also own the 17" and it sounds kinda close to this 16". The 16-17 work together, but I would prefer a more distinguishable difference. For softer stuff my guess is that it would also work well with the 14" crash.

Finally, durability-wise, it seems to be holding up quite well after 1,5 years and keep in mind that its main use is in live settings and rehearsals by many different drummers. It doesn't get a daily beating, but it has seen some heavy use for certain and it's made more money than it cost.

All in all, I'm very happy about this purchase and I would probably get another one if this eventually breaks.

This is my main crash cymbals for practice, rehearsals and gigs.

In terms of sound, I have used a few cymbals from a much higher price range, and would still go back to this one. It is however rather washy, with a long ring at the end, which I personally enjoy a lot, but it is not as attacky crash as some others, so if that's not what suits your purpose, I'd suggest another series in general. Additionally, it has a very nice ping, especially for a 16" cymbal. Definitely feasible to use it as a thin crash/ride.

Despite the price, it is also quite durable. I have had it for a couple of years already, and it's still like new.

Definitely worth the price, both if you're looking for a cheap entry crash cymbal, and as a good option for a washy, long ringing, bright cymbal for your set.

Im completely in love with these cymbals! Perfect for my style of accenting notes and neuances; very bright and warm, short sustain ? just the way i like it. I like my cymbals medium agressive; Its nasty enough to make an impact, the listener can definitely feel the attack, but it doesnt dwell on a long sustain.

Pros;
+ Price ? its a true bargain! For the price, it exceeded my expectations many times over!
+ Size ? light and compact.
+ Looks great ? it looks more like an expensive custom cymbal than an economy class accessory. There are cymbals that sound great, but look like the cheapest possible tin can material.
+ Perfect Dynamics; its loud enough to be an accented note by itself, while the short sustain allows for a ton of combos with other cymbals before and after.

Cons;
- If youre going for louder, rock type effects, this cymbal might be too soft-sounding for you. For example; if you like to finish fills on a massive crash, it wont give the same effect as a big sounding rock crash. It will, though, do the job for groove fills, like when playing around with dynamics.
- So far, it holds my heavy chops very well, but for real heavy-hitters, this cymbal might not last very long as it is very thin.

Summary;
To buy or not to buy? ? A definte Yes! Im tempted to get more crashes form this series, they are perfect for my taste in cymbals and my type of playing.