I picked up one of these Stagg EX 18" crash cymbals about a year ago, and I was very shocked at the sound. Now these cymbals won't be for everyone, but if you're looking for a unique sound that isn't very expensive, these are really interesting sounding cymbals.
One of the things I noticed is these cymbals have a significantly lower pitch than just about any other B8 cymbal I've heard. This could be because they seem to have a much flatter profile than most other B8 cymbals I've seen. Also, the machine hammering is pretty deep, which gives them a pretty complex and slightly trashy sound.
I think the closest thing to compare them to are Paiste's Big Beat line, which is also B8 with a flat profile and deep hammer marks. However, a Big Beat 18" is almost $400 and a Stagg EX 18" is about $100!
Check out my video below. I have the Stagg on my left and you can hear all of the qualities I am talking about in this video. I really love the sound of this thing. If Stagg sees this and wants to send me a complete set, I won't complain hehe.
