Meinl HCS

Name: Meinl HCS
Brand: Meinl
SKU: 637f3dad22d7a4627ced00a1
Rating: 3.2 (40 reviews)

Based on 40 reviews

The Looria Grade (A - F) accounts for multiple factors, including sentiment, helpfulness, and more. Learn about our sources and ranking.

#69 most mentioned

Reddit · r/drums

Great value for beginners or those on a budget

Variety of sounds

Durable and long-lasting

Good option for a first ride cymbal

Generally good for practicing and learning on

Not recommended for experienced players

Hi-hat sound is often criticized

Some reviewers have had issues with packaging and scratches upon arrival

Verdict

The Meinl HCS cymbals are generally considered to be a good option for beginners due to their affordable price and variety of sounds. However, experienced players may find them lacking in quality and thickness. Some reviewers recommend investing in a higher level of cymbals if possible. The hi-hat sound is often criticized, but the crashes and ride are generally considered decent. Some reviewers have had issues with packaging and scratches on the cymbals upon arrival. Overall, the Meinl HCS cymbals are a good value for beginners or those on a budget.

Explore Alternatives

Compare with...

Reviews

By topic

By sentiment

Top reviews

Meinl HCS Ultimate Cymbal Pack set Review

Yeah, so I'm going to go over these cymbals. If you're not familiar with Minel cymbals, I guess they started getting popular about five years ago. I'm...

Budget Cymbals for Beginner( somewhere in between the beginner and intermediate stage)

Avoid the Planet-Z/ZBT/i series(Zildjian), 101/201(Paiste), Solar(Sabian), Meinl HCS and other similar beginner ranges. The i series is the reissued ZBT series. Not worth paying retail for, when you could get used A’s for around the same. Buy used high grade B20 cymbals for a similar price.

I have a few Meinl cymbals and they're excellent in both sound and quality. I bought these for my rehearsal kit and could not stand the sound. That doesn't mean they're bad, I would recommend for a beginner as you get a great variety of sounds for a very reasonable price. The entire set cost less th...

What are some good beginner cymbals and hardware

But good quality b20 name brand cymbals used. If you are insisting on new, and in a pack, I have used Meinl HCS series cymbals for years before upgrading. They're not super high quality, but did the job for practicing and learning on. Other manufacturers make similar entry level products, which might be slightly better, but follow the advice of the others here and search used higher quality first.

You get what you pay for.

This is pretty much a beginner set. I was not expecting too much when I saw the price but wanted to add cymbals to my set. I think this set sounds tinny. I wish I had spent more money to get the sound quality I was looking for. There really is not much sense to save money and be disappointed and jus...

Are cymbal packs considered a bad idea?

I was using Meinl HCS series cymbals and they were alright for practicing but they were not great on recordings. I upgraded by getting a Meinl Classic Custom Dark pack, which included 15" hats, a 20" crash, 18" trash crash (freebie), and 22" ride.

All cymbals are great! However packaging was damaged at some point and ...

All cymbals are great! However packaging was damaged at some point and the 20" ride was scratched deep and badly. Still sounds great just doesn't look great. Didn't feel like the hassle of sending back just wanted to play. Product could use better packing material to protect in the event of mishandl...

[Recommendations Anyone?] First Metal Drum Kit?

First thing is those Meinl HCS's suck bad. No way in hell would I buy a set of those new. I know they suck because I got them with my Tama's. I've been performing musically for nearly 3 decades on and off as a bassist and pianist and I know what my ears like with cymbals and it ain't the Meinl HCS.

Very good BEGINNER set

These are very good BEGINNER cymbals. If you are an experienced player, you will not like these. They are very thick, so they will not break, like at all. Because of that, though, they have a very short sustain, very shallow sound. Like i said, they are a very good beginner set.

Try to buy a level above Meinl HCS, Paiste PST, etc. if you can. About double the price but worth it for the quality. Although if you need a set of cymbals, those beginner lines offer hard to beat prices for packaged sets.

Specs

Color

Super Set

Brand

Meinl Cymbals

Material

Brass

Model Name

HCS SCS

QUICK QUESTION!

Got an opinion on a product you've used?
If so, we want to hear from you! Write an authentic longevity review about the product and share your experience with our community. You'll have the chance to win a $100 gift card.

More Alternatives