as a recording studio engineer and drummer, a secret about Zildjians is that while they may not sound the best in the room, their recorded sound still has something special that others don't. whether it's the right sound for the song is a different question, but when you need it, you'll be hard pressed to find it with another company.
This is something I've found new drummers struggle with. They get a kit and cymbals, even nice ones, and they are dissatisfied that the live drums in the room don't sound as "good" as what they hear on the albums they're used to.
Recorded drums sound very different from live drums. It's just something you get used to after a while, but for years as a young drummer it really bothered me until I finally mic'd my kit and was like "oooohhhhh".
Great point. That's one of the many reasons I recommend earplugs or muffs, especially to new drummers. Even cheap foam earplugs cut out lots of midrange frequencies and can make your drums sound more like a record.
