Is it just me (boom vs. straight)?

[Rhythmatist]

I'm just convinced that there is a drastic difference between the sound and response of cymbals when mounted on boom stands as opposed to straight. I was playing on a house kit this weekend that had a straight stand on which I mounted my 17" K Dark Crash. It just didn't have its typical full sound and it felt like it was hitting back (I made sure it wasn't being constricted in any way; wing nut not tight and plenty of free movement). I grabbed a boom stand from the car and I noticed a complete change. I'll attribute it to the slight give and isolation that a boom allows. I'm just wondering if anyone else has felt this. Or maybe I'm just nuts...

[Josiah]

Cymbal on a stand. Is cymbal on a stand.

Purely visually based placebo.

Easy enough to test. Have a buddy smack a few on a rack, straight stands, boom stands. Record them. See if you can tell the difference. It'd be even more fun if he didn't change anything....

My guess would be that the angle of the tilter and cymbal as a whole has a lot more to do with it then anything else. All things being equal, no way in the world you can call the difference in a blind test. Run the test and see for yourself, it only takes a simple setup and a buddy.

[Julián Fernández]

Didn´t Ersko commented on tonal differences on using flat base stands?

[DSOP]

You can probably feel the difference. Grasp the stand near the middle while you strike it. The boom stand probably absorbs energy in the boom while it moves ever so slightly. I still prefer straight stands if I can get away with it. Easier, quicker setup and less metal to haul around.

[Josiah]

That's a good idea about feeling the stand. I use a rack so the whole thing is moving around!

IMO with sound reinforcement, loud venues, etc it really doesn't matter. In quieter more intimate settings perhaps.

But 20' away nobody is going to notice. You got all the other instruments playing too.

[Julián Fernández]

IMO with sound reinforcement, loud venues, etc it really doesn't matter. In quieter more intimate settings perhaps.
But 20' away nobody is going to notice. You got all the other instruments playing too.

True, but that´s also true for drums and snares (how different sound a 1.5k snare from any $200 snare?)... It´s all about being confortable and inspired as a drummer, so if you have this funky stand with somekind of mojo, I´d say go for it...

[Josiah]

I disagree. Well you can definitely tell the difference between quality drums and cymbals, no doubt about it. Something to be said about the type of player who has high end gear, tunes well, etc...

But you're going to tell the difference between my 18" A Custom Projection crash on the Boom arm extended vs the Boom arm tucked away into the stand? At 100 db?! +

It's the same as asking, can you tell the difference if my snare basket is tight on the snare or it sits loose in the basket right?

[Julián Fernández]

After a really low threshold of money you´ll have a REALLY hard time telling the price range of the drums (cymbals are another story).

What I meant is that Rhythm is "convinced that there is a drastic difference between the sound and response of cymbals when mounted on boom stands as opposed to straight." the best thing he can do is going for it... If he feels right, the audience may not hear it, but the overall performance should be "better"...

[Josiah]

Perhaps so...

I have a little bead stuffed frog that has been on every gig with me possible, some he couldn't make it, but you know. Nobody hears the difference but I feel the difference when my little friend isn't there.

And for that, I would say, it doesn't matter what people think. Go with what you love.

[gretsch-o-rama]

I disagree. Well you can definitely tell the difference between quality drums and cymbals, no doubt about it. Something to be said about the type of player who has high end gear, tunes well, etc...

But you're going to tell the difference between my 18" A Custom Projection crash on the Boom arm extended vs the Boom arm tucked away into the stand? At 100 db?! +

It's the same as asking, can you tell the difference if my snare basket is tight on the snare or it sits loose in the basket right?

I can definitley tell between my own snare basket being loose or tight. Why do you think virtually every drum company has suspension mounting these days? Resonance is Resonance and is audible. Now if you ask me if another drummer's snare basket is loose or tight, that's a bit more difficult...