Even though I'm a rocker, I value my cymbals more.My cymbals work well together in the several sub-genres of rock and blues that I play and have elicited many nice comments from listeners and others who have had a chance to play them. It took a long time to get it just right: When I think about acquiring another cymbal (rarely brand new), it's with the condition that it will be auditioned with its potential mates. A cymbal that is exquisite on its own won't make the cut if it doesn't sound good with what I already have.I suppose I'm a cymbal snob. I can approximate "my" sound on different drums, but I'm out of my comfort zone on different cymbals. I can deal with that at a jam, but I'd prefer to bring my own for a real gig. At the very least, I'd want the 14" New Beat hats that I've been using since 1977. They have a very creamy and giving feel under the sticks that I've found to be rare in other hats (even New Beats) that I've played.

Solid comment Mark. I find cymbals very hard to chose. Like you, I can get a host of decent snare drums to sound fine. Cymbals are a battle and maybe that because they reflect normal family behavior. :)If I had to drop one or the other, the cymbals go long before the snare drum. In fact, just hats with snare and bass will take you 90% of the way with a lot of forms of music.