Sabian 21" AA Mantaray Chinese 21" China Cymbal

Sabian 21" AA MantaRay Chinese — Explosive Accent Voice With Quick Decay

The Sabian 21" AA MantaRay Chinese is a signature effects cymbal built for drummers who need an accent that hits hard and disappears fast. Developed in collaboration with Korn drummer Ray Luzier over more than a year, this asymmetric China cymbal grew from a real-world performance need: an accent voice that could cut through a powerful mix, make an immediate impact, and get out of the way without leaving excess wash behind. The result is a bold, musical China that sits naturally alongside the rest of the kit in both live and studio settings.

Forged from B20 bronze and voiced with a fast, trashy attack, the AA MantaRay delivers the aggression players expect from a China cymbal while keeping its pitch lower than brighter accent voices. Its distinctive asymmetric shape helps define a cutting character with strong projection and exceptionally quick decay, so accents register clearly and clear space for the next phrase.

Standout Features of the AA MantaRay Design

What sets this cymbal apart is the combination of its asymmetric MantaRay shape and the AA series' B20 bronze construction. The shape is more than visual — it shapes a bold, cutting voice with controlled projection. The AA series, named for the automatic anvils that bring it to life, has its bright, articulate foundation, and the MantaRay's specific voicing layers a darker fundamental tone on top of the classic China trashiness.

Construction & Materials — Built for Impact

The B20 bronze foundation gives the AA MantaRay the bright tone, tight responsiveness and dynamic range the AA series is known for, while the medium weight keeps the cymbal articulate and loud without becoming unwieldy. The asymmetric cut contributes to the cymbal's fast, explosive attack and quick sustain.

• Alloy: B20 bronze — bright, articulate foundation with dynamic versatility
• Weight: Medium — balanced response for articulate accents
• Construction: Asymmetrically cut — defines the cutting, trashy voice

Sound Character — Fast Attack, Quick Decay

The AA MantaRay is voiced for accents that make their point immediately. Its fast, explosive attack brings the aggression expected from a China, while the lower pitch distinguishes it from brighter accent voices. The quick decay keeps the sound from lingering over the next phrase, helping drummers punctuate fills, transitions and hard stops without adding unnecessary wash to the mix.

• Attack: Fast, explosive — immediate punctuation on every hit
• Sustain: Quick — clears space between successive accents
• Pitch: Lower — sits below brighter crashes and rides
• Character: Trashy — classic China disposition with a darker fundamental

Size, Series & Signature Identity

At 21 inches, the AA MantaRay sits in the larger end of the China category, giving it enough bell area for projection while keeping the response focused. As part of the AA series — the line that has defined Sabian since the company's founding — it carries the bright, articulate DNA the series is built on. The "RL" suffix in the catalog number 22116RL marks this as Ray Luzier's signature model.

• Diameter: 21" — large-format China with strong projection
• Series: AA — Sabian's flagship bright, articulate line
• Catalog ID: 22116RL — Ray Luzier signature designation
• Volume: Loud — projects clearly in dense live and studio mixes

Who Is It For

The 21" AA MantaRay Chinese is the right choice for rock, hard rock, heavy metal, alternative and nu-metal drummers who need an accent cymbal that cuts through a dense mix and decays fast enough to leave room for the next phrase. Players working in loud live environments — from club stages to arena rigs — will appreciate how the asymmetric shape and B20 bronze construction deliver a controlled, musical accent without long wash. Studio drummers tracking punchy, brief accents will find the same quick-decay character useful for keeping arrangements tight. Ray Luzier's signature voicing makes this cymbal especially appealing to drummers who want the Korn sound, but the design works for any player who needs a focused, explosive China voice.

Brand & Product Story

The AA series has been part of Sabian since the company's earliest days, named for the automatic anvils that bring it to life and known for its bright, articulate character. The MantaRay is Ray Luzier's signature cymbal, developed over more than a year of collaboration between Luzier and the artisans at Sabian. Inspired by a real performance need — an accent that could rise above crashes without harsh volume — the project produced a uniquely shaped China that balances projection with control for both stage and studio work.