[_cpancake]

The important part isn't the alloy. I mean, yeah, it gives them a leg up - but there's nobody willing to put in the time and money to figure out what's in their cymbals, because it's just more worth it to make your own.

The Zildjian name is more valuable than any of their cymbals. If you don't buy Zildjian cymbals, it's because they're too expensive, or it's because you don't like the sound. It's a better idea for a company to go and make a cymbal that fills one of the other niches in the market than to try to replace Zildjian.

It's sort of like Coca-Cola's secret recipe. If you wanted to put the time and effort into it, you could figure out what's in it. But why bother? Coca-Cola's success is due to the brand, not to the taste.