I hate them sometimes because some drummers don't have either the right technique or the right cymbal for the task at hand. Live and studio cymbals should be sussed out carefully. I think an under discussed topic is the way digital tracking and phase issues affects cymbals or the air of the kit, especially in a stereo image.On the other hand, I kinda agree, I'm starting to really study and get to know how the signal chain and placement with OVH's and Room mics can make your drum kit breathe instead of a close mic sound with buried cymbals. My favorite cymbal tones are QOTSA rated r Hi Hat, its loud, but so unobtrusive and cohesive with the mix. Weedeater god luck and good speed has a great cymbal tone, but kiko really knows his cymbals and steve knows his room and mics.It's also songwriting and tempo, are those big metal bastards just floppin around the whole time or are they controlled?Blablabla

In most rock and metal albums it sounds like the cymbals are not even there.Not to be a wise ass but You might want to get Your hearing checked, especially if you spend a lot of time around super loud cymbals. I know that my hf hearing is not what it used to be.

There's alot of aspects of a live kit that some producers and engineers intentionally tone down. As someone mentioned, the cymbals ringing too long or being too loud interferes with some of the intelligibility of the other instruments (particularly vocals or some of the percussive nature of other instruments like guitars during staccato stuff or whatever). It's the same thing with bass drums, in a room, the bass drum is always boomy and has alot of oomph. On recordings, they're usually mixed pretty low or clicky sounding, and I think that it's probably due to producers/ engineers looking to cut more overall level to recordings without needles skipping out of grooves or dB meters going crazy. Ultimately though, I think that the emphasis is on snare work--if you listen to alot of recordings, the snare is front and center, and bass drums, toms, cymbals and hats are mixed lower. I've thought that toms aren't loud or warm enough on alot of records these days. I will state, though, that sometimes you have to make adjustments or compromises in order to get everything to sit well in a mix, and that sometimes not everything can be as loud as you want it to be, because usually if something else comes up, something else may have to come down.