Moonweasel-The angle of the bottom hat (using the adjuster on the hi hat stand) can also make a huge difference in the sound of the hats coming together.

Mike

Big +1 - What Mike said. Question... how do you play your hats? Heel down, or heel/toe, rocking your foot up and down? When I'm not using the hats in a groove/number, I'm using them to keep time. Most times I'm tapping out quarter notes on the hats and the 8's on my heel. Heel/toe, heel/toe, it helps me to keep a -steady- rhythm going during grooves, fills whatever. I like a crisp, dry 'chick' sound so I keep the cymbals fairly close and not a lot of angle on the bottom. Setting the angle underneath on the bottom cymbal let's you go from a wet, splashy sound, to a nice tight, dry sound. Experiment! You'll find a sound and set-up you'll like.

John