Is it common to filter top end off hi hats?

[thesis]

I've done it before (cutting the high freqs off) for some tunes, after playing them on a big system and noticing some of my hihats sounded a little harsh. I've used this for individual sounds and also applied it to the whole drumkit submix.

Really depends on what else is going on in the tune, if you're going to cut the hihats it should be for a reason, eg. I've used it for tunes that have lots of keys/synths that fill up the mid-to-high range. I'm aiming for a warmer sound these days, trying to go easy on the sharp hihats etc.

Sometimes the hihat is critical to a tune (eg Breakage - Together) and I wouldn't touch it!

[grooki]

What does seem tricky to balance is having nice hi-hats that shine, but don't destroy peoples ears... I am erring on the side of quieter hihats myself these days

[nowaysj]

I wouldn't call these syncro hats shine, anything but. Grunky.

[grooki]

I wouldn't call these syncro hats shine, anything but. Grunky.

Sorry I meant shiny hihats, not those synkro ones. I bit off topic I guess I like grunky too.