I was looking for an affordable set to replace my B20 alloy Meinl MCS set. I already owned an Istanbul 18" medium crash which suited me perfectly so Istanbul cymbals were a logical choice. I found some positive criticism on the XIST series to be an affordable, versatile and great sounding series of cymbal, and they have not disappointed.
I use them for blues, funk, rock and reggae style drumming.
Downsides:
Rather thin alloy
Very long sustain on the ride
Ride bell is kind of dull
Upsides:
Decent price
Very clean and reactive hi-hats
Awesome crash
Versatile
Overall they seem well manufactured
Overall I am really happy with the set. I am looking to upgrade by changing to a B20 alloy ride, probably Paiste 2002, for the shorter sustain and clear bell. In the meantime I have a moongel damper pad on the ride which shortens the sustain and that works well for me. All in all the set is great value for most styles of drumming.