Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

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Ferguson
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Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by Ferguson »

I haven't yet heard much chatter about the newest BBb tuba from Miraphone, the model 496 Hagen. (Say it like "hoggen".) This is a 5/4 size rotary 4-valve tuba and it is enormous. The Hagen 496 is 0.835" bore with a 17.7" bell, which is not extreme, but the body is huge. A 5-valve version may be available next year. I just received two and got to test them out. They play, I like. I believe these two are tuned for A443, but an A440 version is now listed. Those will have slightly longer ferrules on the main tuning slide.

Miraphone also offers a 6/4 size version of the Hagen, called the model 497. The 497 is nearly twice the money, but is closely related to Miraphone's other large BBb, the Siegfried. I haven't seen one of those yet.

Here's a 188 CC next to the 496 Hagen.

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Here's a 291 Bruckner CC next to the 496 Hagen.

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-F
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by Heavy_Metal »

must......... look............away............................................
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Old (early 1900s?) Alexander BBb proto-163
1976 Sonora (B&S 101) 4-rotor BBb
1964 Conn 20J/21J BBb (one body, both bells)
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bort
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by bort »

Maybe just me... but I think the 188 looks better.
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by MartyNeilan »

bort wrote:Maybe just me... but I think the 188 looks better.
Yeah, but nobody plays CC tubas anymore.
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by toobagrowl »

The Hagen 5/4 BBb looks like Miraphone's version of the B&S GR-51/55 BBb to me, except with a larger valve bore :idea:
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bort
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by bort »

toobagrowl wrote:The Hagen 5/4 BBb looks like Miraphone's version of the B&S GR-51/55 BBb to me, except with a larger valve bore :idea:
I read this as: "this looks like a tuba that Germans will buy."
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by tubeast »

This sure is a beautiful horn, and I´m already looking forward to testing one.
As mentioned elsewhere on this forum: I like tall horns rather than chubby ones.

On a side note: If You want to pronounce "Hagen" the way the manufacturer does, think of the vowel "a" as pronounced in "sun", only 2-3 times as long.
Also think "g" as in "go", not as in "gentle".

I also am happy that there is a chance this German product most likely adheres to exhaust Standards.
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by Wu299 »

I played one of these at a Miraphone stand at an competition in Czech republic and it surprised me how easy to was to play this horn. It is pretty light-weighted and has a fairly fast response. I believe I played the 6/4 model, though I am not entirely sure. It was enourmous, though. Overall it felt like playing 3/4 tuba, except twice the size (and "slight" difference in how much air it swallows).
Take this with a grain of salt, though, I am just an inexperienced student :oops: .
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Ken Crawford
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by Ken Crawford »

It's a Miraphone clone of the B&S...those Germans, always copying everyone else...
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by bisontuba »

kmorgancraw wrote:It's a Miraphone clone of the B&S...those Germans, always copying everyone else...

Similar but different... Beautiful tuba..
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by Bob Kolada »

Who else wants to hear one crank out low E's followed by low G's?
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by oldpatterns »

We went to the Miraphone factory this June. My son got to try a 4/4 size version of the Hagen. He really liked how it played. So if the 6/4 and the 5/4 version are too big for you, there is a smaller one coming out in another year :) We had a great tour from the person who designs there tubas. It was a schlep from Munich - but it was the highlight of my son's trip!

-michelle
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by Beans&Tuba »

The bugle looks simular to my 289
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by Steve Marcus »

bloke wrote:
Their model 98 Siegfried sure is crazy-good !

Miraphone seems to be running ahead of the curve on upscale BBb tubas...
It would be very interesting to compare the Siegfried 98 ( which IS a marvelous tuba) and the Hagen 497 side by side.
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by Ferguson »

I know, pics or it didn't happen...

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-F
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by bisontuba »

Beautiful horn....
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by Roger Lewis »

It is possible that I will have a 495, 496 and 497 along with the Siegfried at Midwest this year. Miraphone is working hard at getting these 3 horns to me in time for the show. I'll try to keep you posted.

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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by The Big Ben »

Bob Kolada wrote:Who else wants to hear one crank out low E's followed by low G's?
Raises hand: "Me, me!"
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by bububassboner »

bloke wrote:Regardless of resemblance to a Markneukirchen design, originality, or lack thereof...
Man you think Americans are picky about silly things like the key of the horn you should come out here. I have, no joke, seen players out here not even pick up a horn because it doesn't "look right". First time I saw this was with an Alexander double tuba. Okay, well that is an interesting design so maybe I understand that. The last time time I saw it was at the musikmesse and was in regard to the Miraphone Siegfried. The guy was listening to me play it and I asked he he wanted to try it. He said "No, it has too many valves and doesn't look like a Kaiser tuba."

Part of me feels that they are releasing this line of tubas because they know that looks, for a lot of players out here, are just as or more important than how it plays.

I haven't played the 6/4 or 4/4, but I have played the 5/4 and its a killer horn.
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Re: Miraphone 496 Hagen 5/4 BBb Tuba

Post by pjv »

From the Miraphone FaceBook page.
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