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I'm a college student (studying music ed) finally looking to buy my own tuba. With a limited price range, I've been looking almost exclusively at used horns but still haven't really been finding much that I would be able to afford and wouldn't be a step down from what I have. A friend of mine who's opinion I trust recently told me to look into getting a MACK or MM tuba. Obviously, as a broke college student, I found the low price of the MACK 210 appealing, but I want to be sure I'm not going backwards with what I've already got. At the university I go to I've been renting a St. Pete 202n from the school. While the horn is OK and gets the job done, that's pretty much all it is. Please leave your opinions on what you think the best course of action would be.

I have owned both. I thought I would like the big bore feel of the 202n but just did not take to it. I was also always fighting the rotors.

I now play a Mack 210. It is not fair to compare them as the 210 was new, and the St. Pete was well well used. However, I have not doubted my transition to the Mack one bit. I found the fit and finish of the Mack to be on par if not better than expected. The rotors are nice and smooth. What sold it for me was hearing Tom play the horn on his Youtube channel.
I am not a professional, just a hobbiest. When I get enough pennies pushed together I will buy another Miraphone 191.

David