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Hello. I am trying to find info. on the Miraphone 185. I googled it but came up with VERY little regarding specs. How does it compare to the 186? Why aren't these horns made anymore? Any and all info. would be greatly appreciated.









Ralph

A quick search of the "old" tubenet reveals the following. This is consistent with what I remembered also.

Posted by Olden Days Guy on January 02, 2002 at 15:22:58:

In Reply to: Re: Miraphone 184,5,6 specs? posted by js on January 02, 2002 at 02:01:44:

Olden days (all assume 4v CC):

186: Bell: 16.5" Bore: 0.770" Height: 40" Weight: 18 lbs.
185: Bell: 15" Bore: 0.740" Height: 39" Weight: 18 lbs.
184: Bell: 14.5" Bore: 0.705" Height: 38" Weight: 15.5 lbs.

Today, the 186 has a larger bell -- about 17.75" diameter, but the same bore. Today, (IIRC) the "new" 184 has the .705 bore of the "old" 184, but the 15" bell of the "old" 185.

Cheers,

A have a student with a CC 185 and he sounds quite good on it. Also, I played a BBb version when I was in high school (school owned). I personally really like them and would love to have one for quintets. For my taste, it is too small to use as my primary instrument. However, if you mosty do small ensembles it would be a good horn. In the not too distant past when tubists played one tuba for everything (no F tuba), this was often the horn of choice.

Do they make 185s anymore? I don't think so... but Mirafone may reintroduce it again. The 184, which is even smaller, has been put back into production. You never know, the 185 could follow.

I have been told that when Miraphones were first imported, the bore on the 184, 185 and 186 was the same, .770.

Anybody familiar with that?

The 185 was a tweener between the 184 and 186. I like them.

It sounds less "gruff" than the 184, less "big" than the 186. It's a very clear sounding CC which is about the size of a modern F tuba only with a smaller bell.

Since people seem to think the 186 is a small 4/4, and bigger is better , I kinda doubt Miraphone will reintroduce it. I think the 184 more than covers the "super cool little quintet horn" niche for Miraphone. I also find the 184 to have lots more personality and zip than the 185.

I'm sure Miraphone would make one for you if you ordered one.

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I'd be willing to bet that 99% of the Miraphone 185s out there came through one of the following paths:

--Tennessee Tech/ Students of R. Winston Morris
--Students of Tommy Johnson
--Students of Jim Self