pistons vs rotors

[Alex C]

Yes, I agree with the previous post. Rotary valves do cause a ...b u m p

[mTaUrBkA]

it's a complete preference.....if one was truelly better than the other companies wouldn't make both!

[adam0408]

I listen to a lot of players. Most of my friends in school play piston tubas like Jupiter.

I think the really good tuba players play rotory tubas.

Piston tuba players just arent as good.

I play a rotory Jupiter, btw.

(OK, I know I shouldn't feed the trolls, but couldn't resist) You mean like piston horn players (in no particular order) Alan Baer, Carol Jantsch, Sam Pilafian, Pat Sheridan, etc... just to name a few.

To add to your list: Joel Adams... (heh)

I believe mazda had a rotary engine about twenty years ago that really didnt work out too well. Pistons just seem superior. They have a rotary in their new sportscar, so we'll see how well that holds up.

[clagar777]

Maybe we should discuss whether pistons or rotors are better for specific cases. For instance, I have have heard (from two very credible sources) that the PT-6 is a better horn with rotors. And, the CSO Yorks are better with pistons I happen to play a piston instrument but I am going to be looking into a new horn and I have no PRE-ference.

[TexTuba]

Well I have played both pistons and rotors. After MUCH deliberation, I have come to only one conclusion: I LOVE BEER!!!

Ralph

[clagar777]

Well I have played both pistons and rotors. After MUCH deliberation, I have come to only one conclusion: I LOVE BEER!!!

Ralph

Can or bottle though?

[windshieldbug]

I believe mazda had a rotary engine about twenty years ago that really didnt work out too well. Pistons just seem superior. They have a rotary in their new sportscar, so we'll see how well that holds up.

"Piston engine go boing boing boing boing boing boing boing boing
Mazda engine go hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!"

[TubaRay]

Well I have played both pistons and rotors. After MUCH deliberation, I have come to only one conclusion: I LOVE BEER!!!
Ralph

This should resolve the issue concerning whether or not Ralph is a tuba player. Conclusively!!!

[corbasse]

Well I have played both pistons and rotors. After MUCH deliberation, I have come to only one conclusion: I LOVE BEER!!!

Ralph

Can or bottle though?

Neither:

[Onebaplayer]

Personally, I prefer to store beer in my stomach... and to a much earlier post about pros playing rotors.. Jeff Anderson.. SF Symphony. He also is my answer to the post about most PT-6 players preferring the rotors. I played both recently and cant believe anyone would buy a PT-6P. Then I listen to Carol Jantsch and then I know why someone might. Personal preference makes it very difficult to get good by buying what all the pros use.

[Steve Marcus]

"Piston engine go boing boing boing boing boing boing boing boing
Mazda engine go hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!"

I remember that jingle. I sang it (and played the bluegrass-type accompaniment on my digital piano) for my son, who owns a 1987 RX-7. He was 3 years old when that car was built and when that jingle was on the radio.

But his dad plays primarily piston tubas.

Steve "who has much less aversion to rotors after recently test-playing some fine rotor F tubas" Marcus

[Chuck(G)]

I thought that it was the clean air standards that forced Mazda to withdraw the rotary engine from production.

In any case, the rotary is hardly dead at Mazda:

http://www.rotarynews.com/

[Tom Holtz]

Jeff Anderson.. SF Symphony. He also is my answer to the post about most PT-6 players preferring the rotors.

That dude is the answer. He got game.

Either PT-6 is a big f-ing tuba. Different strokes for different folks.

Start posting food.

[iiipopes]

The irony, of course, is that the "Pist-on" picture is a rotary instrument!

I want a compensating tuba with double decker rotaries for the comp loops. I just wonder what the response would be with the inertia of twice as much mass per rotor!

[Dan Schultz]

I thought that it was the clean air standards that forced Mazda to withdraw the rotary engine from production.

Early versions (RX-2, RX-3, and RX-4) had problems with the oil seals,

The oil seals caused problems but the real issue was heat build-up in the rotor that destroyed the combustion/compression seals (like the rings in conventional engines). I had a Suzuki rotary motorcycle in the mid 70's that overcame the issue by circulating oil THROUGH the rotor to get rid of the heat. For only 437cc's, that bike had some power!

[Rick Denney]

Early versions (RX-2, RX-3, and RX-4) had problems with the oil seals, as well as not being very fuel-efficient for their size. Once Mazda dealt with the oil seal issue and repositioned the Wankel as a performance engine, they did pretty well.

I knew a guy who had an RX-7 back in the early 1980's - he claimed that the engine would rev to 14,000 rpm...

I used to race against RX-2's in my class, and they were unstoppable. With a relatively unmodified engine, they would pull and make power all the way to redline, which was an arbitrary limit since they would continue to make power until the engine exploded. They routinely ran them 12,000 RPM's. They only installed open exhaust systems and high-flow induction. They were the loudest cars on the track, but a healthy margin. My own Toyota 2T-C race engine, which had daytona-style exhaust, sounded like a street car by comparison.

Rick "performance engine indeed" Denney

[windshieldbug]

I just wonder what the response would be with the inertia of twice as much mass per rotor!

Can you say "double french horn"?

[windshieldbug]

They were the loudest cars on the track, but a healthy margin

I remember those babies... I think they may have started noise regulations all by themselves!