chronolith wrote:My Miraphone 181 F has the hands-down best rotary valves I have ever played. Perfect mix of solid landing without feeling too light or short on the stroke. Trilling on the horn has zero valve noise or interruption of air. Sounds more like a bass clarinet trill!
Shoot, well now I really want to scrap up some more money to buy this!
Rick Denney wrote:The valves on my Vespro (VMI stencil) had a nasty habit of becoming locked by dried spit if I didn't play it every day.
Perhaps that's the German "encouragement" to get you to practice every day.
I like them all all fast but different...Willson F has rotax valves like a machine. HB-6 short throw big paddles. PT 20 long throw less definite feel had unibal linkages installed
B&SPT 20 \ Willson F\ Hirsbrunner HB6\ Schiller Euph
Quincy Symphony
Melrose Symphony Orchestra
MIT Summer Philharmonic
Randolph Community Band
I like the five Rotax rotary valves on my Willson 3050RZ CC. Fifth is for the left hand.
I have had only two problems in six years. The first problem was the first time that I lost a bumper at a rehearsal and didn't have a replacement. Another problem was when I disassembled the valves for cleaning and found one of the rotors out of alignment by about 15 degrees.
Dean E
[S]tudy politics and war, that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. Our sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy . . . in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry [and] music. . . . John Adams (1780)
TubaTinker wrote:I play mostly on piston tubas but I also own what I think is the very best style of rotary tuba... the Marzan 'slant-rotor' with the original string action.
Regarding sousaphone68's comment about the string linkage possibly being inferior with respect to engineering... you need to get your hands on one of these horns and try it for yourself. Possibly more common would be the Walter Sear string-action tubas that were also marketed in the early 70's.
I've owned the Walter Sear horns with the string-action but did not spent nearly the time with them as I have with the Marzan. The string-action on the Marzan is super fast and smooth. From an engineering perspective... the strings afford a 100% harmonic motion as compared to solid linkage. There is no 'fast and slow' period in the rotation of the rotor and the moments of inertia seem to remain constant except for the instants where the stop arm strikes the bumpers. Also... the paddle height can be usually be adjusted without bending the paddle assemblies.
I have one of those Walter Sear string-action tubas (a CC) -- got it new in '74 -- very nice valves! (and everything else ) Have always liked the string linkage ... never considered having it changed.
"Don't take life so serious, son. It ain't nohow permanent." -- Pogo (via Walt Kelly)
I have recently been playing on the new miraphone 181 'bel canto' gold brass f tuba. For someone who was never a huge user or fan of rotary valves , I'm incredibly impressed. Fast , smooth, quiet. Really superb! To be fair, the pistons on my 1293 are also great. Well done miraphone!!
Miraphone Bruckner CC
Miraphone Bel Canto F
Besson EEb 982
) Have always liked the string linkage ... never considered having it changed.