Most inefficient 5/4 or 6/4 tuba

[gwwilk]

Well,
In my experience, the Rudolf Meinl 5/4 BBb that I have is the most air efficient Tuba
I have ever played. I have found it's the easiest to start a note, and the best horn
I have played to get a good soft PPP tone.
I can hold low notes longer and the high notes just go on forever on one lung full.
I will be selling my Miraphoney 1291 copy, it's so inferior to the Rudy.

My Miraphone Contrabass Trombone is the air hog,
I think it's the lack of resistance that causes that.
You can get "support" to your buzz if the tuba has some resistance.

Some would disbelieve this based on their brief flailing around on such tubas. Learning to drive them can be very rewarding. My challenge to the 'efficient tuba' crowd is to play each line of the Tonguing warm-up in Michael Davis' '20 Minute Warm-Up Routine' (pages 8-9) in one breath on their 'efficient' tuba. I try to do this on my RM Bayreuth each time I warm up. Sure, it requires backing way off on the volume, but If I succeed all the way through the last line on page 9 in this fashion I know I'm getting the most out of my embouchure and air. I think it's not really the just tuba that's efficient, but also the player.