Posted by Thesis on January 29, 2004 at 05:48:31:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Anyone knows this tuba? posted by Hermann on January 28, 2004 at 03:06:02:
On 2):
Valves certainly have a huge influence on sound output. It is a great mystery to me, that the sound coming out through rotary valves at all can be acceptable. After all the air-path is badly distorted through the valves. But then some engineers calculated that the hummingbird couldn't fly.
Generally pistons distort the air-path less. The optimal pistons are the #1, #3, and #4 ones on American style front action baritones, tubas, and sousaphones. The tubing of these valves is long enough to pass around the piston block. That allows for entries into and exits from the pistons, which only deviate 45° from the main air-path. That is why US sousaphones are superior to those from European makers. The latters only adapt the pistons from their top action piston tuba models.
But then compensating 3+1P tubas should be stuffy. Some find they are so. But I don't find, that the Besson 981 Eb tuba is stuffy.
On 3):
Please read my text linked to below here.
Klaus