Posted by Rick Denney on July 21, 2002 at 00:11:43:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Nothings easy! posted by TubaDave on July 19, 2002 at 16:35:29:
For a long time, I thought the Miraphone 186 was just about as good as any generally available BBb tuba on the market. (The operative word is available--there have been occasional instruments that are better but that you'd have a hard time buying at any given time.) The Miraphone had a blend of characteristics that seemed to make it versatile in a lot of situations. The intonation is excellent, and it produces a good sound without having to be a genius to do it.
The 191 is more of everything as has been said, including more demanding of air. You'll need lots of the free stuff to make that horn work. For a pro-quality player, the 191 could be the match of any BBb tuba. I blew a few notes on a 190 many years ago and went away from that experience wondering at the point of that instrument.
I find the Miraphone to have a clarity to the tone that is absent in the Meinl-Weston Model 25. The Miraphone produces the volume of sound that the Model 25 does but with the clarity of the smaller Model 18. This is my reaction only and a better player might draw a different conclusion.
I gladly traded a Sanders for a Miraphone and never regretted having done so. I bought a VMI stencil when I owned the Miraphone because it was a bit smaller and I thought at the time a bit easier to steer. After a couple of years, though, I found that the Miraphone was the instrument that kept going with me to gigs, and I sold the other one. That should tell you how I think those compare.
I've compared it with what I think is one of the better old-style King 2341's, and after playing the King for quite a while it was a relief to play the Miraphone for a while (and a relief again when I went from the Miraphone to the York Master).
My 186 is typical of the breed. Experts tell me that mine is about average among 186's, but I find that Miraphones are quite consistent.
The only tuba in current production that can be bought easily (and that I have played) that I would prefer to the Miraphone is the Willson, and that almost isn't a fair comparison. The new King is will liked but for some reason only one of them spoke to me to any extent at all.
Rick "rendering opinions not criticisms" Denney