Posted by Rick Denney on November 06, 2002 at 19:34:53:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: What about these piston tubas...???? posted by Marty w/ question on November 06, 2002 at 19:24:02:
Height may be part of it, but I'd bet that shape is a bigger part. The tall-bell tubas have a bell shape like an exponential horn loudspeaker, while the fat-belled tubas have a shape more like a bi-radial hown loudspeaker. Exponential horns are noted for their ability to project, while bi-radial horns are noted for their sense of omnipresent warmth. Sound familiar?
My York Master has the bi-radial shape, but at 39" it is only two inches shorter than the bell on my Miraphone 186. But the sound is completely different on those instruments.
Rick "who favors the fat-belled design" Denney