Posted by Volker on September 07, 2002 at 09:55:58:
In Reply to: Re: If handmade is better - why? posted by Rick Denney on September 06, 2002 at 10:17:44:
Conn's text in the 1931 catalog says: "This instrument, like all other Conn instruments, is built by the famous Hydraulic Expension Process. This manufacturing process is particularly important in building sousaphones. By this process tapered branches are locked in steel dies, filled with cold water and subjected to the tremendous pressure of two tons per square inch. This irons out the tubing against the walls of the steel die until it conforms with absolute accuracy and produces a glassy-smooth inside surface for carrying the delicate tone waves. ........ No humps and wrinkles, such as occur under conventional methods of manufacture. This method of building is largely responsible for the richness, breadth and great volume of tone and the ease with which the instrument is played."
Sounds by far superior over hammering, right? - Or is it just an early kind of PR ?
However, the top pros all seem to strive for a handbuilt 13 - 14k tuba. Partly wasted money because of placebo or not? - That's still the question in general.
Is there any other musical instrument that is equally hard to analyse and design as far as the conditions for a certain desired sound quality result is concerned? The moon is conquered, whereas the last secrets of the tuba obviously still have to be revealed.