Trumpet Comparison 2: large bore horns

cyber_shake · Heavyweight Member Joined: 16 Jan 2006 Posts: 769

3/12/2012

Hi gang,

I just did a quick video comparison of 4 large bore trumpets for your listening pleasure:
- Leblanc 727 Herriot
- Selmer Claude Gordon
- Getzen 90PB Power Bore
- Romeo Adaci Referenz

Which do you like best?

http://youtu.be/WUrjY_0SIgE

*** If possible, listen with good headphone ... most computer speakers or earbuds don't have the dynamic range to hear much difference...[/url]
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yourbrass · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 6:59 am Post subject:

You are a very consistent player. They sound very similar to one another.

stanton · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 9:15 am Post subject:

Great comparison. IMO I liked the Herriot and the Claude Gordon the best. It seems as if you centered the notes better on those two. In some examples I liked one and other examples the other.

I thought that the Getzen and the Romeo were a little "choked" in sound by comparison to the first two. JMO.

SK
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Dale Proctor · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 9:17 am Post subject:

Thanks for posting this. Even before your summation, I thought the Getzen had the best sound overall.
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jiarby · Heavyweight Member Joined: 08 Jul 2011 Posts: 1188

The sound on that Getzen sounds much more dampened to me. Sounds heavy.
The CG Selmer sounds like it is transmitting more energy out the bell... Like it is nimbler with a Ferrari suspension, but brighter
The Harriot... meh... middle of the road
The Adaci: I liked this one the best overall. It wasn't too bright, and sounded even across the registers.

Retlaw · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 10:08 am Post subject:

Nice comparison...just shows how much influence the player has on the sound...

At one stage I was uncertain but had ruled out the Romeo.... I turned my back and just listened until I lost track of which horn was which. At one point I decided I really like the clear open sound....and turned around. It was the Leblanc...amazing how much I was listening with my eyes. I wouldn't naturally choose an upturned bell and in a way had dismissed it.....

Walter
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jiarby · Heavyweight Member Joined: 08 Jul 2011 Posts: 1188

Looks like it is all over the place...

So, like beauty, a good sound is in the eye (ear) of the beholder. We all have different opinions about what we heard.

crzytptman · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 1:19 pm Post subject:

The clear winner to me is the Selmer, with the Leblanc a close second. The Getzen didn't sound good at all, and the Romeo sounded dull and lifeless.

Your comments regarding the Getzen I feel would best be applied to the Selmer. Just remember, if it sounds real bright to the player it's probably just right out front.

Of course, my critique doesn't take into account what PVA and adjusting mpc gap would do. I wouldn't believe those would change the Selmer or Leblanc for the worse, but most likely improve the other two.
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Capt.Kirk · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Feb 2009 Posts: 5792

Wow!!! Who knew???? I love the Leblanc 727 it is just a little bit darker,denser and fuller very smooth sounding. I have seen them before but never heard one played before now by someone that played well. You sound fantastic!

For me the Selmer CG would prob. be my second choice.

The Getzen Power Bore and the RAR sound so very close to me that over the laptop speaker's and my headphones if I did not have my eye's open I doubt I could tell the difference. Every horn sounded very excellent not a dog in the bunch from the bell side! I bias towards a slightly darker and denser sound then most and that is why I chose the two horns I did. To be honest though I would not have a problem owning any of those horns and would anyone of those 4 would more then likely become a "favorite" in no time!

I would be interested in hearing a description of what the LeBlanc 727 plays like behind the bell?!?!
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Winghorn · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 3:33 pm Post subject:

Leblanc 727. No contest.

Steve Allison

gregplo · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 5:44 pm Post subject:

Over my Cambridge Soundworks speakers, the LeBlanc was my overall preference for sure. I did not care for the Selmer Claude Gordon in most cases. To my ears, and through my speakers, it felt like the Romeo Adaci was the most accurate, but I liked the overall sound of the Getzen more.

Leblanc
Getzen
Romeo Adaci
Selmer
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Capt.Kirk · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Feb 2009 Posts: 5792

This was one of the tougher horn pick's because all of them sound fantastic and you are very consistent. All of the horns had something I liked about the sound.

Seeing different they all are from each other it was amazing how similar they sounded really. Normally when you get 4 distinctly different horns together their is a much larger variation in their sounds. In a large venue especially with out a mic and playing in a group I doubt you could tell the difference in the audience between these horns once past the 3rd row.

I also bias towards .465-.470 so no surprise that I liked the sound of all of these.

Did LeBlanc make the 727 in a non-tip up model as well?

Thanks for the recording it is likely I will not get a chance to own any of these horns so it was fantastic just to hear them! Real ear candy!
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Locutus2k · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:25 am Post subject:

Selmer Claude Gordon is my favorite in the video. All very close, though. Except the Getzen that sounds "stuffy" in comparison.
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cyber_shake · Heavyweight Member Joined: 16 Jan 2006 Posts: 769

thanks for the replies ... so far

interesting how different people like different things. i posted the same video on trumpetmaster and more over there like the Getzen Power Bore!

some 'behind the horn' thoughts:
- Leblanc BH 727 (also made a 707 Sonic w/out the tilt that could be L or ML bore) was made by Courtois = the easiest of the 4 to play. very open and easy to make it 'speak'. super fast valves. it sounds really bright when I'm playing (as in, more than the other 3). Tilted-bell changes the balance and is the most taxing to play long periods because it feels bell-heavy.

- Selmer CG = super light horn. you can feel it vibrate in your hands. takes a bit more air support than the rest, but it doesn't waste me any quicker than the others. very easy to play and has a huge dynamic range. valves are good, but probably the heaviest feeling valves of the group (even with the thinner waifer finger buttons) ... theough they are even and responsive = no problem. sound thicker but bright while playing.

- Getzen 90PB = not stuffy to play at all. very open feeling, but does not sizzle like the silver horns. it opens up more above high A, and it easier to play high that the others. someone mentioned in the past it sounded the most Bach-like ... don't know about that, but it sounds warmer to me (not dull or stuffy, though it sounds more that way to the listener). Old roller-valves are light feeling but slower responding to the rest. intonation is 'wilder' on this horn that the others.

- Romeo Adaci Referenz = heaviest feeling of the group. very centered notes and the best slotting of the group. valves are medium-weight and feel fairly fast, though they may not be fully broken-in and seem to be getting faster with age. I don't hear the overtones while playing this horn that I do with the others. Higher notes soar but don't sizzle. But I feel more confident playing this horn over the other 3.

I really like all 4, and don't think that I'd sell any of them. The Leblanc is new to me in the last month and I have to say is the biggest surprise. Crazy nice playing horn ... must be that French brass that I've heard so much about. The Selmer CG is so light that your arms never get tired (if only that were true of my chops!) and it has a sweet/thicker mid volume sound that is noticeably different than the rest while playing. I love the 90PB's custom finish from Tom Green, so visually it is my favorite and I like how it opens as you go up the scale. It does have the most restricted 'blow' of these 4, but it is way more open feeling than my Getzen Sev ML bore axe. The Romeo Adaci cost more than the other 3 combined, so I expect a lot out of it. If playing with my combo, I would pick this horn over the others, probably because I've played it more and have the highest comfort level with this horn ...

I have a great problem ... I have them all and like them all. Every day I get to choose between some really good playing axes.
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Schagerl LU5A
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richardwy · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 6:16 am Post subject:

Any but the Le Blanc.
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Locutus2k · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 6:21 am Post subject:

Don Lee · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 2:46 pm Post subject:

Is there a Trumpet Comparison 1?

cyber_shake · Heavyweight Member Joined: 16 Jan 2006 Posts: 769