Posted by Chuck on October 31, 2002 at 19:09:24:
In Reply to: hirsbrunner rotors vs miraphone rotors posted by Jim Langenberg on October 31, 2002 at 17:56:45:
Miraphone 186 vs. Hirsbrunner HB-6?
that's a BIG difference in size of horn. If you're used to using your 186 for lots of different things, you'll probably find that the HB-6 won't be as versatile. I've owned an HB-6 for a few years and it's a fantastic tuba, but I really don't like using it in brass quintets. I think that a fantastic rotary valved all-around tuba is the Hirsbrunner HB-2.
Anyway, when you ask about how the rotors compare, do you mean the valves themselves? If so, the Hirsbrunner valves have varied from era to era. My HB-6 has the nylon core valves, which are light and fast, but they stick if I play outdoors in weather above 85 degrees (the nylon core swells). I usually use my Cerveny Piggy for outdoor concerts anyway, so it doesn't make any difference to me. I owned a Miraphone 188 with fantastic valves for a number of years before I bought my HB-6. The valves were lower maintenance on the 188, but the speed of the valves themselves are no different. I have to oil the valves on the HB once every couple of months, and the 188 I only did if I felt like it. They always worked well.
If you're talking about how Miraphone rotary horns compare to Hirsbrunner rotary horns, they're just different. I personally like Hirsbrunner rotary horns better than their piston horns, but that's just me. I would rather own an HB-2 rotary than a Miraphone 188 or 186. The sound is more what I prefer, and I think that you can push more sound with the HB-2 than you can with either of the Miraphones. I really like my HB-6 a lot. I can't imagine any Miraphone ever competing with it.
My 2 cents (and then some...)
-ck
flame away!!!