[BaraBara]

First of all, apologies for the poor quality of my playing:mrgreen:. Clips are attached.

Can you hear differences between those 3 clips? If so, what are they ?

All played with Ted Klum Focustone mouthpiece 103, with 3.5 Plasticover. Answers are down below:








122 is Reference 36
124 is Mark VI
127 is Buffet S1

 

[marc]

can't tell the difference ...

-> blow blow blow the one you prefer and practice ;-)

 

[jlima]

They all sound the same to me. It probably has to do with the synthetic reed and with the way you're blowing.
And if you don't mind, here's a little advice: play that tune MUCH slower and with more sustained notes.
Keep up the practice!

 

[swperry1]

Yeah, they pretty much sounded the same to me as well. Maybe 127 had a little more of an edge to it, but hard to tell in the short clip that didn't go to the end ranges of the horn. When comparing saxes you should play something you know inside and out, and that covers the full range of the horn.

 

[BaraBara]

Thanks everyone for your comments! I sure do need practicing. I also didn't feel there was not much difference and I was quite surprised actually that is why I posted those short clips. Jilma, as you certainly know, plasticover is not really a synthetic reed, it is a cane reed with a thin coating. BUt you are right I should test with a simple cane reed and see what how it goes.

 

[jlima]

Jilma, as you certainly know, plasticover is not really a synthetic reed, it is a cane reed with a thin coating. BUt you are right I should test with a simple cane reed and see what how it goes.

You're right about that, I wasn't as accurate as I could have been in my comment, but for me any kind of coating on a reed makes it immediately synthetic
Anyway, I think you got my point.

 

[mrpeebee]

I almost didn't hear a difference. For me 122 (Ref 36) sounded a bit darker than both others, the 124 (VI) a bit more singing in the upper register and the 127 (Buffet) just as the 122, but a tiny bit less dark. But again, almost no difference on my laptop speakers and cheap headphone.

 

[BaraBara]

Thanks for the comment MrPeeBee , I must add that the Reference 36 ergonomy is great compared with the other two.

 

[Locust Solus]

Where is Jared when is needed?.

 

[BaraBara]

Mark VI vs Selmer Reference 36 vs Buffet Crampon S1, 2 minutes soundclips, Round midnight

Hi again, I did 3 other recordings using a Lavoz medium instead of the plasticover this time. Can you hear differences between the 3 soundclips?

 

[arya44]

I didn't look to the answer. Just listened and quickly picked up the Mark VI sound. Then I listened back and forth and picked up the S1, and didn't know which is the other one but it sounded smoother than 227 (which makes sense to be a Ref 36 once I found out).
I found that Mark VI sound is always creating a dense core in the top portion of the sax body complimented by the fatness of the bell resonation (not much middle tube sound) which is opposite of S1. For S1 the middle frequency of the middle part of the sax body is more dominant that creates more mid-range frequency and some high-mid frequency.
Ref 36 has a more dominant bell resonation than upper or middle part of the sax body and I think that's why most of the high and mid notes are so smooth.

 

[arya44]

Re: Mark VI vs Selmer Reference 36 vs Buffet Crampon S1, 2 minutes soundclips, Round midnight

Hi again, I did 3 other recordings using a Lavoz medium instead of the plasticover this time. Can you hear differences between the 3 soundclips?

So what are the ones for the second take? 141 Mark VI, 145 S1, 144 Ref 36? This one is even harder to tell. How do you like your S1? Does it sound thin sounding to you?

 

[Ballad Kid]

I find the Buffet to have the least overtones and richest in the body/lower frequencies.

I find the Mark VI to have the widest range of harmonics, the "clearest", the most prominent on the buzz of the reed.

And I find the Ref 36 to be the most buttery (by buttery I don't mean dark, I mean smooth with less buzz).

Any given player could like any one of them the best and I would not argue....it's personal taste.

To be heard in the back of the hall the best, to stand out above other instruments I would pick Mark VI.

And finally, reed and mouthpiece choices could make a much larger difference in sound.