I played Tom's new S901 throughout our first set Sunday afternoon (the Golden Eagle Jazz Band at Steamers Cafe, Fullerton, CA).
Wow!! The horn was every bit as nice as my S992. I compared the two side-by-side, visually and by playing them. No difference in the sound, response, or scale (so much for bronze vs. brass!).
Cosmetically and mechanically, there were a couple of differences . . . the upper octave mechanism, of course, being that the S901 has a fixed straight neck. Secondly, the S901 lacks a hi-G (no big deal) and the S901's pearls felt a bit more round than did the flatter pearls on my S992, but I doubt that is a deliberate change among various models. The rest of the horns looked identical.
Thanks, Tom, for the opportunity to play a great soprano. Best of luck with it. DAVE