Boosey and Hawkes vs. Buffet Crampon
Well let see....
Can't give a recent view re. new to old soverigns...
But I can say that new 2052 prestiges (in my opinion!) do have the best valves I've tried, they are far easier to blow than the old ones (Stuffy). They do have a slightly smaller bell, therefore a slightly lighter sound to the York emminance and the red belled Sterlings. However I still find the new 2052 a slightly larger sound and a fair bit easier to blow to my round stamp B&H which was made with much thicker gauge brass. Intonation still a problem but workable, top end more open.
In fact I was thinking of changing to it..... from my 300mm heavy red brass bellled Virtuoso, for the valves. Although my Virtuoso is the perfect sound to me, I don't think I have enough air to make the most of it, I find 'PP' mid range playing I some times 'fluff' notes that I rarely miss on my old Soveriegn. But Paul at Sterling has helped me get the valves working as well as the new Prestige which has transformed it. The problem was due to the close fit of the valves the slightest contaminent of a different oil was making them sluggish, even though I washed & dried the valves when trying a different oil I needed to use a water soluble degreasent to get them clean! The other option I may do is to change to the standard gauge red brass bell...... Happy again.
Current Euphs:
York Eminence
Boosey & Hawkes Sovereign (Round Stamp/ Globe)
Boosey & Hawkes Imperial
Plus an attic of old classics in various states of repair!
Previous Euphs:
Besson Prestige (German)
Geneva Symphony
Wilson 2900 with Eminence leadpipe
Sterling Virtuoso (300 mm heavy red brass bell)
Cortios 167 II
'Gob Iron': Doug Elliott Euph 104 I 9s (plus a few others!)