Miraphone M9000 Ambassador BBb

[brownhunter]

Has anyone seen this horn out in the field?

I'm curious about it. Â*Sort of a EEb British style, and it's user interface is very akin to a classic Euphonium, ie compensating, and right side 4th valve.

I'm wondering how the form factor/configuration translates into performance.

On paper (virtual or other wise) seems neat -- to have a horn like this with the BBb range, but *maybe* pretty nimble. I'm kind of digging the classic piston position too. I like the top orientation (as opposed to front). Â*Looking on the net at least, I haven't seen a BBb like it (esp with the side 4th valve) in that configuration.

[brownhunter]

thinking about it harder and remembering finally.... Besson also makes such a configuration in a Sovereign model... and York... Makes sense, traditional British config.... and Yamaha... Looks like Miraphone is going directly for the British market

[fmanola]

There are also some Chinese clones of these horns out there. Schiller has both BBb and EEb 3+1 configurations. Tuba Exchange has an EEb, as does TubaMM (all of these EEbs may well be stencils of the same design, but I haven't seen them personally).

I've noticed a fair number of older Besson BBb tubas on eBay recently as well (some of them 3 valve compensating models).

--Frank