Originally Posted by
davewerden
I'm at a disadvantage in this discussion because I have not yet tried either the E3 or the short-action valves. But here are some ideas.
Less-dense sound.
Complicated topic! First, I want a less-dense sound than the Willson. It has a great core and consistent tone, but it's hard to move it outside its own particular sound box. By my Adams, which is an E1 with sterling silver bell and .60 brass, was extremely close to my Sterling with heavy red-brass bell, but with slightly more projection. I would not have been willing to give up the great Sterling sound, even with Adams' better response and intonation. So it could be the metal choice, or the thickness (you can find the thickness stamped on the receiver), or the E3's natural differences. The heavier-metal in the E2 has been the best for denseness of sound.
There is also a difference in concept of sound production, at least on the E1 series I'm most familiar with. Adams' approach is to make sure the horn can resonate consistently through its entire length, which is partly why they hand-form tubing from sheet brass. Anyway, I've found that if you are used to forcing the sound to some extent, that is the wrong approach on my horn. You cooperate with the horn and "feel" the resonance as you play.
Response.
The AGR certainly affects this, and you should experiment with it. When I'm wandering around trade shows and trying random horns (including other Adams models) I find the Adams is slightly better in response over the low/middle range than the best of the others. I'd call the response in the high range less of a stand-out, but even that is interesting. It did seem like a little more work to hit a high Bb, for example. But on the other hand, after I got used to the horn a bit more I found that I could do things in the high range that I could not do dependably on my Sterling (or Bessons before), such as playing the very last phrase in Bydlo at least a full dynamic level softer. I don't know if the E3 model or short-action valves affect this quality.
Valve appearance.
I have to say, Adams valves are not as pretty as others. I'm not sure why. I know they are working on that facet. But when clean, the action is very quick and dependable and I don't detect any signs of leakage. This is the 4th Adams horn I've had for long-term or semi-long-term use and that has been consistent. I'll make sure Adams does not forget about this factor. While the valves are high quality functionally, it is still important to have a high-quality appearance in my book.
Intonation.
I requested mine with a slightly shorter tuning slide (main), after ordering such a slide for my previous horn. It does the trick for me, and I have never found the horn too low after it is warmed up.
Physical weight.
This makes me think you have thinner metal, but it could also be the weight difference of a trigger (you did not mention which horn has one or doesn't have one).