That was really interesting. Even on my iPhone speaker I could tell the difference and immediately grade each one. Normally I’m the “they all sound the same” guy but maybe because your sound is so mega on your six I could almost feel the restriction in my vocal tract on the JP when you played. I was vicariously living the experience of playing each horn through you. Odd. I also intuitively felt your ideas were flowing more smoothly through the six, which is totally “duh” of course!
I liked the third one best! You could really easily tell the student horn was #2, but I think intermediate and up are very difficult to tell apart. I was surprised at how dark the third horn sounded comparatively
Ok this is my guess without knowing the answer ... 1. Cheapest jean Paul 2. Mark 6 3. Mid tier jean paul sax Ok I got it totally wrong....just goes to show they sound the same to the listener.
Interesting you selected Jean Paul as intermediate horn instead of something like Yamaha YAS-480, the real go to intermediate horn I like to compare any horn for better or worse
Are the recordings dry? It might be easier to tell the difference without any effects. I guess that means they sound pretty similar. But is that because you’re such an accomplished sax player? Would a beginner be able to get the same results from all three?
My thoughts before the unveiling: 1 and 3 sound so similar I think they have to be the JP's but I can't tell which one is which JP. #2 sounds less bright with warmer mids. As for ranking - don't know that I could. They all sounded good to me.
2 sounds very stuffy. I’m going to guess 1 is the six because your intonation seemed slightly more in check on 1 than the other 2, possibly because you are more used to the intonation tendencies of the six than the Jean Pauls.
1st sax a bit too thin sounding. 2nd sax a bit to studfy sounding 3rd sax probably the best balance of top end brightness and yet full body. Not surprised sax 3 was the jupiter. For some reason I always seam to like the sound of a jupiter. This would be a fun test to add in a few more saxea. Maybe a Yamaha 62, Better sax, yanagisawa, and a reference 54
I knew the first one was the Mark VI…couldn’t tell much difference between #2 and 3 though #3 looked like it played a little easier…I recently had the opportunity to play a ton of saxes from a group of 4 Mark VIs from different eras from 1956-1973, and a whole range of other pro, intermediate, and student models…I recorded them and then listened back later…while there were some differences, I expected a bigger disparity…which led to my conclusion about saxes…especially when I had to explain to my wife why I needed a 3rd sax (Yani AWO33) in addition to my Mark VI and YAS-62…she felt they all sounded the same…my response was/is, it’s like riding a horse…you can watch me ride a horse with different saddles and even without a saddle, and you won’t see a difference in my ride…but for me, there will be a huge difference…My Mark VI is a beast and so much fun to play, but it is like riding bare back where there are certain notes that need to be tamed big time to make it all sound good…my Yani pretty much plays itself and the ergonomics are unmatched…like wearing a glove. My YAS-62 has been my oldest horn and just feels really comfortable, but it never feels quite the way I want it to…
For what they are, I was pretty impressed with both the jean pauls. On the Mark VI scale, I think you get about $600-worth for the AS-400. I'd say the AS-860S is worth about $2500. The Mark VI obviously has tone at both the bottom and top ends that are worth the additional $2500-if you are working to get to the pro level. I'm thinking that they don't all have the same pads which would make the a difference in the overall tone in all 3 horns.
The real question is which one feels best to play? We can compare sound all day, but unless the horn feels great in my hands, it's no deal! Great shredding, Dave! :)
Awesome comparison! I thought #3 was the hands down best in sound. Quite happy to find out that it doesn't come at Mark VI prices. Thanks so much for the video! Really enjoyed the playing.
Mark VI was a toss up between 1 and 3 but the scoop note on 2nd song indicated #1 was your horn. There are certain things you can only do with perfection on your own baby, and that scoop note was it
I've always felt dumb with videos like this lol... I was half watching this while doing something else and I couldn't even tell when the saxophones switched during the blind portions. I do believe that it's mostly about the player and kinda the mouthpiece.
It was really obvious which one was which, but I feel like you can have similar results with just playing three different mkVI's. What makes the mkVI great are its imperfections, which make the instrument very personal once you find the one that just works for you. The 500$ is a little lower quality sound wise, but the 1500$ one can easily be brought on stage. Great job!
I focussed on warmth and breadth of tone and thought #2 and #3 were the MarkIV. Wrong! I guessed right on the last example, so there doesn't seem to be much between them to my ears. I think you have such a strong and consistent sound concept that you manage to even things out wither way. Anyway: you still have the planet's most beautiful alto sound. Thanks for the post!
I liked the mellower tone of #2 most, but the dynamics of #3. I got the Mark VI & the JP AS400 mixed, partly because the high notes seemed clearer on the JP. Ha.
It's obvious that the Selmer is #1. You just seemed more relaxed playing on it and it's tone quality is just better then the other two. That's always the case with an instrument you know well. The differences in #2 and #3 are stark. The #2 horn has a darker tone quality to it but it still sounds great. #3 has a nice rich, but also darker tone that is better then #2. I would say that #2 is the student sax and # 3 is the pro sax from Jean Paul. They all sound great though. I think the difference in sound quality between #1 and #3 is so small that the Jean Paul is worth it just because of the great value of the horn compared to the high cost of the Selmer, and I kinda like the rich, slightly darker tones of the Jean Paul. And your playing is amazing.
Wondering why you did7play exactly the same thing on each sax, clearly the playing on the vi was more embellished and soulful. Maybe not a true comparison?
I go with 3. Question for me is always sound.But build quality is really important! Is the metal too soft to hold an adjustment for 6 months? Are the pivot screws the same type as Selmer, Yanigisawa, Yamaha, Kielwurth . If they are the same as Mauriat, for example, you will be in the shop to have the rods swedged, and that is big money. I own a Mauriat and had proper screws put in. Expensive but now I´m not going in to the shop every 6 weeks.Thanks Dave-excellent demo.
1,3,2 the Jean Paul's sounded pretty similar through the crappy speakers in my TV. The Mark VI sounded brighter and cleaner even with stickers all over it. To be fair put stickers on the JPs and do it again. The Jean Paul's still sounded pretty good, due to an awesome player and the awesome 10MFan mouthpiece.
I actually guessed this correctly. To the listener, the main difference is the low-end component of the sound. The Mark 6 sounds dark with really deep, rich lower notes. The student horn sounds a relatively thin and bright but still good (you're a great player). The more expensive Sam Ash horn sounds somewhere in between.
In the beginning, I was super convinced that number 3 was the mark vi, but once you played the ballad it was pretty obvious after going back and fourth between number 1 and 3 that 1 was the mark vi. You just sounded so relaxed and comfortable on number 1 on the ballad. I immediately knew that number 2 was the student model, and I'm sure everyone could agree
I've been thinking about buying a JP, but from the first notes of the first video I started wanting a Mark VI for the first time. It's surely got more overtones going on - it's sweeter, richer. When you slide between notes there's much more going on tonally than with the 860s. Some of your Mark VI keys might need new pads or something though. Anyway, this was very interesting, thanks.
#2 sounds more stuffy and didn't sound as good as the other 2 when compared - hard to tell any difference between all 3 on the real fast passages. On their own they each sound good with you playing - I took a chance and bought an inexpensive tenor this last year and have been glad to have a playable sax to enjoy.
Wow, in the beginning I liked 3 the best than 2. And 1. Last minute I could not decide between which I liked best between 1 and 3, 2 was at last place. It’s crazy how similar they all are to me! Says a lot about the player 🙏🏽
The Mark VI definitely stood out from the rest in this blind test. It had a character that wasn’t present in the other 2 horns. It was much closer betw the other 2 and took a little bit more critical listening to make out that the 3rd horn had a slightly thicker sound and a slightly more unique character overall than the 2nd one. 2nd one sounded just a tad thinner but the difference is really minute and one would be hard pressed to distinguish that difference readily. You sounded great on all 3 that’s the bottom line! 😂
I don't think this test is fair. Two from the same company and one from another one. The level of appreciation of a sound is purely subjective. The player could be influenced by personal preference and play with different emphasis on each instrument.
My thoughts as I listen: I'm just not going to comment on #1 until I have a comparison, but I like your tone. Very modern and direct, but with a not inconsiderable touch of Desmond. #2 Definitely a darker sound, and maybe a little less complex. No, no, as I listen more, something sounds off, and my wild guess is that you aren't very comfortable on this sax. #3 is brighter again, but still warm. The 'off' sound is gone again. Rewinding to compare #1 to #3 directly... and you could tell me these are the same horn and I wouldn't argue. You sound like you on both (which is hardly surprising). After listening to the other covered samples I have nothing further to add, except ew to that one low note on #2. I assume you own the Mark VI and play it regularly? If that is correct, then I predict #2 is the cheapie. I have no guesses on the other two. I'm glad you talked about the feel as a consideration in deciding whether a more expensive instrument is 'worth it'. I will say, technical details are far from everything with the feel of the instrument. Maintenance condition is absolutely very important, but if we assume an instrument is in good maintenance, the bore of the sax matters a great deal in how it feels even if the direct impact on your tone is surprisingly small. You can have a Mark VI, a Keilwerth Toneking, and a Conn 6M of the same era overhauled at the same tech at the same time with the same materials, and they will still be very obviously different instruments to any decent player. Since you play a VI, I'm guessing you'd like the Selmer the most. I'd very likely prefer the Keilwerth. It's all a matter of taste. Good video though.
For me, #2 had a stuffy, non-resonant sound so guessing this is the As-400. #1 and #3 were similar but #1 had more of a depth in the sound, so guessing #1 is the MkVI.
