Mark VI VS Yamaha YTS-23: Which sounds better to you? 

You make them both sound fantastic! I had to close my eyes to hear differences. IMHO the Yamaha sounds brighter, less complex, less jazzybuzzy.

Amazing .I really enjoyed it :D,. i liked them both, but you can really hear some of the richness more pleasantly from the Mark IV in the slower melodies

95% of your listeners will never know the difference...Get a solid Yamaha and Save your money. The player and MP set up make it what it is.

Yamaha 23 for me. In Yamaha's quest to wrestle the begginer market from Seller Bundy, they actually created a pro horn. I'm starting to see more & more videos of 23 vs VI, & rightfully so.

From what I can hear through my quite cheap headphones, the selmer has more of that sultry smouldering sound. I always associate them as having this weight to the sound. The YTS is brighter sounding. Both are very good.

Hallo Dustin, Your playing is very elegant and firm. You can can make any beginner sax sound like a professional one. As for the brightness of the Yamaha ( which I personally do prefer), it can be easily modified by the position or thickness of the reed or by placing the right moutpiece. Anyway thanks for your time and and energy. You're a great player !!!

You sound awesome on both, man!!! Love your smooth chromatic execution. You've got me runnin' to the 'shed, Dustin...

Hello, I play my Mark 6 since 1970 and, honestly can't ear important differences. Both are very good and similar for me. In short, I believe the good player can make good sound with all good professional brand..Conn, Martin,King,Rampone &Cazzani, Yanagisawa, Yamaha, and many other brands. Yes have many different keys solutions, like all of us have different hands and fingers... Very good demo video,thank you.

I wanted to add something. I purchased a Yamaha YTS-23 about 10 years ago. Slightly used at a music store called Music and Arts. I got a good deal on it because it was slightly used as a rental. I started to learn it and wanted to play a song for my mother in law and she died and i felt so bad i just put the instrument in storage. Anyway, I've been pretty ill with sinus and ear infections but after watching your video I am setting a goal to get better and to start learning and playing this great instrument.The meds I'm on aren't really doing it for me but i am now setting a positive goal to feel better, I'm praying to the Lord above and also thinking being positive will really really help me. I didn't know how good the YTS-23 is until I saw your video! I have a great instrument and I;'m going to learn it and get proficient. I'm 63 years old but I can do it! Thanks! Your informative and positive video about the YTS-23 really helped me. I think I can start trying again in maybe 2 weeks.

For my middle school band (I’m in 8th grade) I’ve played multiple tenors I’ve played two different selmer bundys I’ve played a mark 6 and my current one is a yts 23 the selmer was amazing to play I feel like it had the best tone but the yts 23 felt better to hold and actually play and the tone isn’t much worse plus it’s A LOT cheaper so honestly I think I’ll take the yts 23 over the mark 6

I have owned a ton of horns over the years(3 VI's, a VII, 10M, YTS-23,61,62,82Z and lots of others). I currently play a YTS-23 and while it does have a brighter sound overall, it is well setup and is the easiest to play, most in tune horn I have ever owned. Sound wise I prefer the Mark VI.

Both great, Selmer goes very soft, and has many beautiful moments, but also quirky at times. Yamaha intonation and clarity striking.

More mid focus and especially high mids on the Yamaha. Expected. Low mid focused yet open the Selmer with looser bass. Expected too. Both nice. (Selmer nailed the In a sentimental mood tone...)

I liked them both. I play a YTS-62, but if I had plenty of $$ I'd buy a Mark VI too!. It's hard to tell much difference over speakers on YT.

Hi.. Both horns are good.. The selmer is better.. But not by much.. which l was surprised.. l own a 62 and a Ref 54.. And my 54 is definitely better then the 62.. But yet again l sound like me on both.. Lol.. I think mouthpiece and reed set up make a huge difference.. Great video..

Tengo un YTS23 y soy principiante, el Mark lo escuche más profundo y redondo… siempre quise ver esa comparación. Muchas gracias Maestro

Yes, the Mark vi, is the king of saxophones (in this example, his sound is warmer and rounder than the Yam.), but is the king for jazz.. While the SA sii is the king for pop and rock, and may be, the SA siii it is for Classic music. BUT, there are other brands like J. Keilwerth, Buescher Yanis, Yamaha, Borgani, etc, etc .. very, very close in all aspects (and very lower prices.. except Yanagisawa) Thanks for your exclt stuf!

Great demo.. Tenor VI have fatter,richer tone,,no comparaison. Y23 still sounded really good,,but with a rather thinner sound! Still ,,i also agree that Y23 are the finest student sax to start on! All the best Thanks Mario

Love it! Can I like this 1000x? 🎷

Do you have a video on how maybe different brands of mouth pieces might change the tone. I read that Stan Getz used a certain brand of hard rubber mouth pieced or actually different brands of hard rubber mouth pieces I think to get different tonal qualities. Maybe the mouth pieces makes a difference in the tonal qualities between the Selmer and the Yamaha? I was looking online and saw some hard rubber mouth pieces really get pricey. For someone like me does it really matter? Maybe in a month i might be able to play a tune like row row row your boat! Anyway I hooked to laptop to better speakers and am amazed how good the YTS-23 sounds. What mouth piece do you use for it. Is it the factory one?

i previously owned a Selmer SA80 II and now use a Yamaha Custom Z Mark II with a Theo Wanner Brahma 7* mouthpiece and this setup is powerful. There’re definite sounds differences between two, but it’s also about response and feedback from the horn and of course feel and key action. My alto is a Yanagisawa AW030 and plays very well top to bottom which is why I may consider a Yanagisawa Tenor in the future.

I really enjoyed your informative video. I am thinking of getting a YTS 23 OR 275. I am however a little confused; how important is having a F# key on a tenor sax?. If not is it difficult for a beginner to achieve? Thank you John

Hello Dustin, For me, I find that the MARK VI has a softer sound and the YTS-23 is definitely brighter. I have had a YTS-23 for 40 years and about twenty years ago I bought a Yamaha YTS-875 the latter compared to a Selmer reference 54 are very close (the price also by the way) to my YTS- 23 I unlacquer it and since then it has a terrible sound ! and it is unbeatable in the superacute. In the bass it's obvious the Mark VI, the reference 54 and the yamaha YTS -875 and other prestigious saxophones are much more efficient (the price too) Thank you very much for this comparison you are a great saxophonist and in my opinion a lot sax will sound great in your hands 🎷😎👍

Yamaha don't have nothing to envidiate to Selmer. In my situation only Im playing 2 years and hope play like you on future mr Hellen. Kind regards from CHILE Many thanks

I have listened to this video several times, and I think beyond the fact they both sound amazing, the main difference is the Selmer Mark VI just sounds more balanced. With the YTS, the higher tones seen to cut through and be the dominant sound, it just sounds a lot brighter. But, the Mark VI sounds a lot more balanced and rounded.

This might be silly question, but does the oxidation on the Selmer Mark VI contribute to the tone being more mellow than the Yamaha YTS-23?

Very obvious difference. The MVI is centered and clean on every note vs. the YTS23 which “sprays” the notes out. Great comparison

Amazing, show the important the trade mark Yamaha, and the music man are important to execute .

What mouthpiece are you using? I’m trying to decide my next for my yts

At one time I had both a Mark VI and a YTS-21. I preferred the 21.

Selmer has been invented pretty much for jazz. It has a very pleasant tone. YTS-23 is better for pop music provided that you used the same mouthpiece and read. It is also louder.

Hey Dustin, which tenor did you have to adjust the most for good intonation? That, I think, may be a big difference in the 2. Great video and playing thanks

Your setup to compliment your style of playing is just as important as the instrument. Sometimes you can’t find the differences until YOU play it. Here’s another comparison you’ll enjoy. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-x383vfm2fuY.html

Mk6 for me. Fatter and more expression, but I guess it depends on which you play all the time as that'll sound the best. Would be interesting to swap the necks and see if the sound follows it. Doubt if a casual listener would ID the differences though. I have 62 and Z, both great saxes. :-D

The Mark VI sounds better to my ears- more rich. The Yamaha sounds great too though! I would like to buy one eventually.

"People say Selmer is just a convenience, it's a standard response due to the mystique of the brand. However, Yamaha has shown much more beauty and brightness in sound. I prefer Yamaha."

A real good comparisson, exactly the same phrases, quickly interchanged.

I think only downside of 23 is simplified mechanic of left pinky (and probably lack of high f#, but i suppose lower notes you need more on tenor). Otherwise, it is a great instrument for its price. Well-built and tuned well.

Great demo thank you. For me the MK Vi shaded it in terms of dept and quality of sound imho if that makes sense. I doubt if the casual listener could differentiate . I wonder how closer it would be if you compared the Mkvi to a professional Yamaha say the YTS 62. I've played a number of quality saxes ,Keilwerth, Martin and now play a generic Taiwanise which has great ergonomics and tone. When I change instrument after a while I just sound like me again and friends can't differentiate between my sound on one sax or the other. It makes changing the instrument on the basis of perceived better sound/tone a bit of a luxury. Just my two cents.

Ripping mate. How many years until I can make those sounds??? My Yamaha yts23 supposed to arrive today and I’ve never played a sax before haha

Did you find Altissimo to be dependable and accessible on the YTS 23?

I am so amazing that both saxophone sound so good. Just a little different, at certain speed. I guess the Yamaha sound brighter. In fact I own a YTS 23 and Selmer seriers 2 tenor. Both are my favour.

Wow very interesting and great comparison ! I guess it depends if you value the slight difference when played by a good player to $7,000 ? Never played the Selmer, but the Yamaha is indeed great even for some gigs, if you can play well. The Yamaha sound is very good for the money if you can say so. But at the coffee break, it does sound better when you say "... I play the Selmer ..." 🙂

The MK VI is better but not by nearly as much as I would’ve thought so given the price of either one I’d have to go with the 26.

Selmer has more core and darker sound. If you want that and most people do the Selmer is a better sound. Try the yamaha 875 custom against the Selmer mark 6. I play s silver plated 875 custom. I would find that very interesting 🤔

I'm the original owner of a 220 series VI. Bought it at a local music store in the early 70's for $680.00. I had a YTS-23 for about 5 years as a back up and lugging to school sax. While there is no argument that a well trained pro player can get a great sound out of just about any horn, that isn't the only metric by which a saxophone is judged. My VI, while not quite a "killer" as was often the moniker of the best of the best VI's and SBA's. It served me will in big bands, jazz combo, wind ensemble, solo recitals, pop/R&B/funk bands. thousands of hours of practice. When I'm gone and it gets sold to someone else, it's not going to get a wacky 5 figure dollar amount, but it will serve someone else for several more decades as a great playing, great sounding saxophone. If that person cares for it, it may serve another generation. I can testify to that because I have a 13,XXX series Super Sax alto that is approaching 100 years old. I dare say, my YTS-23 while it sounded good, I highly doubted the longevity of the instrument. It served me well for those 5 years, but I couldn't sell it fast enough because...it didn't feel sturdy and strong like my VI. Today there are many manufactures producing fantastic saxophones, even Yamaha for quite some time now. Even back in the 50's and 60's there was a debate between guys who played Conn, King and Selmer. The King of saxophones is the one that calls to you to be taken out of the case and played. All the other stuff is personal preference and in some cases brand loyalty. Mark Colby said he wouldn't play anything but Selmer saxes. He had a "KILLER" Reference 54 and a gold plated VI. That was his choice. We sax players can make any sax sound good. I just don't see the point of these comparisons, other than an attempt bash the Selmer Mk VI. Don't knock the horn if haven't owned or played one. Knock the guys who think they should get $10-15K for a 60-70 yr old sax.

I’ve owned several mark VI horns over the years some are great and I’ve had some that were too difficult for intonation. Hell the were out of tune, no matter who played it. The Japanese horn were so consistently lively. I love them. The German sax was too heavy for me with a more muscular sound but too heavy and different center of balance for me. I won’t go near a China horn but the Taiwan horns have promise I’m not that experienced on those.

It takes a player to get what an instrument has to offer out into the ears of the audience, but strangely not all players are caught up in tone. Well it seems strange to an amateur tone-lover like me, but of course, as with other tonally flexible instruments (violins) the top players are often more concerned with the expressive range of an instrument rather than its intrinsic bias. The thing is, I think you had more freedom of expression with the VI. That plus the intrinsic tonal qualities mentioned by some here and a player can be justified in their willingness to pay thousands extra for that 5% difference. I'm not a tenor guy, but I can usually tell when someone is using a VI soprano. If they are bringing out its intrinsic tendencies, I will be able to ID it. That only matters if you've got to have that sound or that flexibility, and a lot of people can do without the former, and run screaming from the latter.

I play a Yamaha 62 tenor. I have owned a Mark 6 tenor but it just was not the right horn.

Would be cool to hear a comparison between the MkVi and an 82Zii. Also, the Mark VI was out of tune in the top register above G

afeter a couple of tunes.. any listener, even the most aged ternosirt would say is a nice tone that of YTS23. I think they both sound great. As alwyas is the musician, not the instrument. I could say the same from some cheap chinesse horn although they are imrpving their copies.

What we can't tell is how it Feels to play each instrument. Most musicians know that Finding that " just right" Instrument can enhance expression And creativity.

What mouthpiece were you using in this video?

I liked them both the selmer is more fat, rich, creamy and pronounced more deep all threw the horn. But the Yamaha and the Yanagasawa are beautiful also.

For me the Yamaha was much brighter and very obviously so just in the first one or two samples. I like the warmth of the Selmer for jazz and the brighter and harsher sound of the Yamaha for jazz/funk/fusion. A lot would also depend on the venue if live and the mix if recorded. And of course you can colour the tone of both saxes by changing the mouthpiece. I'd buy the new Yamaha.

The Yamaha 23 punches so far above it's own weight. The 23 simply has a little more edge and projection while the Mark VI is definitely a warmer tone but, I doubt most people would hear that difference. I owned a couple of 23s and still play a 1981 Yamaha YTS-62 and a 1991 YTS-32 as well as a big bore Elkhart which is pretty much a Selmer Mark VII.

I can't tell. Been playing 48 years and owned a lotta saxes and house is full of sax records and honestly cannot tell . 😅

Its not the sax but the player...You were awesome.

Where was the YTS23 made? Reason I ask is because I found one to purchase but it's made in China, not Japan.

The Yamaha sounds edgier, and has less warmth in it's tone. The Selmer, has this dark and vibrant tone that I really like. But to be honest, Yamaha builds really good and affordable horns. And I am biased because I own Yamaha and Selmer horns.

The Yamaha...hands down. The sound is fuller, rounder and slightly brighter.

You could switch the audio tracks between the videos and you would still mostly get the same comments. No one will say the Yamaha sounds as good as a MK VI if they think they know which track is which! Try it some time!

Mark VI definitely sounds better, however the price difference - yikes! Fortunately I bought one back in the day for less than half that😂

Personally, I prefer the sound of your Mark VI, as someone who loves jazz, but does not play the saxophone. It seems to have a softer attack, and a smoother, rounder tone. The action of the keys does seem to be relatively louder, though (not sure if keys are louder or horn is quieter). On the practical side, I don't care what saxophone Coltrane used. It's the music. And I would take the Yamaha, if I could get it cheap enough (since I don't play, but want to learn, and am a major cheapskate). The scales happened to be most useful for comparing tones, because it was non-musical and switched rapidly from one sax to the next (quickly switching back and forth over the exact same notes, is the key).

The Mark V1 is the better sound. I suspect that in a wider, more spacious venue it would carry farther even with a darker sound!

excuse me, is it possible to reach altissimo with the yts23?

Mark VI by a mile--it has that heart, that center to each note. But your playing is very good, and both horns sound nice...which goes to show, it's the player, mostly (FWIW, I own a Mark VI).

pour la différence de prix le YTS23 is better, $900 or $6000 for mark6

La diferencia de precio NO ESTA SOLO EN SONIDO, pero en la duradera del instrumento sin dañarse con los años y con el uso, porque por el sonido el Yamaha YTS23 no es que gana, pero es muy parecido al otro y son 1000€ no 6000€😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😁😁😁😁😁👍👍👍👍

The Selmer Mk VI is still king👍

I actually like the Yamaha better, surprisingly 😮

I would prefer Yamaha for standing out in a band and Selmer for stand-alone or piano accompaniment.

I've played a YTS 62 for the last 6 years, along with another lad who played V1. To be honest ,onlookers found no difference whatsoever. I've also played the V1, but found the YTs easier to play. They are both fantastic machines so its really down to the player and individuel opinion.

Yes the difference in sounds is very little. You are using same Mouthpiece and Reed I hope. Now it’s to be seen that the key mechanism are smooth and would last how long in life. Mark Vi has that small edge in sound

I prefer the yts 23

Mark VI sounds great but Yamaha is much cheaper and for a beginner like me is much more appropriate

All tenor saxophones sound the same as long as they are in fully order. The sound comes from the mouthpiece, the reed and the player.

I'll take the Yamaha and a cool motorcycle over the VI! Have had a Vi and sold it for a yts 61.

selmer more responsive to "breathy" articulation?

I think we can’t judge from video recording. At some point Yamaha sounds better to me.

Man, that Selmer's tone is soft, bright, dark, warm, and edgy where it supposed to be.

so close. for reasons of playerbility gonna go with the yam.

Could be this comparing horns is getting to be like comparing players. They are both good etc. but one makes more $. Horns are cheap. Try buying a Stradivarius . Or ask if people who don't know or care if they can tell the difference blindfolded.

Seller I'm sure feels better in the hands but I couldn't hear much a difference in sound.

O custo benefício não vale a pena,só uma questão de status,não adianta ter um canhão pra atirar num Pardal .

The mouthpiece is not student model, and your audio capture is high end. Are you using a tube pre-amp? Compression? Limiter? So. It is misleading to imply that the student model horn is on par with a pro horn if your audio treatment is influencing what we hear on RU-vid.

Very little disernable difference IMHO. If you want a piece of history buy the mk6, if you want a reliable modern good looking sax and by adapting reeds mp,s excetera get the sound you want, buy the Yam!

I prefer the Selmer.

The same.

i think without difference between both saxophone, your mouth is amazing instrument.

Mark 6 super sound Yamaha ambizioso

I had a YTS 23 for 10 years with a OL 9 MP RR reed 5, check my channel Shakin all over live performance. 🐊

All these people claiming that they can hear the difference I think are just experiencing placebo effects. I have a $1,000 speaker system and they both sound like...saxophones (could be because of youtube's compression algorithm or could be the actual horns). The biggest factor in the sound of the instrument is the shape of the mouthpiece. However, they might feel very different to the player. One might be easier to play, the palm keys might be easier to reach, the low Bb maybe comes out more quickly, lastly, it just might resonate in your head and body a little differently. I don't buy into the Mark VI hype... I'd rather get something newer. Technology has advanced a lot in the past 60+ years, I'm sure saxophone makers have figured out a thing our two since then and that's why a cheap-ish student model now sounds like a top of the line horn from 1955.

Do all saxophonists' neck inflate like his? I'm afraid of what's to come...

What is the point of comparing a student model saxophone to a professional saxophone? They aren't supposed to sound the same!

the 6 is more accurate

Selmer has core depth that the Yamaha lacks.

youd sound like you no matter what saxophone you stuck your mouthpiece on..

Although the YTS-23 did sound very well however it does not possess that great, round & warm Selmer tone, especially like the King , the MKVI

Selmer Mark 6s are over rated horns. Conn 10Ms are the best horns.