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John Pooler
Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2013
The utility of the SB5-9 depends on how you use it. If you have to practice near others and have no choice, the mute greatly reduces the volume emanating from the trombone, making it possible to practice in a hotel room, dorm room, household etc. without disturbing others. That is the good, and perhaps the only good thing about it. I have been using a previous model of the Yamaha Silent Brass (ST7) for well over ten years. It developed an electrical connection problem so I purchased the newer SB5-9, thinking it would be at least as good. Not so.On the bass trombone I play, back pressure in the middle register is not a problem, but it becomes bothersome the lower you go. C below the staff is the most noticeable. If you are practicing alone, pitch may not be relevant, but the mute raises the pitch. I have to pull the tuning slide all the way out to avoid being sharp. The sound through the headphones is somewhat distorted, but a lot more realistic than the otherwise highly muted sound from outside. I recommend using standard head phones rather than the ear buds that come with the unit. Now for the really bad part: For most of my practice I play along with CDs (e.g. some old Music Minus Ones, Hal Leonard series, regular recordings of various sorts). Unlike the old ST7 that had separate volume controls for the CD input, the mute input plus an overall volume level that controls both, the SB5-9 has only a single volume control. This makes it impossible to balance a CD with the mute input. If the volume is set so you can hear the mute input, the CD blasts your ears off. If you turn the volume down to get the CD right, you can’t hear the mute input.Bottom line: If you absolutely have to mute the volume to prevent disturbing others, mute alone works. But if you want to play with CDs, try to find a used ST7 somewhere.
Gordon Coulson
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2013
The mute sometimes falls out if not tightly pushed in. The writing (console labeling) is difficult to read when attached to your belt.Apart from these couple of niggles the product is excellent (if not a little expensive) Great to use with a CD player attached. Tuning is good when mute is attached. I expected it to be quite sharp, but was pleasantly surprised with the intonation.
Rick
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2012
This practice system works just as advertised - you can hear yourself play but it's very quiet for everyone else. My only complaints are fairly minor:1) It's heavy - your left arm gets tired before your chops do.2) It's easy to get tangled up in the wires, especially if you're using an MP3 player. This is a small trade-off, however, since playing along with an MP3 in your own virtual world is GREAT.3) The volume isn't loud enough - I find myself playing forte all the time just to hear what I'm playing. I wish the console had more power to provide more volume.4) I'm not sure how long the console will last - it's not flimsy but it's also not the high quality construction I'd expect from Yamaha.Other than the above, I love the system (as do my wife and son) and I'm practicing a lot more - which is the whole point. One final thing, another comment I read stated that you should play without the mute as well so you don't get accustomed to the resistance - I don't find this much of an issue. The mute is very free blowing and I didn't notice much difference in range, tone, etc. when playing the music with an ensemble. (My 2 cents...)
Horn Player
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2011
The Silent Brass system is probably the coolest thing EVER. It actually works, and if you practice your instrument a lot, and have to worry about people getting annoyed with your practicing, I highly recommend getting a Silent Brass system. It is fantastic. It makes my horn almost silent, and the quality of sound that comes through the electronic box is very, very good. Additionally, if you are a French horn player who also plays mellophone in the marching season, the trombone system is the one to buy - it fits both instruments.
Jonathan gray moore
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2011
I bought this to practice in my apartment. It sounded pretty good for the first 5 minutes. Then it stopped worked. It seemed like there was a loose connection as the sound would cut on and off. After about 30 minutes of reading through the manual and turning it on and off and trying multiple cables I am giving up.
KK
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2011
Apparently, no one wants to hear a trombone at 6:00 AM. The Silent Brass System allows me that practice time without disturbing family and neighbors. As a professional trombone player with a day job, the most effective time for me to practice is early morning during the week. The resistance is much less than any other mute I've used before. I can also add play-along recordings and a metronome through the control unit. It's a great product and worth the price.
Michael
Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2005
Quite frankly, the Silent Brass System (SBS) is not worth a dollar. Sure, it may keep your son or daughter's sound down, but the resistance the SBS gives back to the player is HORRIBLE. This is coming from an experienced trombone player. Not only does the SBS give back WAY TO MUCH resistance (making the trombone harder to play), but, if a person practices only with the SBS, they can come dependent to the way they have to change their embouchure to gel with the silent brass system. If a student, or anyone, becomes dependent on the SBS, real performances, without the SBS, will not be the best. In other words, DON'T GET THE SILENT BRASS SYSTEM! IT IS NOT WORTH IT...AT ALL (ESPECIALLY NOT FOR WHAT THEY ARE ASKING FOR).
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