The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Previous Message | Next Message

Re: Vandoren Black Diamond

Author: seabreeze
Date: 2015-06-03 21:03

I've played on a Vandoren Black Diamond BD5 (regular, not series 13) for the last few weeks. Mine tunes a little sharp by American standards to about A = 441.

The Black Diamond has wider side rails and a much wider tip rail than the M13 or the CL Masters Series pieces. The tone chamber is larger than the chamber in the Masters Series but not larger than the chamber in the M13 and M13 lyre.

In tone quality, the sound of the Black Diamond is closer to the soundof the M30D and the M40D than to the M13 or the Masters Series. It does not have the "ring tone" French/American resonance of the M13. The tone is covered and rather subdued, rather like the traditional Viennese sound, and this quality is preserved all the way to the top of the altissimo. The M30D, in my experience has good cover up to the middle clarion and then gets a little buzzier or less covered. Players trying to make their upper register playing less shrill might consider the Black Diamond, with its rounded, less penetrating sound. A round, non-percussive sound is easily preserved in rapid articulation on the Black Diamond.

The facing on the Black Diamond, however, feels open, and very fatiguing to play on for me. I'm going to have it refaced with something like an M13 tip opening and resistance curve to see if that is easier for me to play. My favorite facings are usually medium length and tip between 0.96 mm and 1.01 mm (for example, in the Behn Artist model 0.98 mm, the Fobes CWF personal model, the MoBa C, the Vandoren M13, and the Grabner G11). I'll write another review of the Black Diamond after the facing has been closed up. I tested the BlackDiamond on a Vandoren 21 #3 reed and a traditional #3 Vandoren. For me, the sound is a little less murky and more focused with the traditional model reed.

Players who like the resonant "ping" of the Vandoren M13 and M13 lyre, will probably not be attracted to the Black Diamond, unless they want to reduce the ping when performing a certain piece. Those that like the Vandoren M30D but find the tone shift from the mellowness of the lower registers to the more piercing upper register might also like the greater consistency in voicing and tone quality in the Black Diamond BD5.

Players who like the very dark covered sounds of the Kuckmeier B2 and the Clark Fobes Europa models might also be attracted to the Black Diamond BD5, especially for its relatively more affordable price.

Post Edited (2017-06-15 08:25)

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics

Author

Date

Vandoren Black Diamond new

clarinetmc

2015-05-27 22:08