I purchased my Jupiter horn about 9 years ago and have played it for about an hour a day ever since. The horn blows freely through all registers from a low d below the bass cleff to the higher registers. The instrument has a few peculiarities : 1: The f on the f horn can play really sharp but the f on the Bb side is nicely in tune. Intonation throughout the range is generally great if the instrument is played correctly. 2: My instrument is heavy. I don't know if they have made them any lighter over the last ten years. 3. The third valve tuning slides and the f and Bb slides needed to be flared to keep them from falling out. Before I had that done I used a product called aluminum door ease which kept the slides lubricated but also kept them from falling out. If the slides were cleaned and lubricated as we were all taught to do then these slides would almost like trombone slides. I have had many people wonder what I am doing with a Jupiter instrument because it doesn't have the rep of Conn, Yamaha and the others. I have tried them all and I will take my Jupiter over all them. It has a big robust sound which is secure in all octaves. The mechanical valves are not as fast as string valves but they have been trouble free through out the nine years that I have played the instrument. This instrument costs about the same as good student models from the other manufacturers and many more features. I am pleased with this horn and I feel that it far exceeds any of the other horns in this price range.