Owned a YEP321s, now play a Besson 967 4-valve compensating. I wanted a smaller-size & sound horn for mini ensemble (like caroling) & the band pieces with separate euphonium & baritone parts, e.g. Lincolnshire Posy. I tried other 3-valve upright horns (Quesnon, turn-of-the-century Conn, etc.,), but their timbre was too dark - they were euphoniums. The ybh-301s is closer to a trombone than tuba in timbre, and less "boomy" so it fits well with a small group. It plays light and nimble - easy articulation, quick & tight valves, very responsive. Notes center easily across the whole range, and tonal quality stays consistent, too. A horn that's fun to pick up and play. Typical of Yamaha, it's visually beautiful, too. None of the messy "by-hand" look of my Besson's fittings and joints.To be fair, I'd never played a true, "English-style" baritone (typical bell-front type student horn is more euphonium-like in conical bore and sound), so I lack comparative experience, but I really like this horn. I deducted one star, because the intonation isn't as tight as I expected.I wanted the 4-valve 621, but couldn't find one to test, so bought this cheaper "student" horn. If I could I'd definitely have tried the Bessons & YBH621 first, but given the price differential, would probably have ended up with the Yamaha, anyway. Thumbs up.