Hello Everyone, I am really attracted to the Alba low D’s. I cannot decide between the standard or the “vibe.” What do you folks think of these whistles? Any eperiences wih them?
Slainte mhath,
Deasan
Yes, I have played both. Both are great, with wonderful intonation. But the sound is different. It’s impossible to say which is better because it depends from your tastes. The Standard has a “fatter” sound , slightly more “reedy” with less “wind noise” (i.e. less breathiness) than the Vibe. The Vibe has more “breathiness” and, in my personal opinion, a little more personality. The Standard belongs to the family of the Chieftain Songbird,
the Howard, the Syn low D, the Burke. The Vibe belongs to the family of the Chieftain V3 and also a bit to
Overton.
You can find a video of the Alba standard on Youtube (search for Alba Standard).
You can hear an audio clip of the Alba Vibe and read a review on: http://pipersgrip.50webs.com/
I think that Albas are fantastic whistles with great value for the money. Both are good. Personally, I finally decided to sell the Standard and I am keeping the Vibe. Hope this helps.
I have a Low D Vibe and I like it. However, I don’t really like the breathiness on the low D and low E notes. It bothers me a bit, but perhaps it isn’t as noticeable to someone listening. I suspect that when playing with other instruments the breathiness isn’t heard anyway.
Howie
I have recorded some pieces with my Vibe low D and the breathiness is less evident when you play it back.