MoominDave
Well-Known Member
It's not about open vs closed - it's about how undersized the valve ports are and how tight the bends are. No point in making a big open loop if you then make the air perform a sharp 180 on exit back to the main tube. Particularly when the design it's supposed to be superior to had that aspect better worked out decades ago already.
The playing difference between a good 70s/80s 88H on the valve and a good Gen 2 88H on the valve is noticeable, whether the Gen 2 is "open" or "closed" wrap. The playing difference on the valve between a good open Gen 2 88H and a good closed Gen 88H is pretty minimal. The main difference is the opened-up valve design that came in with Gen 2.
The playing difference between a good 70s/80s 88H on the valve and a good Gen 2 88H on the valve is noticeable, whether the Gen 2 is "open" or "closed" wrap. The playing difference on the valve between a good open Gen 2 88H and a good closed Gen 88H is pretty minimal. The main difference is the opened-up valve design that came in with Gen 2.