Buying

In this section

• The compensating system

  The clever loop of extra tubing that keeps a four-valve euphonium's low register in tune — how it works, who invented it, and why it matters when you buy.

• Buying

  Compensating vs non-compensating, student vs professional tiers, and the makers worth knowing — how to spend the right amount on the right horn.

• 3+1 vs 4-valve, compensating or not

  '3+1' and 'inline 4-valve' describe where the fourth valve sits, not whether the horn compensates. Compensation is a separate feature. Most professional euphoniums are 3+1 and compensating; the two questions are independent.