Has anyone got one of these rings? Do they improve the tone?

Pulled this from Larry Krantz`s site. You can find a diagram of the ring there too.

http://www.larrykrantz.com/rings.htm

Manufactured for both flute and piccolo, the ring provides a stronger core or center to the tone. The sound of the flute with the ring inserted is warmer and more focused throughout the entire range. There is significantly less hiss to the tone. Intonation in the top octave is improved and articulation is more secure. The tonal benefit of the ring is apparent in silver, gold, and platinum flute headjoints. The response in the extreme high range of wood and metal piccolos is dramatically improved. Insertion takes only a few seconds and is very easy.

Each ring has a thin layer of cork where it interfaces with the headjoint tube. When inserted with cork grease supplied with the ring, the ring slides into the head smoothly and the cork compresses a bit, producing a somewhat snug fit. As a result, one ring fits all heads.

1. Put the Ring on the wooden stick.
2.Keep the headjoint and stick vertical.
3. Using the stick, push the Ring from the bottom into the headjoint, until the large top of the wooden stick reaches the middle of the embouchure hole. Then remove the stick from the tube. The ring is in place.
5. Using the wooden stick, it is possible to adjust the Ring. The Ring can be removed quickly and easily if desired.

Thank`s for that Piko, been there. What I would like is info from anyone who has one.I`ve already done the search, that`s how I found it in the first place.

I think that it should be made clear that what Pico wrote is straight from an ADVERTISING blurb, rather than an evaluation. I am sure he will appreciate the free advertising though, even though copying and pasting may breach copywrite issues. :-)

The concept has been around a long time. I first heard of it decades ago from a recorder maker.

I have read of professional flute players enjoying the novelty value, and then never using it again. Like so many other "gimmicks" avaliable for musicians and the general population in order to make a buck for the guy with marketing initiative.

If it made a valuable improvement with no significant downside, then every manufacturere would be incorporating the concept by now.

That`s my skeptical take.

a similar approach has been taken by some technicians who sand and shave down the cork to alter the tone or make it brighter

Best to search the flute list archive for personal reviews:
http://www.larrykrantz.com/fluteweb/fluteweb.htm

There`s 37 postings on the rings there.

...or how about the ones that insist they hear a sound difference when changing the head crown. Maybe it does, but I certainly never heard it and I am sure your audience wouldn`t know the difference either.

When I went to the Orwell factory to try out all their different headjoint available, the women in charge (very nice lady!) kept on changing the crowns around on them and insisted she heard a difference. Maybe I am just loosing my hearing, but I didn`t and my friend that I had along with me didn`t either. Hmmm...

It also sounds the same with no crown at all. Yet some people make a living by making REALLY expensive after-market crowns to sell to suckers.

True! I own a special crown, but I admit it is only for looks. I am a huge gemstone fan!

Looking at the Flute archives I`ve read a lot of people who have benefited from the Bigio setup do not also benefit from the Olnhausen ring. Larry Krantz uses the ring in his piccolo, but prefers his Bigio setup alone on his flute.

Also the ring seems to benefit those who have mediocre headjoints most. However some with rather nice headjoints claim benefit... some claim nadda.

Galway is rumored to use the rings in all his flutes.

Gotta love the flute archives.

FYI - Major crown links:

McKenna Gemstone Crowns:
http://www.flute4u.com/crowns.html

Bigio Crowns & Stoppers:
http://www.bigio.com/stoppersandcrowns.html

Actually the weight of the crown can make a sound difference. This difference is extremely small and usualy only a professional can tell the difference.

The flute vibrates when played, more weight will dampen the vibration.

It will still play in tune, but with a different tone.

"...I admit it is only for looks..."
I`m impressed! Such perception and honesty!

Pico wrote
"...Galway is rumored to use the rings in all his flutes...."

Perhaps this rumour was started by Olnhausen or one of his loayal followers. However rumours are pretty sad if they are not true, and until they are verified, should not even be reported.

Regarding the Olnhausen Ring, Galway wrote to me on 01.04.04, in the forum he haunts:

"I made a test with Hiroshi Aoki listening and he thought the ring made my Muramatsu sound better. I did a ton of practice in the meantime and have discarded the ring."

Of course he could have rei-installed them in all his flutes since. What evidence can you produce though.

Flutist Jonathan Higa posted on the Flute list that Brooks de Wetter-Smith, the US distributor of the rings, made the following statement "I was introduced to the Olnhausen Ring by James Galway in the summer of 2000. He uses them in all of his flutes"

There wasn`t a retraction or attach so I assume that Galway must have used the rings at some point even if he does not now.

This question is also posted on Galway`s superflute.com forum and Galway has chimed in their to say that the rings to in fact work.

I`ve never used the rings. I`m just searching and sharing things I`m finding out.

How about asking Galway if, and how often he still uses them. Methinks he may now have `marketing loyalties` different from when he wrote what I quoted from the same forum.