Approximate Comparisons for the larger Monette mouthpiece sizes

Placed here in case anybody needs it.

This is a rough comparison of the larger Monette trumpet mouthpiece sizes.

2

Supposed to be equivalent to a Bach 1 1/4C but I feel it is closer to a 1 1/2C

1-1

The biggest Monette trumpet mouthpiece. Roughly the size of a current Bach 1 but the rim is semicircular with the high point in the middle.

1-2 

Flatter than the 1-1 making it feel smaller and the cupis not quite as big. Something like a Bach 1X.

1-5

Very similar to a Bach 1C.
The 1-5M is the same rim but with the 1-2 cup making it feel a bit like a NY Bach 1.
The 1-5D is the same rim but with the even deeper 1-1 cup.

1-4

Like a 1-5 but with a flatter rim making it feel mid way between a Bach 1X and 1C. Not dissimilar to a Wick 2 rim.

The next retro audio craze may be CD's.

The way we listen to music has changed. Very few people have big hi-fi systems and those who do have been gravitating to vinyl over the past few years as a retro alternative to downloaded or streamed digital files. Music is also mainly listened to through earphones or headphones.

Looking at Ebay the trending price for a good quality used personal CD player is increasing week by week. This is an indication that more people are looking for higher end personal CD players. Models that could be bought for £10 last year are now selling for around £30. Top end models can cost up to £500. One thing is sure, there is definitely something going on.

A number of factors may be at play:

• If you want better quality than online streaming and you listen through headphones then a personal CD player is the way to go.
• The move rom earphones to larger headphones further increases the enjoy-ability of listening to CDs.
• CD's are sufficiently retro while still having new releases.
• There are already audiophile quality remastered discs like Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab which fit that niche high end market.
• There is lots of material on CD that has never been released in digital format.
• The only portable CD players available new now are pretty low end and do not give very good performance.

Its only a small trend at the moment, but watch out for personal CD players making a come back.

Why Labour won't win the next General Election

I have said it before, so I will say it again: only a third of voters are core Labour voters.

In order to win a general election the Labour Party needs to persuade a lot of floating voters and some who would be soft Tories or Lib Dems to vote Labour. This mainly means reducing what they perceive as risks. The other side will play up those risks. The media will make sure of that.

Winning an election is about the middle ground, it always is. UNLESS, the third of people who never vote actually turned out and voted. That would change the game entirely. Yet, Labour has not invested in the level of community campaigning that would be necessary to make that happen. It is all high level stuff with billboards and lots of internal meetings. So its back to trying to persuade the middle ground to vote Labour and that probably means losing next time and changing leader.