I've played on Mollenhauer "Dream" recorders for almost fifteen years now, and decided that I wanted a soprano with a more refined sound for a concert I was giving back in December. Compared to the pearwood version, this instrument has a much smoother, sweeter sound with a fairly good response. The top few notes require more finesse and precision from the player (they don't just "pop out" like they do on a baroque instrument) but unlike a Renaissance replica recorder, they do come out with attention and practice. The only caution I would give is that if you're trying to be a soloist with more than a couple of quiet instruments, you might want a more assertive sound; I played with guitar and harpsichord and it worked very well. Perfect for consort work though!