This is my first "higher end" snare drum, so the jump for me was massive from what I was playing before. I can get a really nice warm sound out of this snare drum, and when tuned high, the high pitched crack sounds awesome while still retaining a somewhat "rounded" sound. The finish is also really beautiful! I also appreciate the fact that it comes with a damped hoop, since the drum has quite a lot of overtones.
Overall, loving my experience with this snare drum!