I've been playing clarinet for over 20 years. I only use Rico. I have tried other brands but, I always go back to Rico. I always get the sound I want from this brand. However be aware that orange box Rico ware out faster than the blues (Rico Royal). For the altissimo register you need to work up to a 3.0. Anything under 3.0 is too soft and the notes will be out of tune. You can get the notes out, but, the sound is better on a 3.0 or higher. (Just my personal opinion).