25k Violin vs $6 million Violin: Can YOU hear the difference?

Which sound do you prefer?
One is a moderately priced modern instrument at $25,000 USD and another is a Stradivarius made in 1717 priced at $6 million USD. Which violin do you prefer?
#shorts

[@otherryan]

They both sound fantastic, but both are a tad out of my budget 😩😩

[@timmychooi]

😂 the insurance is somewhat affordable at least

[@kaiyalovescostcohotdogs3119]

Am I the only who got their violin on Amazon

[@opalguy]

@@kaiyalovescostcohotdogs3119 maybe...

[@earlyflower829]

Just a tad

[@SimplyComi]

@@kaiyalovescostcohotdogs3119 if it works then respect ✊

[@nightblizzard3160]

Ok. I’m just impressed that he can hold 6 million in his hand and not break a sweat. 👍

[@linstarflight7344]

Man I was sweating holding my teacher’s 50k violin. Probably be down-pouring if I’m holding a strad

[@Hollowed_Wanderer]

Im pretty sure its because that isnt a 6m strad violin.

[@MyTruckNuts]

@@Hollowed_Wanderer😂

[@nickcarroll8565]

When I was 15 a luthier just hand me a 100k violin to try, I was shocked he’d hand a kid something like that haha.

[@Blue2cewl]

Sometimes I sweat holding my 1.3k violin 😭

[@justiceperhay8328]

Twoset has trained me well! As soon as you started playing the second one, I knew the first one was the 6 mil violin.

[@unijade]

How?

[@Pikachu-wy2rq]

@@unijade the tone and sound of the first one is sweeter, which was a typical thing of Baroque violins, it also sounded mellow and it is smaller as Stradivari was known to make violin smaller than a standard 4/4. The song violin is good but a little bit too loud for my taste, it is also more sharp than sweet and it is bigger than the Strad. I am a violinist so I know how they are different and a Stradivarius is definitely worth it’s money.

[@cake1672]

the power of ling ling

[@poornasianparapio2401]

Lmao same 😂 I don’t even play an instrument

[@ireisparks3598]

Me too lmao. The power of Ling Ling.

[@KevintheScienceNerd]

Honestly I spotted the Stradivarius immediately. It was the depth of the tone

[@GrandTsar]

I just notice the difference of the bottom design of the violin lol

[@DJKHALED74629]

well the sound is coming from your €200 earphones. Im not sure you can hear the difference lol

[@abigail40]

Sheeeesh I thought the modern one had a richer sound-

[@timmychooi]

In some way it does!

[@jujus5614]

me too

[@twinicebear775]

to me the new one has a more open and bright sound while the strad is refined and more full tone with more overtones

[@Batboy-oc5rz]

Actually it’s the opposite

[@awheikkila]

The strad had more high end from what I could tell. Probably projects further because more overtones? Trumpet player here.

[@jsot1988]

Give that 25 grand violin some 300 years of good playing and then we'll talk. 😁 It actually sounds amazing!

[@marcuspacheco3815]

Stradivarius's instruments aren't special because they're 300 years old. Although that would make anything pretty special. There's special because wood was more dense 300 years ago. I know that sounds crazy but the eruption of the island of Krakatoa stunted the growth of trees and cause a change in the grain structure. Something to do with having more rings on the tree but less space in between them. And then add to that Stradivarius was a genius that basically made modern violins the modern violin. Modern companies try to duplicate this either with synthetic material or by literally fishing old logs out of lakes to basically find old wood. So even perfectly copying a Stradivarius wouldn't quite make Stradivarius noises.

[@TheSatisfiedPig]

​@@marcuspacheco3815 they're special because they're historical pieces. Modern violins are consistently ranked higher than Strads in blind tests. There's nothing magic about the wood or varnish or maker, the classical music world is just especially horny for tradition and pedigree.

[@marcuspacheco3815]

@@TheSatisfiedPig while I have no doubt that there are modern violins that can match the density and sound quality of a strat, it's due to creating either a synthetic compound or finding an alternative source of very dense wood. Such as those found by hauling logs up from the bottom of lakes. Or by artificially creating denser would by pressing and essentially laminating it under heat and excessive pressure.. modern violin makers aren't stupid. They're some of the smartest violin makers that have ever lived. So of course once the science was out they have made movements toward reproducing the sound quality everyone has been chasing. You are of course correct that what makes the Stradivarius King is its Pedigree. It has the advantage of being both a historical peace and sounding comparablely amazing. Which is a difficult thing to accomplish with almost any other instrument on the planet. Of course there is some horns and such but generally speaking a 300 year old guitar does not sound as good as a new one. That kind of makes the Stradivarius really uniquely special in the string instrument world.

[@ladydoom5622]

I prefer 1st one , it sounds so fine and soulful 💖✨

[@WSH3TM]

same

[@gbvoul]

yeah its way more expressive. the 2nd just stays within it's range

[@gracesviolin]

Wait I liked the modern $25k one more. 😱

[@timmychooi]

It’s really not bad

[@Raidenofficial]

@@timmychooi yeah, for 25k I'd expect it to be perfect Edit: 25k is a lot for a violin, right? *Right?* Dear God, classical instruments are so expensive...

[@kacemchawqi5787]

Same, it’s more voluminous I guess

[@최찬얼-v4i]

Yoooo same hahaa

[@davidsimmons654]

Me too!

[@nb7524]

I am absolutely no expert, not even close. The difference I can hear is that the Strad’s sound is totally open, with a very clear brighter tone and excellent projection which can easily rise above an orchestra during a performance. With that said, I’m VERY impressed with the modern 25K violin. While it is not quite as clear as the Strad and is a bit nasally on the low strings, it has really wonderful projection and a very warm sweet tone; I really like it. Being that it is a new 25k violin against a grand Strad, I think it held up very well. The modern violin maker has serious skills, who is it? The modern violin is still new and will open up more (slight nasal tone will disappear) over time as it is played. I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to purchase it. Tim you’re a fantastic Violinist and you did justice to both violins, thanks for this video😀

[@timmychooi]

Wow. Incredible observation. Thank you so much for sharing with me your thoughts! Well, if you want to know please message me on Instagram.

[@nb7524]

@@timmychooi thanks!🙂

[@phantomsinthemist]

"No expert" *Proceeds to be an expert*

[@angerkitten9931]

So u just be having 6.25 million dollars worth of violin in your living room.

[@timmychooi]

Kind of 😂

[@iksooyout6129]

$6.025 mil...

[@Voidi-Void]

@@iksooyout6129 🤓

[@godishere4]

​@@timmychooican I 'pay' you a visit 😂

[@RAFITAESTRADITA]

Hopefully kidnappers don't watch this channel.

[@theMusicNotes5]

The brief squeak in the second one gave it away...

[@lifeplan4720]

The second one resonates more

[@GourSmith]

I knew right away when I heard the first one that it was the 6 mil strad. Such a warm, smooth sound.

[@Aneliuse]

Yes, the second one had a sharper, louder tone. Issue for me was that i didnt know which of those was more preferable since i dont play violin! :3

[@MusicConnoisseurian]

Definitely #1. Glad to find out it was the Stradivarius

[@brainoutanswers7890]

As a violin player, i could tell straight away the first was $6 mil

[@zoldyck4461]

Do you know the name of the song he played in the first voilin?

[@CL72345]

@@zoldyck4461 Tchaikovsky violin concerto

[@mikeydoodle143]

But i prefer #2 when i first heard it😂

[@OysterTran]

I prefer the second one. I think i sounds somehow warmer.

[@AutumnElaine]

In the beginning, huh?! Toward the end I was like.. the high tones sound shrill to me. But they are very clear!

[@redcarnation1341]

The modern one had a more warm and juicy sound

[@cristianjuarez1086]

Yes it sounds warm and beautiful

[@jamescairns515]

in the lower registers maybe, but the high notes sing on the first one

[@LeroyAkanno-mb6jw]

Yes

[@timschuit2057]

Imagine winning the lottery and spending 6 million dollars on a violin...

[@DanteHanma]

I would definitely do that. Definitely

[@vetzrah4437]

Same

[@samdajellybeenie14]

Most of these violins are well out of financial reach of most soloists, so businesspeople or orgs like Nippon Foundation usually buy them and loan them out for decades. Pretty cool.

[@10stephenrose]

The dream.

[@loshisad3889]

The second one sounds more refine and it’s richer in sound

[@carolwilliams5337]

Nope

[@ccliviolin]

@@carolwilliams5337guess people cant have opinions nowadays

[@adifferentangle7064]

​@@ccliviolin For me the differences are clearly defined. It is literally my job to make violins sound like the first one, not the second. So I know what the difference is even though only part of it shows through the recording. The second does actually have a deeper tone, mostly due to the model of the instrument. If he had a model based off the same mold pattern as the Strad the tone wouldn't be so obviously contrasted. However there is a hollowness and lack of projection which might seem subtle or not even audible to the average listener in the new violin. This is often explained away as "the violin needs to settle" or some BS, but it is honestly more to do with wood choice and thickness, and varnish choice. If you had both for two weeks you would slowly find yourself wanting to play the Strad more as it draws you in with its complex character, where the new make will be good to play at first but that is where the character begins and ends.

[@ccliviolin]

@@adifferentangle7064 modern day violinists who have strads (ray chen, richard lin, etc) perform on zygmuntowicz violins despite having strads.

[@nickcarroll8565]

@@adifferentangle7064the difference between the g strings was what struck me right away. And yes, I agree the second has a more hollow sound.

[@TheChrisBreyShow]

Your eyes gave it away, you looked at the first one with love and the second with disappointment

[@musiclessons4u725]

In case you didn’t hear, the second one had a slight screech to it when he played the high notes. Also, the first one had a VERY crisp and clear sound with BEAUTIFUL transitions, while the second one was more soft and modern

[@degou3438]

In fact, the Stradvarius had a richer, sweeter and more pleasant sound, it has more soul

[@sdseals2076]

For $25K, it shouldn't screech. After $500, they should all sound good. That's a lot of money for the average person.

[@lopesemanuel]

At first I already knew its value, it shows the quality of the 6 million

[@liamnevilleviolist1809]

Also, the mic isn't picking up everything. Please place the microphone in the middle row of a concert hall of your choosing, and with a full orchestra behind you ;)

[@chrisma3256]

I was thinking I don't think the recording does them justice. Would love to hear that in person in a concert hall or church

[@liamnevilleviolist1809]

​@@chrisma3256 Spot on. You can have a beautiful and "loud" violin that sounds great in a cafe.... or you can have a metallic and "soft-sounding" violin that in fact fills a concert hall... Microphones don't capture the best of the instruments. Even on my channel: I play the same viola in my home study room and also my university's auditorium... and the sound is totally different!! kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKuZkHmDeMajn5Y

[@belmon38]

Exactly what they did in the París blind test, with soloist picking up the modern above the strads.

[@marcelmolenaar5684]

The first one has more accent. The second one is more smooth But the difference is small.

[@jonhh6918]

I like the sweet, mellow and singing tone of the first one. I like the focus, depth and clarity of the second one. Great playing Timothy !

[@mirceacioca6866]

The first of course but both sound fantastic

[@Revansstuntdouble]

This is why I play guitar. The most dear guitars don't come close to the price of an intermediate classical instrument.

[@cristianeric5933]

Well, add some Steve Vai's blood to the paint and you still have enough for a car with a 25k budget

[@Revansstuntdouble]

@@cristianeric5933 yeah, no joke.

[@fallencourt5215]

Wow there is genuinely a difference, the first one was a different sound from the second

[@kaunas888]

The first is clearly better, smoother and sweeter.

[@nicochan6167]

My 40 dollar violin 👁️👄👁️💧

[@holgerdanske2376]

I actually prefer the $25.000 violin! I have listened several times to be sure of my judgement... It has a very beautifull sound on the G string... However $25.000 is not a cheap violin! When you buy a Strad you also buy a myth, a signature...

[@norman783]

Cheapest no brand in my country cost 25$ cheapest branded in my country is 120$

[@flav2689]

@@norman783 Well that is not a violin. It’s a wooden box.

[@norman783]

@@flav2689 if my violin is a small box then ur house is a big box. There's nothing wrong with it

[@flav2689]

@@norman783 Sure. But I think you missed my point. I’m a violinist myself and even as an amateur (advanced and determined but still) and my violin is about 6000€. All the professionals I know nearby have an instrument worth of 10 000-30 000 €. Not to mention the famous ones. I’m not saying that you cannot have a nice violin with less - I’ve heard pretty good ones at 1500-2000€. But 150€? I severely doubt that the quality of a violin that cheap can be good or have even a mediocre sound. Because even though the material can be the same than in wooden boxes, it’s a whole different story with string instruments. It’s one hell of a job. And even the valid ”factory made” violins cost a few hundred. So 150€ just sounds suspicious to me. That’s all 😁

[@norman783]

@@flav2689 i know but why are being rude telling me I just have a box and flexing your fancy violin, should I need a hundreds of money to not call my violin a wooden box? Also im from asia so im using a begginer violin I cant afford real violin, i cant find real violin in my country also shipping is expensive my country only likes common band instruments like guitar, drums, etc. Also singing but I influenced myself to things that is outside my country I cant just take it I love piano and violin and also lovez jazz, classical musics and lil bit rock. I dont care of you flexing your fancy violin what I find disrespect here is that you havent even apologized (sorry for bad english and humor im not being offensive on my previous replies)

[@Serovious]

This man is completely blind and 80% deaf in one ear, it’s insane that he’s this good

[@joshuamartin6457]

Its actually my first time seing a left handed violinist

[@shrankai7285]

Might be a reflected video.

[@ianhuangncubed]

Def reflected, no one is making left handed violins

[@HaileyHart-kh9jx]

@@ianhuangncubed I'm a left-handed violinist, but I play just like right-handed people do because of that. it's quite sad, because I'm sure I could play better with my dominant hand.

[@jojobeanz2981]

You should give the modern maker a shout out. That instrument sounded great!

[@arktos3095]

This Sounds like A violin to me.

[@ilsospetto4608]

Strads will always have that powerful and bright voice.

[@paulhammer1363]

I immediately thought that the 2nd violin sounded better, deeper and richer.

[@SalamanderMagic]

*me feeling like a god for getting it correct although it was literally a 50/50 chance*

[@shravan7312]

Piano: I’m the most expensive instrument 😎 Violin: allow me to introduce myself…

[@Conquer____all]

The 1st has that touch of the soul ✨️

[@AlexRiversMusic]

The Strad sounds much better. I knew it when I heard it.

[@wavetxnezz]

first one has a much more like a detailed sound but the second one is like normal

[@TwinsTry]

Wait even as a non expert, I can actually hear the diff this time?! :O

[@ericbernardi8116]

I still prefer the 25k... It sounds warmer 😊 Who ever built it knows his business!

[@lvb_op.61]

Second. Whos the maker?

[@tiffanyalexandria303]

The first one, OMG! Its Sings 😩💜💜💜

[@isabelcortes1438]

The sound from the 1st one is so rich , deep and soulful. You can tell it has a lot to say. ❤️❤️❤️

[@bluelanterns2589]

I preferred the Strad slightly more, but they both sounded great because there was a good player playing them. I’d rather listen to a 1k instrument played by a professional than a Strad by a beginner :-)

[@cpagoals]

Obviously they are both amazing, honestly I think I prefer the $25k modern instrument's sound, especially because it sounds so good even compared to an instrument that costs 5,975,000 more lol 😂

[@Zelda01Fan]

I knew the second you played the first one ❤ there’s something about the smoothness of that sound, that is resounding yet full, it doesn’t feel empty for even a second

[@christinabouey]

1st one of course! 😉

[@timmychooi]

Totally right?

[@pipermoonshine]

No I could not tell the difference at all. When you have a maker making a violin for $25, 000 and it sounds as sweet and as beautiful as the old beauty herself that is really saying something.

[@lueci7916]

The first one is the one I picked because from dancing classical ballet for so many years when you played the first one, it gave me chills ❤

[@revelationsoundstudio]

The 2nd one had a richer, fuller sound. The 1st one had a more open sound with better projection. I preferred that the 1st one.

[@Winter.5555]

$6 million Stradivari is the best but is very expensive

[@chriss6356]

The second one sounds better to me. I’d sell the first, buy the second one and a mansion

[@AnnaZoffoli]

i prefer the second one

[@LuvLight44]

I can DEFINITELY tell the difference the first one sounds very heavy soul touching They both sound amazing though

[@latemporis5430]

I don't know anything about violin, but immediately recognized the first one is more expensive

[@khanhkhanh1060]

I choose the second one! I love it's sounds! I thought it is a Stradivarius 😅

[@Darestrings]

They both sound amazingly GOOD... But I think the second one has a more unique tone

[@Pizzacheese10]

Ah yes, I can totally hear the difference out of my phone speaker 😂

[@marymcgrath7744]

The first one. The tone was really rich and clear. They both sounded really good, however.

[@MrLandale]

I guessed right. The first has a bigger sound, the second has a "hollow" sound.

[@jackofalltrades2175]

The second one was so rich and bright I actually preferred the 2 one

[@limitedtime5471]

The $6M violin was far smoother and more beautiful to my ear. I'm surprised there was so much difference

[@avamtippery5686]

Even I, a violinist who has very limited experiences with expensive instruments could tell them apart. Through a recording. Strads are really something else.

[@stephaniebebenroth6078]

Agree, warm sound of the first violine. The second was just a little scratches on the high notes

[@cheesedood5313]

I could tell it was the 6 million one first as i could feel how scared he is to break it.

[@Ariber1]

Need to hear them in the hall. Up close they're both great.

[@PepperWilliams_songcovers]

Sonny Stitt (great jazz saxophonist) said that “it’s not the instrument, but the musician that makes it sound great”. He could play a sax bought at Walmart and it would sound fantastic!

[@poppajretired410]

This comparisons are just plain silly. The $6 million violin is valued more for it’s rarity than it’s quality of sound.

[@SOAxZIPPER]

The Stradivarius has a deeper but more mellow sound giving it away.

[@user-nm6dr4uy3d]

I preferred Violin 2. The sound was full, soft and creamy.

[@Bogdan_ragovic]

Its cool that wood and strings arranged in different ways can be 0.01 or 6.25m

[@GabrielleduVent]

Fun fact: most violinists can't tell the difference. They did blind tests and the subjects (violin teachers, violinists) were evenly distributed with the Strad and the newer violins. So there really is just preference, one doesn't have a better tone than the other.

[@andycristurean7972]

The first one sounded way better so I knew right off the bat that was the 6 million dollar one

[@mtv565]

The 2nd violin (modern $25,000) sounds more sonorous and fuller in the lower register and more brilliant and penetrating in the higher register. The 1st violin (Strad $6M) just sounds less sonorous in the lower register and weaker in the higher register. Goes to show modern intermediate-advance level violin can sound better than Strads.

[@gazerjohnson1808]

The 1st is so beautiful

[@benn93z28]

And thus, the realization that the cost of the instrument (especially at those prices) has very nothing to do with the sound quality. The maker, the time period, market conditions, evidence of authenticity, etc. are the main factors instead. So go support (good) modern luthiers and take pride in knowing that they personally know how much joy their instrument brings to you.

[@Octopus-tf8se]

my hands would be shaking even holding that LOL

[@RizwanJaganiViolist]

I knew number two was modern because it had a slightly edgier sound. I love both and wouldn’t complain if I had to play either one.

[@carolwilliams5337]

1st one is obviously better. The quality throughout the range is awesome.

[@handsupbud]

I am a musician and the first had a deeper low end resonance and very sweet mids and highs. Second was good but I could hear the difference easily.

[@Simping4churros]

The first one sounds amazing ❤❤

[@vv_gumlx6363]

the $25k violin is worth more than my life. a $6 million violin would not come anywhere near me, it would just break if it did

[@NEPTUNE8860]

Can actually hear the difference and the 6mil just gives off that classical 1700s sound especially in the high-pitched sound range.

[@Man_Cave]

The 25,000 dollar violin had much more projection while still holding the same tone.

[@crowntotheundergroud]

The first one sounded fucking amazing. That was actually one of the best tones ive ever heard.

[@psyar7829]

I like them both. 25,000$ is louder more clear and sharper. The million dollar violin sounds more clearer

[@SirSmokesAlot420]

the first one had more punch and was sharper, cleaner and had more definition on each note. The second one was more rounded and full-i could also tell it was “cheaper” because of the polish/varnish. I feel like a 6 million dollar instrument would not put on such a thick coat of varnish. The more expensive one looks more like natural wood but that might also be due to its age.

[@invisibleprovidence]

$25k on an instrument is insane, let alone the $6M one💀🙏

[@charlesfoster141]

The Strat was so easy to pick out. Much, much richer in tone and depth of sound. The other is not bad but totally out classed. However I could never justify any instrument for 6 million dollars. Only Mr Pearlman deserves such an instrument and I am pretty sure he has one.

[@bossbubsy56]

I liked the first one. Can’t really explain why, it just sounded more perfect I guess.

[@Lexicoley1826]

IDK but as soon as you started playing the 2nd one, my cat jumped down from his perch, meowed at me and then jumped in my lap. 🤷‍♀️

[@gunanebare7173]

First one is super beautiful

[@neudurnn5863]

bro you could stop world hunger instead of buying expensive instruments

[@matiasnicolas9847]

?

[@alexisnicole3965]

Number 1. It almost speaks to my ear

[@yangshen1412]

The first one can sing by itself.

[@An-fi8is]

I was expecting him to be like: "Both are 700 get back to practice"