There are lots of threads and manufacturers' descriptions of their calls, but I found not as much information as to how different calls from the same company compare to each other. I would read reviews of calls and then try to decide if the call is one I'd like to try, but my immediate question is, "how does call Y compare to call X?" because I already have call X. This is how I feel my Echo calls compare to one another, please chime in (and for those that have familiarity with say RNT, it'd be cool to see a similar thread)
Pictured are Open Water, XLT, Breaker, Pure Meat, ODB and Timber:
For me volume (loudest to quietest):
Open Water
XLT
Breaker (about as loud as XLT)
Pure Meat
ODB
Timber
Forgiveness (ease to use)
Timber
ODB
Breaker
Pure Meat
XLT
Open Water
Comparisons (I'll use the XLT as the "standard" since I feel that's my best all around call)
Open Water- really loud call I use for very windy days. Has a high ringing hail call, but can also get low. For me sort of a specialty call. Not as raspy as the XLT--more higher pitched
XLT - my favorite all around call. Medium volume. Very raspy. You can get high and low with it. Great feeding call as well as hail call. Little more complicated to run than the other medium volume calls. If I could only have one call it'd be this one!
Breaker - This has about the same volume as the XLT (maybe slightly less volume), but has more of a nasally tone to it. Medium volume. Very forgiving call--almost hard to overblow it. It's a single reed I'd recommend for beginners or someone switching from doubles to singles. Also has a great ducky sound to it (my daughter thinks it's quacks sound the most realistic). Takes more air to run than an XLT. For me, I get slightly less range than with my XLT or Pure Meat.
Pure Meat- slightly less volume than the XLT (about the same as the Breaker). Medium volume. This call has more of a whiny, squeally sound than the XLT--kind of reminds me of a younger hen for some reason. Excellent for bouncing hen. Very ducky call. It can get high and low and is pretty forgiving (more forgiving than XLT). Also, has an excellent bottom end! Doesn't require as much air as a Breaker. Probably my second favorite Echo (if I could only have one call)
ODB- JUST got this call yesterday so I don't have much time with it. It seems quieter than the Pure Meat but way louder than the Timber. It has a very raspy, ducky sound. Not whiny like the Pure Meat. Requires slightly more air (like a Breaker-when I emailed Echo, they describe it as a "Breaker with more hold"). Decent range, but not nearly as much as the XLT or Pure Meat. Slightly less range than my Breaker. This one reminds me of an old hen.
Timber- this is a quiet call that is very ducky but,for me, has not much range. I use it as sort of a specialty call for close in calling on quiet/foggy type days.
I'd be curious to see how others compare calls within a line and how others would compare these calls--I know different calls of the same bran and model can be different (as well as the individual's style).
Pictured are Open Water, XLT, Breaker, Pure Meat, ODB and Timber:
For me volume (loudest to quietest):
Open Water
XLT
Breaker (about as loud as XLT)
Pure Meat
ODB
Timber
Forgiveness (ease to use)
Timber
ODB
Breaker
Pure Meat
XLT
Open Water
Comparisons (I'll use the XLT as the "standard" since I feel that's my best all around call)
Open Water- really loud call I use for very windy days. Has a high ringing hail call, but can also get low. For me sort of a specialty call. Not as raspy as the XLT--more higher pitched
XLT - my favorite all around call. Medium volume. Very raspy. You can get high and low with it. Great feeding call as well as hail call. Little more complicated to run than the other medium volume calls. If I could only have one call it'd be this one!
Breaker - This has about the same volume as the XLT (maybe slightly less volume), but has more of a nasally tone to it. Medium volume. Very forgiving call--almost hard to overblow it. It's a single reed I'd recommend for beginners or someone switching from doubles to singles. Also has a great ducky sound to it (my daughter thinks it's quacks sound the most realistic). Takes more air to run than an XLT. For me, I get slightly less range than with my XLT or Pure Meat.
Pure Meat- slightly less volume than the XLT (about the same as the Breaker). Medium volume. This call has more of a whiny, squeally sound than the XLT--kind of reminds me of a younger hen for some reason. Excellent for bouncing hen. Very ducky call. It can get high and low and is pretty forgiving (more forgiving than XLT). Also, has an excellent bottom end! Doesn't require as much air as a Breaker. Probably my second favorite Echo (if I could only have one call)
ODB- JUST got this call yesterday so I don't have much time with it. It seems quieter than the Pure Meat but way louder than the Timber. It has a very raspy, ducky sound. Not whiny like the Pure Meat. Requires slightly more air (like a Breaker-when I emailed Echo, they describe it as a "Breaker with more hold"). Decent range, but not nearly as much as the XLT or Pure Meat. Slightly less range than my Breaker. This one reminds me of an old hen.
Timber- this is a quiet call that is very ducky but,for me, has not much range. I use it as sort of a specialty call for close in calling on quiet/foggy type days.
I'd be curious to see how others compare calls within a line and how others would compare these calls--I know different calls of the same bran and model can be different (as well as the individual's style).