Bought at the same time as a non-valved Promaster, I was able to notice the difference... The object, visually and to the touch, is always superb, it's the play that is different... Really disorienting "the valved", it requires you to adapt to it and not the other way around... It takes a bit of concentration at the beginning to "master the note" and I must admit that on my side, the "breaking in" of the beast is far from over...;-)