I own a Cannonball and use it at Church regularly and in a local Jazz Combo and Sax Quartet. I absolutely love it and wouldn't consider parting with it! However, Yamaha makes outstanding horns and the 82Z is an incredible package! My recommendation is to try them both out and pick the one you are pleased with the most! Everyone is going to have different opinions about Yamaha or Cannonball. For every person who says Cannonball sucks you will find several others who would disagree. Some of the folks I have met who have condemned Cannonball horns have never played one. The highest form of ignorance is to condemn something you don't know anything about! Others offer very stinging critiques of Cannonball and perhaps have some merit to their claims but it just has not been my experience. I have owned both Yamaha and Cannonball and my next horn will be another Cannonball! Give them both a try. One thing Yamaha has on Cannonball is years of experience refining the quality of their horns and a wider base of credible artists who use them. Cannonball has and is making improvements constantly but is a fairly new company! Hope it helps!