For a few years I have been using Vandoren V16 reeds. They play pretty well and consistently. And now they even have a spiffy new wrapping that keeps each reed sealed.
Vandoren V16 Saxophone Reeds
The first reeds I played when starting were Ricos and Rico Royals. They cost a bit less, but the cut is not always quite right. The Rico Royals were a little better than the Ricos.
Experimented a bit with Bari plastic reeds and Fibracell reeds. They last a very long time and I keep a couple in my case in case I need them. Between those two I like the fibracell reeds better and I still use them when I pick up my clarinet.
My new mouthpiece on tenor is a Vandoren V16 T9, which seems to work pretty well with the V16 reeds. The 3’s I have been using are a bit too stiff though since the T9 is pretty open, so I’m about to order some 2.5’s. Hopefully they will work better.
I find that the Vandorens are harder to break in than the Rico,s but once done so, they hold the sound better and longer. The Rico,s are good at first but they become soft too quickly. I tried a plastic reed for about an hour. Never played it again and it sits in the bottom of my case. To be fair, the plastic reed might be ok for playing in a large band, but since I am a soloist , it does not suit my needs.
Thanks Nick