I do like the sound of trough calls. This one has a slate surface. i have run some of David White's trough calls that have an aluminum playing surface and they sound great also. That being said , this one is up for trade in the classifieds as i seldom use it. i have made the switch to mostly pot calls and diaphragms. Yelps on these calls are good, purring and clucking is where they really shine. Hope this helps.