I was shocked by how loud this tambourine was, I was specifcally looking for something that would cut throuhg my cajon and electric guitar, which it easily does. However, never having owned a tambourine before I can't really accurately compare to others, but it does seem a lot louder than others I've used.
As for how to use it, as an instrument I feel it requires a lot of attention on the context of its use, this specific timbre of this tambourine seems to fit specific contexts, I haven't really discovered them yet! I just know the stuff I've used it on so far, most don't work with it, overall its a great sound, very strong, clear, bright, but with a sort of dancing in ancient Greece, kind of vibe.