In my Cary 805C I have used 845, Shuguang 845B and Sophia 845M. I have used the 845M for 4 months with no problems. I absolutely love the sound of the 845M and would not entertain the thought of going back to the 845B or 845.
John |
What do you like better about the M? |
The original "M" stood, I believe, for "mellow" |
Just put the M's in my Dared 845 amp, replacing the stock 845. I use the Druid speaks. BIG transformation indeed as I was told there would be. More halographic sound..Better extension and just a feeling of you being closer to the muscical event.They are a more linear tube I agree, once you hear the metal plates, you are hooked!
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Warren,
To my ears, there is no clear-cut best, but the two tubes have very different flavors. Which to use is highly system dependent.
I use a pair of Cary 805Cs. In those amps, the 845M offers more detail, sounds a little leaner, and has slightly deeper and tighter bass. The 845B has a more full-bodied, warm sound with a little less bass control.
I don't have any experience with the Definitions, but with the Druids, I prefer the 845M. The Druids are already warm sounding, and need the neutral sound of the 845M. I prefer the 845B with Gallo Ref 3s. The Gallos are a somewhat leaner sounding speaker, and benefit from the full-bodied 845B sound.
Jeff |
Just to further confuse the nomenclature issue, I'm using 845s from Sophia Electric, but they're the 845C, not 845M. I thought the "M" was proprietary to SuperTNT. In any event I like the 845Cs well enough that I recently bought TWO new pairs when one of my old ones bit the dust. I'm not good at describing sound, but these are the most musical 845s I've ever had in my amps. Good luck, Dave
PS The only downside is that some of the 845Cs fit so tightly into my tube sockets that they're very difficult to remove. |
That's funny, Jeff. I have the Gallo Ref 3s and much prefer the metal plate "C" 845s to my 845Bs because, among other things, the Bs are a touch too warm :-) |
I have a pretty live room, so I'll probably stick with (re order) the 845Bs. Thanks guys, you've been a great help.
warren :) |
Warren,
I dont think you can go wrong here. The former owner of my Dared 845 loved his 845B tubes.According to him, they were definitely an improvement over the stock 845.. Hey, hows your Def's sounding?
Best,
..Ken |
It's been a little over a year with my Definitions and, believe it or not, they continue to improve. The most fun and enjoyment I have ever had out of a pair of speakers since my Magnaplanar Tympani 1D days. Thanks for asking, Ken. |
They are a superb speaker. I bought my Druids from a good friend who upgraded to the Defs..The Defs astounded me with their visceral dynamics and authority. I am really enjoying my Druids.I too find the Zu's the best thing since I heard my first pair of Apogee's way back when!
Be well,
Ken |
Dopogue,
That's funny, indeed. What's your other associated equipment? I use a Wadia 850 directly into the Carys. Additionally, I use DiMarzio M-Path and Super M-Path cabling (also warm sounding). I wonder if the difference could be that I run the CD player directly into the amps and don't use a preamp?
Jeff |
Jeff, I would guess that having an active preamp (in my case, CJ Premier 17LS2) in the system would indeed make the difference, I've tried eliminating the linestage at various times, always went back to one because the "direct" route sounded too threadbare to me. Obviously YMMV. Dave |
How long does the 845B or 845M last? I was told they are not very reliable?
Cheers,
Kel... |
Hey guys..Slipped in a pair of "B"s and have to say..I like them better than my metal plates. They are 90% of the transparency, just a dynamic, but warmer and to my ears are smoother in the highs..just a tad softer and sweeter over the metal's..Bass is just as good as the metal plates..no red glow on the plates. The B's have a higher plate disapation rating and a better suited to my Dared amp.
Im also curious as to tube life expectancy of the Shuguang 845's. |
One of my Shuguang 845Bs went after only three months. Warrantee is 30 days. |
I've tried all the versions of Shuguang 845s. I like the 845Cs best. The 845Ms were reputed to have problems, but mine kept going for 2 years. The Ms and the Cs - both metal plate - have a similar sound, with the Cs being a little more transparent. The 845Bs are warmer and less detailed, and could be just the thing for toning down a system that's a little too much on the bright side. Cryoed 845As sound better than the stock version. They're bright by comparison with the other models - too bright for my taste - but could be good for putting life into an overly warm system. |
