Best 845 tube out there?

I bought my Belcanto seti 40 with 3 pairs of Shuguang 845's- regular aluminum base graphite electrode, type B's, and a pair of metal plates.
The aluminum ones were noisy within an hour or so of use, the B's were "OK", and the metal plates were ethereal! Unfortunately the metal plates didn't last forever, the actual metal electrode plates overheated, flared and came loose with time, they did last for 2 yrs though. I am currently using B's, but have ordered 2 pairs of metal plate 845's from "chinesetubes.com", I have read that if the metal plates test out ok for 30-40 hrs they are likely to last "the distance". Chinesetubes.com have a 60 day return policy so at just under $200 for a pair I'm willing to give them a try, until hopefully Shuguang change their policy and make more Noblemen type tubes. In short,if your amp can handle them, the best non NOS 845's are the metal plate Shuguangs.

I used the metal plate Shuguangs for a couple years and find the Pavanes (Psvanes) much more to my liking. More open and dynamic and less (for lack of a better word) "metallic." I did enjoy the metal plate tubes for quite a while, though.

Saika2, the 845 tubes sold by chinesetubes.com are the original metal plate 845C with wings. The 845C has a lower dissipation rating than the RCA 845 standard; therefore, the majority of 845 amplifiers will run these tubes VERY hard. Getting 2 years from your previous pair is doing really well.

A agree with Dopouge, try a pair of Psvane 845, they are among the best current production 845.

Has anyone used Pearl Tube Coolers on their 845's? I am using them to hopefully extend their life and possibly reduce the small amount of microphonics. At first I thought the coolers dampened the HF end a bit but after trying the 845B's with and without several times I am now quite happy to leave them on. I suppose the coolers have been on for about 4 months in total and the amps are two years old so I guess the tubes were doing well anyway. There is no sign of the plate current's dropping off. The amps have plate current meters. The amps are on for 4-6 hours every day.

Is this the current Shuguang 845B - it has a mica spacer at the top and the aluminum base:

http://audiocrast.com/Shuguang-845B.html

Other pictures of the 845B have a copper (?) base and no mica space, but otherwise have the graphite plate and the stronger supports than the standard Shuguang 845.