2. amps-preamps
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Best 845 tube out there?

I am running a pair of Cary CAD-211AE monoblocks with the standard no-name Chinese tubes shipped by Cary. Whilst I am happy with the sound, I think I should buy a pair of 845's to keep as backup in case something happens to these tubes.

Because I will need to buy FOUR of them, this rules out any tube that sells for stupid money (e.g. vintage RCA 845 tubes).

The only current production 845's I am aware of are:

- Shuguang 845 "standard"
- Shuguang 845B
- Shuguang 845C
- Shuguang PSVANE 845
- KR Audio 845

I have found reviews of the Shuguang 845B and 845C, but there is virtually no information out there on the new Shuguang "psvane" 845. Has anybody heard this valve, and is it a noticable improvement over the 845B and C? Also, what do people think of the KR?
amfibius

Showing 10 responses by dopogue

dopogue
1,773 posts
 
Just ordered a pair myself. I've had those glorious metal plate 845Ws in my SET monoblocks for the last 32 months but nothing lasts forever.
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
I received my 845Ts yesterday. First reactions are highly positive despite the fact that the innards look very much like Chinese 845As and Bs. I was using "holy grail" metal plate 845W tubes and prefer the 845Ts, but bear in mind that I've had them only one day. Dave
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
After approx. 2 weeks, my very positive view of the 845Ts has not
changed. There's been no break-in change that I can detect. Note that
these tubes replaced metal plate 845Ws in my system. Dave
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
I said up above that I could hear no change during break-in of my 845Ts, but a friend who had heard them the first day and then again last Saturday said they were MUCH improved. Must have been gradual thing. Dave
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
You apparently didn't see my follow-up post to the one you quoted.
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
You might consider a new suffix. There already is (was?) an 845M. I have a pair.
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
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.
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
I still love the sound of my Psvane 845T tubes after approx. 2 years. One of the original pair died after 12 months and I replaced it with a single. No further problems. I should note, though, that this is the only 845 tube I have ever had fail (my 845 monoblocks are nearly 10 years old).
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
Bayreuth, frankly no. It's been too long. I used a couple 845s between the B and the Psvane T, including metal types. I can only say that to me the Psvane 845T was the ultimate, in my system. Made the metal types sound "metallic," as I've noted above :-)
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
I need to correct an earlier post where I recommended the 845T tubes. I've been using various 845 types for at least 12 years and these are the only ones that ever failed -- two of them. Silver lining is that I was "forced" to use my back-up metal plate 845C (which I once said sounded "metallic") and find I like them so much better than the 845T types that I have put off replacing them. Sometimes things do work out :-)
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