Yes, I'd like to say a little bit, The 845 is the King of SETriode Tubes, Period! I've yet to hear a 300B, 45 or 2A3 that I would trade my Mastersound for. Please don't misunderstand me. I find the 45, 2A3 & 300B, all to be very musical, BUT the 845 is as musical, if not more musical, and has enough nut to drive real world speakers.
I've noticed one thing the fans of 300B, 2A3 or 45 never mention is... how much the triode tube's sound is directly influenced by the tube that drives it! So what we really have is a Gestalt type of thing, where the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts. Sure a 45, 845, 2A3 or 300B all has a characteristic sound, but so does the tube that drives it! The 300B driven by a 12AX7, the 300B driven by a 5687 etc all sound different. As does every tube we've mentioned.
Now to this day, to these ears the 845 driven by the 6900, is the closest thing to audio nirvana I've ever heard. The truth is, that in my Mastersound when the 6900 is replaced by a 5687, it's COMPLETELY changes the amps signature. It's still an incredible amp, but it's also completely different and NOT as musical. It seems only 845 tube lovers and designers talk about the influence of the driver tube. I know deHavilland talked quite a bit about the influence the driver tube they used on their 845 based amps and how this combination of 845 and driver tube is what made their amp so special.
I know this, "IF" you haven't heardan 845 tube driven by a 6900 tube, you have no idea what an 845 tube can do!
thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)
I've noticed one thing the fans of 300B, 2A3 or 45 never mention is... how much the triode tube's sound is directly influenced by the tube that drives it! So what we really have is a Gestalt type of thing, where the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts. Sure a 45, 845, 2A3 or 300B all has a characteristic sound, but so does the tube that drives it! The 300B driven by a 12AX7, the 300B driven by a 5687 etc all sound different. As does every tube we've mentioned.
Now to this day, to these ears the 845 driven by the 6900, is the closest thing to audio nirvana I've ever heard. The truth is, that in my Mastersound when the 6900 is replaced by a 5687, it's COMPLETELY changes the amps signature. It's still an incredible amp, but it's also completely different and NOT as musical. It seems only 845 tube lovers and designers talk about the influence of the driver tube. I know deHavilland talked quite a bit about the influence the driver tube they used on their 845 based amps and how this combination of 845 and driver tube is what made their amp so special.
I know this, "IF" you haven't heardan 845 tube driven by a 6900 tube, you have no idea what an 845 tube can do!
thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)