845 Tube Amp - What's your fave?

[TheNoose]

I'm a romantic. I am seriously considering acquiring an 845 Tube amp and am looking for guidance, sharing real experiences not attitude. Not 300B. Not KT series, 845's....bring it on please!

[tom_hankins]

Thoeress set 845 monoblocks

http://www.thoeress.com/en/845-mono-amplifier/ I've thought about changing my speakers just so I could use these amps.

[JCOConnell]

Thoeress set 845 monoblocks

http://www.thoeress.com/en/845-mono-amplifier/ I've thought about changing my speakers just so I could use these amps.

Interesting monoblocks, what do they cost each in USD$ ?

[MylesBAstor]

I'm a romantic. I am seriously considering acquiring an 845 Tube amp and am looking for guidance, sharing real experiences not attitude. Not 300B. Not KT series, 845's....bring it on please!

In your other post, you mentioned you were using PMC twenty 26 speakers? Looking at their specs, they're not terribly efficient (86 dB) and the PMC recommends a minimum of 50 wpc. Of course the size of your room will also dictate matters too.

So that might limit your choice and then of course cost.

One amplifier that haven't heard in a while but impressed me at that time were the Mastersound 845 tube amplifiers.

Another amplifier that impressed me at RMAF a couple of years ago were the Melody Audio 845 amps from Australia. Only heard the big 150 wpc version but it sounded very smooth, liquid with everything you would like about tube sound.

[TheNoose]

Miles
I'd probably get a pair of speakers specifically for this amp and use it in my my office here at the Villa. Dreaming big! Saw the Heco Direckt in review recently...http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews2/heco/1.html 95dB sensitivity...just the ticket in style too...

[tom_hankins]

Interesting monoblocks, what do they cost each in USD$ ?

They used to be "cheap" in the land of monopoly money. around $12K a pair.

[TheNoose]

Great pieces of reply thank you. I have more to explore than where I've been so far...

So far to date I was considering three options:

1. Line Magnetic 518ai
2. Dared 845
3. Art Audio Carissa 845

[Dr.Ears]

The Dared 845 has a weak power supply and the Carrissa 845 represents beauty over performance, there is no such thing as a great 12BH7 tube, I rolled all of them in my Carrissa 845.

[Tunes]

Nagra VPA

[Hugh]

I am biased, naturally. :-)

I personally prefer the big Melody MN845 monoblocks as Myles mentioned above.
One step down is the PM845 with 70W and then the little baby M845 with 21W.

[TheNoose]

MELODY AODIXUN AN845 VACUUM TUBE INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

Has some good specs...

AODIXUN is the premium line series developed by MELODY

Ultimate high end Class A vacuum tube amplifier from Melody

Anodised aluminum chassis with piano lacquered wooden side benches

Massive custom built transformers made from Japan imported materials

Net weight of AN845 over 42kg

Point to point hand wiring production

Ultra expensive high end parts: Mcap Supreme silver oil capacitors

Nichicon Gold, Solen Gold Label capacitors

Mundorf M-RESIST supreme resistors

Silver plated contact exchange mechanism for line input selection

Remote control for volume setting

5AR4 rectifying tube, NOS 6EM7 x 2 in preamplifier session

Gold plated CMC ceramic tube sockets, gold plated rca inputs

Nickel and gold plated WBT standard speaker out terminals

Terrific 845 authority with the silky mellow direct heated triode sound

RCA and XLR balanced inputs with shortest signal paths

Detachable power cord system (IEC)


TECHNICAL:

Rated Output Power: 22W x 2 RMS Class A

Frequency Response: 20Hz to 30Khz

Distortion THD: <1% (1Khz)

S/N Ratio: 88db

Input Impedance: 100Kohms

Input Sensitivity: 480mV

Output Load Impedance: 4 and 8 ohms

Tube Complement: 2 x 845,

2 x 6EM7,

1 x 5AR4 (5U4)

Remote Control: yes

Dimensions (mm, WHD) : 450 x 260 x 440

[Dr.Ears]

The 6EM7's are weak, avoid the coin based ones. RCA black plates with regular sized bases are the best, which I have heard.

[MylesBAstor]

MELODY AODIXUN AN845 VACUUM TUBE INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

Has some good specs...

AODIXUN is the premium line series developed by MELODY

Ultimate high end Class A vacuum tube amplifier from Melody

Anodised aluminum chassis with piano lacquered wooden side benches

Massive custom built transformers made from Japan imported materials

Net weight of AN845 over 42kg

Point to point hand wiring production

Ultra expensive high end parts: Mcap Supreme silver oil capacitors

Nichicon Gold, Solen Gold Label capacitors

Mundorf M-RESIST supreme resistors

Silver plated contact exchange mechanism for line input selection

Remote control for volume setting

5AR4 rectifying tube, NOS 6EM7 x 2 in preamplifier session

Gold plated CMC ceramic tube sockets, gold plated rca inputs

Nickel and gold plated WBT standard speaker out terminals

Terrific 845 authority with the silky mellow direct heated triode sound

RCA and XLR balanced inputs with shortest signal paths

Detachable power cord system (IEC)


TECHNICAL:

Rated Output Power: 22W x 2 RMS Class A

Frequency Response: 20Hz to 30Khz

Distortion THD: <1% (1Khz)

S/N Ratio: 88db

Input Impedance: 100Kohms

Input Sensitivity: 480mV

Output Load Impedance: 4 and 8 ohms

Tube Complement: 2 x 845,

2 x 6EM7,

1 x 5AR4 (5U4)

Remote Control: yes

Dimensions (mm, WHD) : 450 x 260 x 440

IIRC, Hugh is the Melody distributor in the US so you can address any questions to him.

[MylesBAstor]

Great pieces of reply thank you. I have more to explore than where I've been so far...

So far to date I was considering three options:

1. Line Magnetic 518ai
2. Dared 845
3. Art Audio Carissa 845

I only heard the LM at shows driving the Devore speakers. I always thought the sound with the LM, save for the times John used ARC electronics, was among the best he got at shows. Mellow, tubey, great staging... Course John's speakers are pretty efficient and easy to drive.

[Audiocrack]

Have no idea about your budget but I still love my Zanden 9500 mk iii (845) amps. Lately mister Yamada launched the Zanden 9600 mk ii, also using 845 tubes. Have not heard the latter but everything Zanden brings out really makes music and touches the (my) soul.

[TheNoose]

Have no idea about your budget but I still love my Zanden 9500 mk iii (845) amps. Lately mister Yamada launched the Zanden 9600 mk ii, also using 845 tubes. Have not heard the latter but everything Zanden brings out really makes music and touches the (my) soul.

Nice sharing, thank you. A pair of these Model III in great condition here...http://www.hifi-intouch.co.uk/produc...noblocks.aspx#

Above my budget for this item.

[TheNoose]

I only heard the LM at shows driving the Devore speakers. I always thought the sound with the LM, save for the times John used ARC electronics, was among the best he got at shows. Mellow, tubey, great staging... Course John's speakers are pretty efficient and easy to drive.

I keep hearing great feedback about the LM in particular. I rather like its form factor.

[Audiocrack]

Please be careful with this Zanden add. I have the strong impression this is a fraud. Once saw Zanden 9500 mk iii amps being offered on Audiogon with serial numbers of the amps that were actually playing in my room.

[MylesBAstor]

Wow.