Hi All,
Saw the above on t'ebay for sale.Have ceramic base and gold pins etc. but the internal construction looks the same as the bog-standard Shuguang ones I got with the Mr Liang,having the mica top-plate,which can be had for a fraction of the asking price of the TJ's.Does anyone know if they are indeed the same and made in the same factory?
Regards.
TJ 845's
#2 845's
Hi Ali....
TJ do not make the 845 from what I know. Brian over at DIY HiFi Supply does not stock them and he carries nearly every TJ power tube. He also will not stock the Valve Art 845's due to high failures he told me. Ask Brian at diyHS, he will give you a honest answer.
Also there have been supply problems from the Shuguang factory.
Have you done the resistor mod yet ? Lower the 6l6 cathode R to about 24K 6W ish made a big difference in my setup. The 6l6 is hardly being driven and as a result the 845 is not working at its full potential.
Your Mr Liang still sounded much better than the 4K Unison Research at the doncaster meet !! the UR845 sounded small and thin to me. Not what a 845 should sound like. Not bad eh for a £500 845 amp when it betters a 4K one
swampy
TJ do not make the 845 from what I know. Brian over at DIY HiFi Supply does not stock them and he carries nearly every TJ power tube. He also will not stock the Valve Art 845's due to high failures he told me. Ask Brian at diyHS, he will give you a honest answer.
Also there have been supply problems from the Shuguang factory.
Have you done the resistor mod yet ? Lower the 6l6 cathode R to about 24K 6W ish made a big difference in my setup. The 6l6 is hardly being driven and as a result the 845 is not working at its full potential.
Your Mr Liang still sounded much better than the 4K Unison Research at the doncaster meet !! the UR845 sounded small and thin to me. Not what a 845 should sound like. Not bad eh for a £500 845 amp when it betters a 4K one
swampy
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pre65
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#3
Hi-to be honest i thought Samanthas UR 845 amp sounded less than good (i was sitting next to her at the time) but i don't think it was a good match with Steves speakers.
The volume control was only just off the stop and they had no time to warm up.
As Samantha said (and don't we all at our events ?)-they sound so much better at home with my speakers after a 20 minute warm up.
It was interesting that DTB commented on my 832A amp at the end of day 2 by saying it sounded like a smaller version of Ali's 845.
I hope my home built 845,driven by a 300b SE amp will sound like the real thing (or better even ?????).
The volume control was only just off the stop and they had no time to warm up.
As Samantha said (and don't we all at our events ?)-they sound so much better at home with my speakers after a 20 minute warm up.
It was interesting that DTB commented on my 832A amp at the end of day 2 by saying it sounded like a smaller version of Ali's 845.
I hope my home built 845,driven by a 300b SE amp will sound like the real thing (or better even ?????).
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
#4
Yes, its was not a fair test really and the UR 845 did get better as it warmed up but I was expecting to be blown away and was surprised.
The 845 tends to take on the sonic signature of the driver tube. I always think something like a 45 driving the 845 would be great but some of these DHT tubes are far too expensive. I think the UR, if it is the same model I heard in a hifi shop uses small ecc83/1 ? drivers which I would expect not ideal to drive a 845 properly. It may have a step-up tx inside though ?
The 845 tends to take on the sonic signature of the driver tube. I always think something like a 45 driving the 845 would be great but some of these DHT tubes are far too expensive. I think the UR, if it is the same model I heard in a hifi shop uses small ecc83/1 ? drivers which I would expect not ideal to drive a 845 properly. It may have a step-up tx inside though ?
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pre65
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#5
Nick has loaned me some Lundahl 1-2 interstages for my 845 creation so i'm hoping for a sound similar to Nicks 211 (well i can but hope !) Big in scale and detail without being "loud".
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
#6
I spent several weeks looking at driver stages for Colins GM70, which has a lower P/P requirement than a 845 (thats why I got the interstages Phil has now). Its a non trivial problem developing a driver that can supply 80v RMS into the GM70, let alone 120v RMS for a 845. And I can say with certantity that a ecc82 will have problems. For the 211 I use a el84 cathode follower as thats more a issue of dealing with grid current that voltage swing.
In the experiments the best (lowest distortion) driver I found was a 45 via a interstage (or choke loaded), but that starts to get problematic at that swing, thats why I ended up with a 300b at 60ma. There are some high voltage triodes that would make a good cathode follower, and I do have a pair, but as yet I haven't got around to them.
In the experiments the best (lowest distortion) driver I found was a 45 via a interstage (or choke loaded), but that starts to get problematic at that swing, thats why I ended up with a 300b at 60ma. There are some high voltage triodes that would make a good cathode follower, and I do have a pair, but as yet I haven't got around to them.
Whenever an honest man discovers that he's mistaken, he will either cease to be mistaken or he will cease to be honest.
#7
Hi Swampy,no I didn't think they made it.Looking at the construction,it looks just like the basic Shuguang 845,with the mica top.It looks just a tarted-up version with a nicer looking base(and a 90 quid each price tag..)
I've not changed the resistors yet,but have ordered some SCR and Obbligato caps to put in as per your posting elsewhere.I'll get round to the resistors soon too.Just need some decent KT66 and 88's to try now.
I've not changed the resistors yet,but have ordered some SCR and Obbligato caps to put in as per your posting elsewhere.I'll get round to the resistors soon too.Just need some decent KT66 and 88's to try now.
#9 Re: 845's
Hardly fair and not what these meets are about IMO.swampy wrote: Your Mr Liang still sounded much better than the 4K Unison Research at the doncaster meet !! the UR845 sounded small and thin to me. Not what a 845 should sound like. Not bad eh for a £500 845 amp when it betters a 4K one
Also, the UR didnt cost £4k either. But what it did cost was very very worth the money to me which surly is the point. In my system it sounds great and suits me spot on. I am still in a position where I have yet to hear something that makes me want to swap. We all have different ears/music/systems and I have no desire to make desparaging remarks on anyone else's kit. I have heard some very nice stuff, and also some that would not do for me. There are plus points and negatives to almost every bit of kit, so we chose the one that suits our needs (and perhaps pockets) best.
As it happens, remember I stated that I like to use poor recordings to see what can be made of it?.... the first track is a Susanne Hoff cover of Different Drum and the recording is 'challenged'
, but even with that in mind, I commented to Steve when it first came on that something wasn't right - it sounded to me as though something wasn't properly connected as I have never heard such a small and weedy sound with my amp a part of it - complete mismatch and as such, I don't feel either 845 amps were done justice to.The second track I played was a better recording, and had there been chance for a third track, I had brought a pretty demanding rock track which really needs some drive and boogie - sadly never got the chance to try that, nor to try a pairing with some different speakers.
#10
Hi Sam...
Not having a dig at you. If you read further on in the thread you will see I said the UR did get better as it warmed up and yes, it was not a fair test. I think those speakers of nick's were not a good match to yours and another amp we heard earlier.
My 845 amp sounds bad with my main floor stander hybrid speakers but great on my smaller stand mounts.
I saw the same amp as yours in practical hifi near me and its was 4K brand new. That's why I said the Mr Liang is a bargain and just making a general comparison, not directly to yours. At the hifi shop that UR 845 was very good driving some sonus faber type speakers !! So I know it is not that your amp is not capable.
I really would have liked to hear your amp driving some other speakers. Colin who was with me did say afterwards that it sounds much better at your house on your system.
swampy
Not having a dig at you. If you read further on in the thread you will see I said the UR did get better as it warmed up and yes, it was not a fair test. I think those speakers of nick's were not a good match to yours and another amp we heard earlier.
My 845 amp sounds bad with my main floor stander hybrid speakers but great on my smaller stand mounts.
I saw the same amp as yours in practical hifi near me and its was 4K brand new. That's why I said the Mr Liang is a bargain and just making a general comparison, not directly to yours. At the hifi shop that UR 845 was very good driving some sonus faber type speakers !! So I know it is not that your amp is not capable.
I really would have liked to hear your amp driving some other speakers. Colin who was with me did say afterwards that it sounds much better at your house on your system.
swampy
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richardcooper2k
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#11
samantha. working out how to comment on the sound of kit at these dos is very much a work in progress. on the one hand you can say oh yes they all sound very nice and nothing objective is communicated. on the other hand you don't want to offend people. its a difficult thing and depends as much on the owners relationship to their gear as anything else.
i've come to expect to be underwhelmed by the sound of my kit at these venues for precisely the reasons you mention. i'm also starting to realise that some of the stuff people bring is, well, lets say.......a bit better than average (english understatement). prehaps rather good is a better way of putting it !
i've come to expect to be underwhelmed by the sound of my kit at these venues for precisely the reasons you mention. i'm also starting to realise that some of the stuff people bring is, well, lets say.......a bit better than average (english understatement). prehaps rather good is a better way of putting it !
#12
Sam...
As an after thought. I think a good idea would be to allow each amp to be demoed with a set of speakers of the owners choice, that is if the speaker owner does not mind. That way you could have maybe swapped out the speakers first based on your knowledge and experience of what may have been a better match with having heard most of the speakers earlier in the day.
The 2nd track did sound the best so maybe material choice was a factor ? I have some poor recordings which make everything I play them on sound like a 10 bob stereo
Regards
swampy
As an after thought. I think a good idea would be to allow each amp to be demoed with a set of speakers of the owners choice, that is if the speaker owner does not mind. That way you could have maybe swapped out the speakers first based on your knowledge and experience of what may have been a better match with having heard most of the speakers earlier in the day.
The 2nd track did sound the best so maybe material choice was a factor ? I have some poor recordings which make everything I play them on sound like a 10 bob stereo
Regards
swampy
#13
My friend always tells me when my setup sounds crap. Does not bother me really but that's just me I guess... I am quite used to itrichardcooper2k wrote:samantha. working out how to comment on the sound of kit at these dos is very much a work in progress. on the one hand you can say oh yes they all sound very nice and nothing objective is communicated. on the other hand you don't want to offend people. its a difficult thing and depends as much on the owners relationship to their gear as anything else.
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pre65
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#14
I prefer the honest aproach !
What is good at our events is positive criticism and suggestions of how to improve !
What is good at our events is positive criticism and suggestions of how to improve !
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
#15
Just to correct a bit of mis-information here. Sam's amp was playing through Steves speakers not mine, and both Scott and myself tried very hard to suggest that it might be better to use my OB's instead of Steves.As an after thought. I think a good idea would be to allow each amp to be demoed with a set of speakers of the owners choice, that is if the speaker owner does not mind. That way you could have maybe swapped out the speakers first based on your knowledge and experience of what may have been a better match with having heard most of the speakers earlier in the day.
Sam was the one that wanted to use Steves speakers, it was her choice as I remember.
Yes, but with respect, its a bit different with a room of 30 people, at the end of the day, is is the owners view thats important, all we can say is what we think, but we all want different things from the kitMy friend always tells me when my setup sounds crap. Does not bother me really but that's just me I guess... I am quite used to it
Whenever an honest man discovers that he's mistaken, he will either cease to be mistaken or he will cease to be honest.