Audiophilepure
reviews the Mastersound Compact 845 as an amplifier that hits all sonic preferences: a beautiful, warm tube sound, tactile instrumental texture, unfailing naturalness, lush and transparent mids, solid bass, open treble, a black background, precise layering of instruments and vocals, and the deepest, most dynamic soundstage they have experienced. The amplifier is also remarkably quiet. They conclude that the Compact 845 brings Mastersound to the forefront of tube amp manufacturers, alongside such brands as Shindo, Audio Note, Air Tight, Line Magnetic, Luxman and PrimaLuna.
The Ear
emphasizes that, despite its name, the Mastersound Compact 845, at 34 kg, is not a light amplifier. The three large transformers on the rear contribute to the weight and also act as heat sinks. The amplifier uses the powerful 845 triode in a single-ended Class A configuration, resulting in a warm, rich sound with impressive spatial reproduction. They note that the amplifier is surprisingly agile for a single-ended triode and maintains its composure with rhythmic music. The Compact 845 is praised for its ability to convey the energy and emotion in musical performances in a sincere and moving way.
Audio.com.pl
emphasized that the Mastersound Compact 845 reproduces the emotional nuances of recordings exceptionally well. When listening to Depeche Mode's "Sounds Of The Universe," Dave Gahan's voice sounded surprisingly pleasant, despite compression and cutting off low frequencies. The amplifier is very sensitive to subtle details, and with well-recorded music, such as Suzanne Vega's "Close-Up," it creates great volume and phenomenal spaciousness. The Compact 845 offers not only a warm midrange, but also deep, full bass and pleasing treble. Although there are amplifiers with tighter bass reproduction, such as some transistor amplifiers, the Compact 845 has everything so well balanced that it leaves little to be desired. It is an amplifier that exploits the advantages of tube technology without the usual drawbacks, all in a beautiful enclosure.
PhonoPhono
describes the Mastersound Compact 845 as an elegant tube amplifier, manufactured in Italy, with a single-ended Class A configuration that delivers 2 x 24 watts in triode mode. The amplifier features large output transformers and has beautiful walnut wood side panels. They emphasize that the Compact 845 offers fantastic detailing with beautiful tonal colors and believable spatial reproduction.
Stereophile
conducted measurements on the Mastersound Compact 845 and noted that the amplifier produces significant heat, with a temperature of 46.6°C on the top panel after an hour of use. They noted that the amplifier has a channel separation of 50 dB below 1 kHz, which decreases to 30 dB at the upper end of the audio range. During testing, the Compact 845 produced audible noise, presumably from the output tube circuits, with a sound pressure level of 66 dB(C) when playing a 1 kHz signal at 1 watt per channel into 8 ohms.
Concert Home
emphasizes that the Mastersound Compact 845 is an integrated amplifier that uses the legendary 845 triode in a single-ended Class A configuration. They note that the amplifier offers excellent overall neutrality and balanced tonal balance. The highs are fine and silky smooth, while the lows are well dosed with a clear sense of weight in the notes.
