Hello everybody,
we're thinking about purchasing a new fluorescence spectrometer and I'd like to have more info, preferably from the first hand users, before making the final decision.
What we need is a high sensitivity and high resolution spectrometer with microplate assay capability. What we measure are, for example, series of pyrene solutions at nM concetrations and we need to be able to separete the individual peaks which are just a few nm apart from each other. We tried this measurement on a dedicated microplate reader (Perkin Elmer Ensight) but it wasn't able to resolve the peaks (not speakign about sensitivity), so we look for a spectrometer with a microplate reader as an accesory.
What I came across so far are:
1) Horiba Fluoromax/Fluorolog + MicroMax 384 Microwell-Plate Reader
2) Jasco FP-8500 + microplate reader accesory
3) Perkin Elmer FL 8500 + microplate reader accesory
The thing is that Horiba (especially Fluorolog) can be turned into a beast, I had a good experience with it back in the university but I don't like much the MicroMax reader - I don't like the fibers and I find a manual online that is dated back to 2001. I understand that if it works, there's no need to change, but still, 20 years is a lot...
Jasco look great, the parameters of the machine are ok and the microplate reader seems to be designed quite well. Unfortunatelly I have no experience with the brand, don't know how good their software is, nothing.
Perkin's specifications are slightly worse then the Jasco's but they actually seems to be pretty similar. We already have some of the brand's machines in the lab, know their SW and it's not such a big uknown as Jasco.
I will be grateful if you could share your experiences with any of these machines or recommend some other one.
Kind regards,
Martin
We are using Synergy NEO from BioTek. The resolution is not very good, but otherwise it is really capable. According to the specification the newer version NEO2 seems to have higher resolution options.
BMG Clariostar could be also an instrument to look, but we have experience only with their Pherastar model that has worked very well, but has no monochromator.
Hi Martin,
I used to work for Horiba, and I hear you about the MicroMax... it's an afterthought to the fluorometer. They recently upgraded their fluorescence software, but the plate reader hasn't changed. Since your university system was purchased, Horiba acquired PTI. The FluoroMax is probably exactly the same, the FluoroLog can be the same, or it can borrow some of PTI's technology since it's modular... there are quite a few options now.
Covid has made this a bad time to visit a lab, but I recommend you test each prospective system out with your samples. When I was with Horiba, we were happy to host potential customers and spend the day with them measuring samples, and I'm sure the other companies are as well. It's an expensive purchase, so the time is warranted.
Probably the best thing would be to contact a sales person from each company, let them know that you want to measure *your samples on their instrument. Send them the samples and whatever plate you want to use, so you get a fair comparison between all three, and take a look at the data.
You can be open with them about the other companies you are considering, and they can tell you what they think is wrong with those other companies' systems. That gives you some more information for your follow up after receiving data. Once you have a sense of how the instruments perform and narrowed your search, ask for a Zoom meeting or whatever so they can show you the software and you can experience what it would be like to use their system.
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