Thomas Mayer designed Single Ended Type 45

Below is one of the greatest audio purchases I have ever made. Designed by Thomas Mayer and built by Oliver Sayes (Sonic_Oli), this is a nearly penultimate single ended amplifier. Using the wonderful type 45 tube, this truly massive 60 pound amplifier puts out 1.5 watts per channel of some of the finest audio known to man. Tone, texture, detail…its all here in spades.

Featuring all Lundhal iron in an inter-stage design, and with a veritable forest of filter caps next to the humongous Le Club HiFi power transformer, the tubes themselves are nearly dwarfed atop the chassis. Using the lesser known 6N7 as a driver, it is cheap and easy to source the best NOS tubes, like these round plates from the 1940s. Dual 6x4 rectifiers are also easily found and affordable. The type 45 itself is available in many forms, and is pictured below as both 1930s globes, later 1940s ST shaped tubes, and finally with the finest modern 45s, mesh plate Emission Labs. Overall, I prefer the old globes, but all are exceptionally good sounding.

This amp is very special. After an extended warm-up, it presents an amazingly detailed soundscape where every bit of program material shines in its own light. Its is not as warm as many of the other triode amps I've owned, and there is nothing "fuzzy" about its presentation. The stage is wide and deep and everything fits in place so well. Much of the same can be said about my 46 amplifier, but the 46 has a warmth to its tone that I find just a bit more pleasing overall. Right now both of these amps sit on my bench and rotate in and out of service. What a treat!

The wonderful Perryman PA-245 mesh plate 45s!