This fabulous beast is based on a design by the highly regarded German designer and builder Thomas Mayer, and the maker of this amp, the estimable sonic_oli, describes it as “the Korneff amp taken to its logical conclusion.” Oliver has built a number of Korneff clones, as well as other amps, to the great satisfaction of those who bought them (see sonic_oli’s feedback on US Audio Mart; he’s enormously talented and also one of the genuine good guys), but this is a one-off from him, his attempt to build the best 45 he could, using the finest parts and materials: Lundahl transformers throughout, oil caps for power supply, decoupling, etc., wire-wound resistors, pure copper wiring, NOS ceramic tube sockets, and silver AudioNote binding posts/RCA jacks, with OS dual GE 6AX4 rectifiers and JAN RCA 6N7 drivers. This amp “does tone, colour, microdetail, and resolution superbly and has hands down the best bass I’ve heard from a SE amp,” sez Oliver. I agree. As with all 45 SETs, only 1.5 watts—but they are divine watts—so you need speakers that will dance with those.
As you can see in the photos, the amp looks as gorgeous as it sounds. At the asking price, the amp will come with the lovely Cunningham globe 345s you see, as well as the rectifiers and drivers. Amp is in 8/10 condition, with just a few specks of nicked paint on the top cover. The meter in front is not working; it was for adjusting the hum pots, which is easily done by ear—as I did and never had to adjust afterward—or with a volt meter. The small switch between the globes is for the hum pots; the one in back is to lift the ground.
Because of the weight and size of the amp, I prefer a local sale and will drive up to three hours from 23061 in SE Virginia to meet you with the amp and its custom wooden crate at the asking price. If you pick the amp up from my place, the price will be $100 lower. If I end up shipping, I have the crate and will double-box that with lots of packing, but please contact me to discuss. To estimate shipping, the amp is almost 55 lbs. and 18" x 13" x 12"; add roughly another 20 lbs. for the crate and double boxing, whose outside dimensions are 24" x 22" x 18".
$2,850, with Cunningham globe 345s and three hours’ delivery drive from 23061 (that is essentially the cost of parts and tubes alone). With pickup in 23061, $2,750. Paypal add 3%. Other tube (say, if you have your own stash of 45s and don’t want the globes) and delivery options are possible, but again, please contact me to discuss.
If you’re interested in Thomas Mayer, it’s worth a visit to his website,
http://vinylsavor.blogspot.ca, to see the amps he’s made and for the informative and useful info he has on tubes.
His stuff starts at five figures and climbs from there.
