What can you tell me? RCA Victor Type 245 amplifier. - Videokarma.org TV - Video

Ohighway · #1 06-27-2011, 10:03 PM

Have an old RCA console which contains a type 245 amplifier. What can you all tell me about this unit? Good amp? Good for anything other than use in the radio ? Looks like it uses a 26, pair of 45s and an 80.

Reece · #2 06-28-2011, 01:55 PM

My instinct is to preserve the radio intact and restore it, but these RCA amplfiiers with triode 45 push-pull output amplifiers are considered in the holy grail category. There is lots of information on the web about them and how to restore them. They were introduced in the late twenties and built then and into the very early thirties, and, along with the new electrodynamic loudspeakers, made a tremendous difference in sound compared to what went before.

Ohighway · #3 06-28-2011, 06:08 PM

Thanks for taking the time to answer Reece. I did some google searches, maybe I wasn't doing something right, but wasn't coming up with much information. Do you have a couple favorite links you could point me to ?

I originally bought the radio that contains the amp , along with the radio and phono portion, to use in a nicer RCA cabinet that was missing these pieces. Not sure if my plan will stay true to that or not.

Holy Grail eh? Just because of the sound quality or ??

bob91343 · #4 06-28-2011, 11:38 PM

Those units sounded so smooth! When hi-fi came out in the 1950s, many scoffed at it because it sounded 'tinny' compared to the solid warm sound of those old amplifiers. But then, who needs those frequencies above 5000 anyway...

Ohighway · #5 06-29-2011, 06:44 AM

So.... no HF output to speak of? A function of the amplifier, the speakers used in the radios, or a combination of both?

Reece · #6 06-29-2011, 08:40 AM

Not sure of the details, but I know that a lot of tube audio enthusiasts are keen on these amplfiers with their triode outputs. The Japanese go crazy over them same as they do over anything Western Electric. Back in the day these things would shake the walls and people had never heard that before with a radio (which was in its infancy, anyway). I don't have any links but I'm sure if you Google about you'll find plenty of info.

hifim37 · #7 07-02-2011, 10:51 PM

I sold two of those amps on ebay years ago, they went to Korea and I did get well paid for them, My cabinet was totally shot due to being left outside, shame :-(

leadlike · #8 07-03-2011, 01:12 AM

There is a market for these amps-it is fairly easy to jumper it out and feed it from a pre. Sound is kinda blah to me-just your typical boomy 30's radio sound.

That being said, I have seen these amps, as is and unrestored, sell for between $400-$600 dollars on Ebay. As the consoles they come from are not desirable, some sellers make a living of buying up the radios to pull the amps from them. I remember one seller making claims of the amp internals being made by Western Electric or some such thing, no idea if that has a shred of truth to it or not.

As for the value of yours, the ones I have seen with rough paint like yours tend to sell for much less-around $100 or so. Of course, a can of spraypaint could cure that.

bgadow · #9 07-03-2011, 09:39 PM

I watched a couple friends get in a bidding war over one of these radios, just for the amp. The one friend was going to give me the radio if he won it (it was better than the one I have so I was going to make two into one) but the other guy won the auction so I guess the rest got dumped. Mine won't be parted out unless I get really desperate.