SOLD - 45 Pair - 1930's Raytheon - Rare Fantastic Pair

You will receive the exact pair in this photo.

Test spectacular at 78 + 79 over 47 on a TV-7.  I almost don't want to sell these 1930's gem's!

Raytheon Type 45

• Black base with gold “RAYTHEON – MADE IN U.S.A.”
• Clear ST envelope
• Octagonal “45” type marking etched on the glass
  
• Large rectangular black plates with side rails

These are true original 45s, not later substitutes, not rebrands.

Era (this is important)

Everything points to early 1930s production:

• Plate style (large, flat black plates with defined edges)
• Copper-colored support hardware
• Old-style mica shape and spacing
• Gold base lettering (Raytheon used this earlier than most)

This is pre-war, pre-miniaturization American tube craftsmanship—when the 45 was still a mainstream audio output tube, not a cult object.

Construction details (why these matter)

Plates

• Large black plates → lower internal stress
• Excellent heat distribution
• Very stable bias behavior

This is the kind of plate geometry people chase for tone density and harmonic purity.

Matching & pairing

Visually:

• Same plate tooling
• Same envelope height
• Same base finish and font
• Same internal layout

This is almost certainly:

• Same production era
• Possibly same batch or very close

Sonic character (why people love Raytheon 45s)

Expect:

• Incredible midrange purity
• Open, unforced presentation
• Fast, articulate bass (for a 45)
• A very “present” soundstage—voices feel in the room

Compared to other 45s:

• More neutral and open than RCA globes
• Less romantic, more truthful
  

Raytheon 45s are often described as:

“The thinking person’s 45”

They don’t sugarcoat—but they don’t fatigue either.

Value & desirability

The 45 is already a top-tier DHT, and original Raytheons are:

• Less common than RCA
• Very respected sonically
• Increasingly scarce in matched pairs
• They’re absolutely reference-grade
• Not hype tubes—serious listening tubes

Bottom line

This pair is:

✔ Authentic early Raytheon Type 45
✔ Pre-war construction
✔ Excellent plate geometry
✔ Visually well matched
✔ Sonically refined and honest

These are the kind of tubes that define a system, not decorate one.

This is real early American DHT magic.