Just purchased CTH-8550

[rnsa2000]

Joe,

very interesting this review. I heard the MPS-5, and my opinion is similar to the review, it is more analog.


Rgds,
Ricardo.

 

[rnsa2000]

Dear friends,

could you direct me to a power cord for use with integrated? I am almost certain to buy a 2 meter Kubala Elation because I heard the power darTZeel with this power cord and I really liked.


Best regards,
Ricardo Nonato.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Dear friends,

could you direct me to a power cord for use with integrated? I am almost certain to buy a 2 meter Kubala Elation because I heard the power darTZeel with this power cord and I really liked.


Best regards,
Ricardo Nonato.

hi Ricardo,

i've tried a number of power cords on both my dart NHB-18NS and my dart NHB-108. my opinion is that power cords are a bit system and power grid dependant. if you have conventional power coming into your room that is un-treated and don't use a stand alone power conditioner, then it might be helpful to use a power cord which includes some sort of filter. or at least find a power cord which seems to do a great job at low noise. the dart gear is so quiet that this becomes significant.

in my case; a year ago i added an Equi=tech Wall Panel System which includes a 10kva isolation transformer. so i had to re-think my power cords since my power was now very low noise and ultra-dynamic. the best power cord i've found for the NHB-108 is the triple run Evolution Acoustics; however it is very heavy and stiff and costs $3600. i did use an Absolute Fidelity (made by Gary Ko of Genesis) which was quite close to the EA cord, but was flexible and 'only' costs $1800.

again; power cords are system and power grid dependant; and if possible try to listen first. i know you are in Brazil so that is maybe not so easy.

i hope this helps.

 

[flez007]

Thanks turntable.
And I can understand your friends enjoyment of the CJ as well
The 8550 to me is sort of in between solid state expectation and tubes.

And this brings me to one aspect I forgot to mention; I tend to just leave the CHT-8550 to warm up for 30-45mins before listening as the sound quality improvement is noticable compared to cold.
Ideally I would say over an hour to benefit from the blend of solid state-tube characteristic sound.

Hope others are enjoying their weekend listening to music as well

Cheers
Orb

Congrats Orb - I am very keen towards the integrated amd/cdp route and have had some good integrated amps including Gryphon, Acoustic Plan, Jadis, Audio Note and Naim. A Dartzeel amp is in my short list as well as the Boulder, did you considered the later?

 

[LL21]

Congrats Orb - I am very keen towards the integrated amd/cdp route and have had some good integrated amps including Gryphon, Acoustic Plan, Jadis, Audio Note and Naim. A Dartzeel amp is in my short list as well as the Boulder, did you considered the later?

Hey Flez, FWIW, i really like the Class A Boulder i heard (2060)...not quite the same 'flavor' as Gryphon but many of the SS Class A characteristics are there though the voice is a touch cleaner. Cannot speak to the integrated. As you already know better than i, the Gryphon Diablo has a great reputation. You might also try the Vitus integrated which apparently sits alongside the Gryphon Diablo, but many would say at a level higher...more in line with Antileon Signature. I think Jeff Fritz replaced his Antileon Signature with it, before going to Boulder 2060 and then eventually Gryphon Colosseum.

 

[flez007]

Hey Flez, FWIW, i really like the Class A Boulder i heard (2060)...not quite the same 'flavor' as Gryphon but many of the SS Class A characteristics are there though the voice is a touch cleaner. Cannot speak to the integrated. As you already know better than i, the Gryphon Diablo has a great reputation. You might also try the Vitus integrated which apparently sits alongside the Gryphon Diablo, but many would say at a level higher...more in line with Antileon Signature. I think Jeff Fritz replaced his Antileon Signature with it, before going to Boulder 2060 and then eventually Gryphon Colosseum.

Thanks for the insight Lloyd, actually I am happily parked with my setup (which has no "integrated" pieces right now) - I would rather look for a Gryphon amp again if I ever decide to upgrade the Levinson in order to capitalize the investment I did on the Gryphon preamp I use now... but who knows ...

Cheers!

 

[microstrip]

I hosted a CTH8550 for a few days - the best I could get from it was using a Shunyata Andromeda helix power cable. But my system includes a Shunyata Hydra 8 .
Our Dartzeel distributor is now selling the PurePower conditioners - even the NH 458 improved a lot when used wit it.

 

[rnsa2000]

Dear Mike,

here in my room the power grid is treated with electrical panel independent of the rest of the house. I usually connect my power directly into the outlet.

Thanks for the help.


Best regards,
Ricardo Nonato.

 

[andromedaaudio]

......Microstrip ,....what hasnt he owned /hosted

amazing :b

I hosted a CTH8550 for a few days - the best I could get from it was using a Shunyata Andromeda helix power cable. But my system includes a Shunyata Hydra 8 .
Our Dartzeel distributor is now selling the PurePower conditioners - even the NH 458 improved a lot when used wit it.

 

[rnsa2000]

Hi microstrip,

here in my setup I use conditioner only on the sources and pre, the amplifiers are connected directly into the outlet.

I don't know PurePower, I will search this.

Thanks.


Best regards,
Ricardo Nonato.

 

[Orb]

Congrats Orb - I am very keen towards the integrated amd/cdp route and have had some good integrated amps including Gryphon, Acoustic Plan, Jadis, Audio Note and Naim. A Dartzeel amp is in my short list as well as the Boulder, did you considered the later?

Great selection, hopefully Microstrip will read this thread and contribute as well, and as Lloyd mentions there is the Vitus.
One other possibility that comes to mind is the Simaudio Evolution, I did not listen to it over here in the UK but that could be my loss.
I would had suggested Pass Labs, but I know Keith Howard was disappointed in it, due to being highly impressed by the Pass Labs seperate XA power amp.
Just remember to listen to both XLR and RCA on the Dartzeel, makes me wonder how many other amp setups have subtle audio differences between both.
This can be important as I love the Zeel using RCA, which is not as forward/explicit IMO.
Unfortunately being here in the UK I did not consider Boulder.

Cheers
Orb

 

[microstrip]

Great selection, hopefully Microstrip will read this thread and contribute as well, and as Lloyd mentions there is the Vitus.
One other possibility that comes to mind is the Simaudio Evolution, I did not listen to it over here in the UK but that could be my loss.
I would had suggested Pass Labs, but I know Keith Howard was disappointed in it, due to being highly impressed by the Pass Labs seperate XA power amp.
Just remember to listen to both XLR and RCA on the Dartzeel, makes me wonder how many other amp setups have subtle audio differences between both.
This can be important as I love the Zeel using RCA, which is not as forward/explicit IMO.
Unfortunately being here in the UK I did not consider Boulder.

Cheers
Orb

As I am currenly hosting the Sonus Faber Amati Futura, my friend who owns one CHT 8550 brought it for some lsitening some days ago. We tried several CD players, such as a Nagra and his decision was ordering an Audio Research CD8, as we have listened to mine. In his opinion it presented the best compromise in detail, bass control and a very airy sound. The Futura can present an impressive soundstage, particularly becuase te instruments and voices seem dinamycally free. The treble is tilted down, but seems to be astonishingly detailed because using the CD8 there is plenty of air around the instruments and the details seem natural - as he said they can take you by surprise.

 

[Orb]

Micro,
good to know info.
Thanks again
Orb

 

[rnsa2000]

Hello micro,

great information, here in Brazil still have some people who do not believe in the potential of darTZeel CTH-8550. Any people insist that it have no ability to extract some good bass of the any loudspeakers, and even spoke to would not get the integrated push the Amati Futura, at most the Cremona M.

I usually say: If you have not heard, you can not give opnion!

You have some more comments of this test?