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CTH vs SOHA vs Millet Mini Max

post #1 of 14
5/7/09 at 2:09am
Thread Starter 
Hi, has anyone compared the three amps?
Which has the best SQ of the three?
I'm thinking of either building or purchasing a prebuilt amp.

TIA
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post #2 of 14
5/7/09 at 3:06am
I think you can rule out a stock Soha, but a Soha + jisbos is rather nice!
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post #3 of 14
5/7/09 at 3:11am
I never did warm up to any of the millet hybrids except perhaps the Starving student. I liked the lower end response on that..Quite a decent amp for the price. Downsie is taht it lacks the refinement and details that the CTH or the SOHA2 has.

The CTH would be my pick among the bunch.

I have only heard the SOHA2, not the SOHA or the SOHA+JIsbos..which is really good..it is slightly better than the CTH, but without the tube choices or the small footprint taht the CTH comes with.
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post #4 of 14
5/7/09 at 3:57am
I too haven't heard the SOHA, nor the SOHA+JISBOS. I do own the CTH, SOHA 2, and SSMH.

I like the SOHA 2 the best even in stock configuration, what many of the builders have noticed is the solid bottom end on the amp. My build is no longer "standard" as it's running the higher power transformer version and can utilize all the tubes the CTH uses. It's also running at a tail current of 10mA (5mA per triode).

The SSMH, for me, is soft around the edges and doesn't have the tube options that some may like.

Ultimately you will have to gauge for yourself one way or another. Their topologies are different. If you are going to build, just build them all. If you're going to buy, I'd recommend going to a meet or mini-meet with folks in your area that may have the amps you are interested in.

Edit: Ignore the comment on the SSMH. I realize you are asking about the Mini Max, and I was thinking of something else. I have not heard nor own the Mini Max and can only compare the SOHA 2 and CTH. I have spent enough time with both and think the SOHA 2 is a good bit over the CTH. The initial finding was that they were close, but further listening puts me more firmly on the SOHA 2 side.
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post #5 of 14
5/7/09 at 4:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by holland View Post
I too haven't heard the SOHA, nor the SOHA+JISBOS. I do own the CTH, SOHA 2, and SSMH.

I like the SOHA 2 the best even in stock configuration, what many of the builders have noticed is the solid bottom end on the amp. My build is no longer "standard" as it's running the higher power transformer version and can utilize all the tubes the CTH uses. It's also running at a tail current of 10mA (5mA per triode).

The SSMH, for me, is soft around the edges and doesn't have the tube options that some may like.

Ultimately you will have to gauge for yourself one way or another. Their topologies are different. If you are going to build, just build them all. If you're going to buy, I'd recommend going to a meet or mini-meet with folks in your area that may have the amps you are interested in.

Edit: Ignore the comment on the SSMH. I realize you are asking about the Mini Max, and I was thinking of something else. I have not heard nor own the Mini Max and can only compare the SOHA 2 and CTH. I have spent enough time with both and think the SOHA 2 is a good bit over the CTH. The initial finding was that they were close, but further listening puts me more firmly on the SOHA 2 side.
I only listened to the SOHA2 briefly..maybe when I go over to Don's place next time I will have a closer listen. It did have a better bottom end compared to the CTH. I know taht Don is going to probably build a CTH for himself soon. Have to dig up a set of those CRDs for him

One comment, going from the CTH to the EHHA is like night and day difference, but I digress..
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post #6 of 14
5/7/09 at 1:13pm
I have a soft spot for the Millett Starving Student, I'm with sachu on the sound quality of this amp. The PCB kit comes out soon and is going to be a very attractive project for first time builders -- a really nice warm sounding little guy.

I've not heard the Millett MiniMax yet, but between the SOHA (II?) and CTH for me the SOHA II is the better choice for SQ.
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post #7 of 14
5/7/09 at 2:39pm
You know, I shouldn't post as I was involved in the design & dev of the CTH... But what the heck...

I agree that for SOHA to be a contender it'd need JISBOS (and muting delay/offset protection (e.g. ε12) to protect your cans.)

Then I don't know if any on the list make a good 1st time build, like CMOY or SSMH do.

The idea of attending meets to decide is a good one, but watch out.... I listened to MoodySteve's β22 and now I have to build one

There's also your personal requirements/wishes to consider (budget, complexity, size).

The CTH, for example, nicely meets or exceeds it's design goals of better-than-SOHA SQ, reasonably low cost and transportability:

Good luck choosing. Or build them all as suggested
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post #8 of 14
5/7/09 at 9:10pm
Thread Starter 
Hi guys,

Thanks for the information.
I did a basic electronics course about 12 yrs ago. And I refurbished an old Japanese SET tube amp with Point to Point wiring at the end of it.

But I have since forgotten all the theory not having had anything to do with electronics since then (apart from using them).
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post #9 of 14
5/8/09 at 9:20am
I own the SOHA/ JISBOS, SOHA 2, Millet Mini-Max and a Millet MOSFET Max. I dont think you can go wrong with any of them. However, if I had to pick a favorite I like the Millet MOSFET Max best .... absolutely wonderful with Grados.
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post #10 of 14
5/8/09 at 1:20pm
sacd lover
You make me so curious about mosfet max which is very hard to find.
May be I have to build one..lol.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sacd lover View Post
I own the SOHA/ JISBOS, SOHA 2, Millet Mini-Max and a Millet MOSFET Max. I dont think you can go wrong with any of them. However, if I had to pick a favorite I like the Millet MOSFET Max best .... absolutely wonderful with Grados.
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post #11 of 14
5/8/09 at 1:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sacd lover View Post
I own the SOHA/ JISBOS, SOHA 2, Millet Mini-Max and a Millet MOSFET Max. I dont think you can go wrong with any of them. However, if I had to pick a favorite I like the Millet MOSFET Max best .... absolutely wonderful with Grados.
Is your mini-max the mosfet version? I would have thunk they sound the same?
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post #12 of 14
5/8/09 at 2:26pm
There is no MOSFET version of the MiniMax, as far as I know. That build was designed to fit in the custom case that you can see at the project website. Being small, the case doesn't allow for adequate heatsinking required for MOSFETS, ergo it's restricted to BJT output transistors.

I'd think the MiniMax would be a great build for a newb who wanted to jump right in, so to speak. The casework is basically all done, and there's nothing particularly difficult about the build itself, other than the larger number of parts compared to something like a CMOY or Mini3. Hey, I've seen people successfully compete a B22 as their first build, although I would never ever recommend it. But if a B22 can be completed by a first timer, then the MiniMax shouldn't be a problem, and you've at least had some experience with soldering iron, so that might be what I'd go for.
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post #13 of 14
5/8/09 at 2:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by UglyJoe View Post
There is no MOSFET version of the MiniMax, as far as I know. That build was designed to fit in the custom case that you can see at the project website. Being small, the case doesn't allow for adequate heatsinking required for MOSFETS, ergo it's restricted to BJT output transistors.
I see. You don't need the custom case though, and with that you can have a MOSFET version.

Quote from the website. The schematics also has MOSFETs on it as well, just like it's big brother.

Quote:
(MOSFETs are an option but not recommended except with taller heat sinks and a case other than the Lansing custom)
It's the same thing you are saying, but with a different POV....i.e., you don't need the Lansing case. It's not a requirement for the MiniMax. It's nice, for sure. It's just like people putting Mini3 or Pimeta builds in other cases.
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post #14 of 14
5/8/09 at 4:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by holland View Post
I see. You don't need the custom case though, and with that you can have a MOSFET version.

Quote from the website. The schematics also has MOSFETs on it as well, just like it's big brother.
Quote:
(MOSFETs are an option but not recommended except with taller heat sinks and a case other than the Lansing custom)

It's the same thing you are saying, but with a different POV....i.e., you don't need the Lansing case. It's not a requirement for the MiniMax. It's nice, for sure. It's just like people putting Mini3 or Pimeta builds in other cases.
This is basically correct, but the MiniMAX board is also too small to fit in some of the larger caps that are really optimum to support the high current in the MOSFETs.

Just an update on the MOSFET-MAX V1.2 - I came to the conclusion that I hate Muse KZ caps. I replaced the KZ's on the outputs today with a pair of Silmic's at 1000uf 35V (big caps, but there was room!). It sounds wonderful. I even backed it down from 150ma bias in the buffer down to 125ma. It still sounds wonderful.

Next up is testing the BantamDAC on the board with the switching relay, but I've got to do some more building first. The Starving Student PCB version blew out another one of my BantamDACs.

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