[Zulkr9]

I feel the same. This little amp certainly punches above its price point. With a 1940's 6C8G Sylvania (green leaf logo), it sounds absolutely wonderful with my HE500 and Utopia (whenever I bring these two to work). Yeah, it is a few notches below my home setup, but sometimes this little guy surprises me. For example, I brought my HE500 to work last week and listened to it on my CTH for the first time in probably two years, and I forgot how well my humble work CTH+Modi 3 setup synergized with my HE500.

Not my exact work setup below, but you get the idea. For the CTH to use a 6C8G tube, one needs a 6922/6DJ8 socket saver and a 6F8G/6C8G to 6922/6DJ8 adapter:



Home:

you should give a nos 6n6p a try, it works wonders with brighter cans on the mcth.

 

[Ham Sandwich]

I still have my cth to this day, and I think it can still hang with higher end amps, especially if you have modded it with upgraded tubes. one of the party tricks that the CTH does well for me is really brings the HD6xx imaging and soundstage more pinpoint, CTH makes the HD6xx sort of lively in the top end and also vastly improves its gaming performance. I also think one of the strengths of this amp is also micro detail of string instruments, they have very nice bite and texture.

If you want even better pinpoint imaging try inverting the absolute polarity. The CTH inverts polarity on both channels. So use a media player or DAC that has the ability to invert absolute polarity (aka absolute phase) and you'll be back to proper absolute polarity.

Correct absolute polarity does make imaging slightly better. Depending on the recording and your headphones and how sensitive your brain is to hearing absolute polarity. Much of the difference is in imaging and layering and some difference in bass layering with some recordings. It is subtle and many people don't hear it.

The parametric EQ in JRiver Media Center is able to invert polarity of both channels. Other media players can as well. May need to install a DSP plugin to do it.

 

[Zulkr9]

I already think that it images really well, it even makes the HD6xx which was abysmal for gaming for me come to life. I get really nice positional accuracy with it.

 

[roderickvd]

If you want even better pinpoint imaging try inverting the absolute polarity. The CTH inverts polarity on both channels. So use a media player or DAC that has the ability to invert absolute polarity (aka absolute phase) and you'll be back to proper absolute polarity.

Correct absolute polarity does make imaging slightly better. Depending on the recording and your headphones and how sensitive your brain is to hearing absolute polarity. Much of the difference is in imaging and layering and some difference in bass layering with some recordings. It is subtle and many people don't hear it.

I agree. I can pass an ABX test 9/10. I mostly hear it in the treble though with snares and cymbals.

I’ve got a DAC with balanced XLR out. I am going to make XLR-to-RCA cables with pins 2 and 3 connected. That’s an inverted signal.

 

[HTSkywalker]

I still have my cth to this day, and I think it can still hang with higher end amps, especially if you have modded it with upgraded tubes. one of the party tricks that the CTH does well for me is really brings the HD6xx imaging and soundstage more pinpoint, CTH makes the HD6xx sort of lively in the top end and also vastly improves its gaming performance. I also think one of the strengths of this amp is also micro detail of string instruments, they have very nice bite and texture.

Add to it the compatibility with Planar magnetics. It's a good all rounder that punches above its price tag for sure.

 

[HTSkywalker]

Which tube have you put in?

Since I have a good stock of tubes for both the Yaqin and the Darkvoice along with adapters, I have tried lots of variations with the CTH and ended up with the Golden Lion but to be honest not much difference from any other tried tube.

 

[roderickvd]

I own more than a couple of high quality E88CCs that I tried. Interestingly all of them caused audibly more background noise where the stock EH 6922 has none.

Putting those E88CCs in my Eufonika OTL amp is completely free of noise. Not sure what’s going on there. On SBAF they made the point that it doesn’t seem like much use to roll tubes, so I just let it be. The stock tube sounds great already! Just not sure what noise-free tube to replace it with once it burns up.

By the way this is both with an external LPS as with the stock wall wart.

 

[HTSkywalker]

I own more than a couple of high quality E88CCs that I tried. Interestingly all of them caused audibly more background noise where the stock EH 6922 has none.

Putting those E88CCs in my Eufonika OTL amp is completely free of noise. Not sure what’s going on there. On SBAF they made the point that it doesn’t seem like much use to roll tubes, so I just let it be. The stock tube sounds great already! Just not sure what noise-free tube to replace it with once it burns up.

By the way this is both with an external LPS as with the stock wall wart.

Exactly the stock tube is great only the Golden Lion may have a slight audible advantage when it comes to driving planars.

 

[HTSkywalker]

Although I was tempted to use an LPS instead of the stock wall wart as I hear it does make an audible difference but am reluctant due to the size of available LPS.

 

[roderickvd]

True. I put both units in my audio rack, the LPS one level below the MCTH and that looks pretty good. Side by side not so much because the dimensions are just too different.

 

[HTSkywalker]

True. I put both units in my audio rack, the LPS one level below the MCTH and that looks pretty good. Side by side not so much because the dimensions are just too different.

Any link to check the LPS you bought ?

 

[roderickvd]

From AliExpress: LPS-200 65VA Ultra low noise Linear power supply 28V
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EvihZFl

 

[HTSkywalker]

From AliExpress: LPS-200 65VA Ultra low noise Linear power supply 28V
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EvihZFl

Thanks

 

[Zulkr9]

I own more than a couple of high quality E88CCs that I tried. Interestingly all of them caused audibly more background noise where the stock EH 6922 has none.

Putting those E88CCs in my Eufonika OTL amp is completely free of noise. Not sure what’s going on there. On SBAF they made the point that it doesn’t seem like much use to roll tubes, so I just let it be. The stock tube sounds great already! Just not sure what noise-free tube to replace it with once it burns up.

By the way this is both with an external LPS as with the stock wall wart.

huh thats weird, i have some high end ecc88, and 7308s, two pinch waists and 2 A frames, never had noise issues with them, try cleaning the legs of the tubes, the CTH just maybe more sensitive to that kind of thing.

 

[HTSkywalker]

huh thats weird, i have some high end ecc88, and 7308s, two pinch waists and 2 A frames, never had noise issues with them, try cleaning the legs of the tubes, the CTH just maybe more sensitive to that kind of thing.

Or re-soldering if need be.