Massdrop Cavalli Tube Hybrid Amp

Putting that thing in a visible place in your home, you are lucky to still have a wife

 

I told her I could put Cthulhu on the floor, but that would have a negative affect on her other pet peeve: sweeping/mopping several times a week. You can't really see it unless you're standing there looking straight at it. Plus, I put black duct tape over the label. It's at least more low profile than the bright yellow Accopian...

 

I would suggest building a nice looking wood cabinet similar to this one:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-diy-headphone-stand-thread.249671/page-249#post-13599474
Instead of a Bottlehead Crack, power supplies go inside. Could get creating with meters for voltage and current on the DC supply. Then instead of a top plate, a second felt lined jewelry compartment for her.

 

That's a good idea Bob, though I doubt she'd want to store her jewellery in that corner of the living room. If I was still in Canada I could build something out in the garage, but cramped urban Taipei living doesn't lend itself to a DIY lifestyle. I made a simple bedframe once and had to have them pre-cut the wood for me at B&Q. It took us a while to find the tiny cabinet that MCTH lives in along with her Schiity cousins. Will keep an eye out for something suitable to house the PSUs, but she's calmed down for now and it's best not to unnecessarily stir up the hornet's nest.

I ordered the whoremonger socket saver (the one that doesn't require drilling a hole in the PCB), and was wondering what would be a good adhesive to use that will withstand the heat, but be easily removable should the need arise. I considered a few dabs from a hot glue gun, but I guess by its nature it wouldn't be a good choice (short of sourcing heat resistant glue sticks). High temp. gasket silicone? Loctite?

Apologies for taking this further OT. I realize this question is better suited to the APAT, but it kind of continues from my socket saver debacle above. I promise to not pollute this thread any further. And I also promise to cease and desist from further trying to harm, maim, injure or otherwise damage the MCTH in any way.

Edit: @JustAnotherRando has kindly offered to send me some Suglu.

 

Any Lyr3 owners who have picked up an LPS for the MCTH and can comment on how they compare (especially with HD6x0)? Since adding an LPS pushes the total price further into Lyr3 territory it would be good to know how they stack up from a price/performance perspective.

(A MCTH+LPS/ZDT Jr comparison could be interesting as well, though I for one prefer the simplicity of running a single tube as opposed to 4)

 

After comparing the two, I believe that the lyr 3 is still the better amp. It's more transparent and pushes finer detail across the chain. The CTH even with the LPS has a sleight veil to the signature when compared to the lyr 3 with TS.

 

I’m in the middle of just this comparison, and while I’d agree with @Ice-man ’s above comments, I find myself favoring the CTH+LPS sound and it’s inherently veiled signature.

I prefer a bit of a meatier sound, and find the addition of the LPS to be the missing component to bring the CTH to serious sub-1k territory. That said, it’s quite evident from my short time with the Lyr3 loaner that its clarity & layering capability are better, resolving more small level detail.

After having a friendly opportunity to audition the CTH with an LPS, I don’t think I’d be as satisfied without it.

I’ll comment more after a bit more listening.

 

I suspect I am I'm the same boat as you as far as preferences go; I'm really happy with the level of detail I'm getting from the MCTH+LPS, and while greater detail sounds like a good thing I don't necessarily want each individual instrument demanding my attention either - tends to distract me from the music.

When I owned the HD800 it was a blast to listen to but impossible to get any work done while wearing (and that's the only time I have to listen right now)

 

I recently had both Lyr 3 and CTH with LPS in the same system for about a month. I strongly preferred the CTH + LPS specifically for the Focal Clear and HD-650K. I don't experience a veil or lack of clarity with either Lyr 3 or CTH + LPS. The Lyr 3 definitely does some layering aspects better, but it is nitpicking. I would recommend both, however if you can obtain an LPS for cheap (especially the Acopian) and you aren't new to working with an LPS, the CTH + LPS combo is extremely hard to beat for the money. Atomic Bob knows what he is talking about over in the System Synergy thread.

 

Yeah, I could see that. I don't mind a touch of veil, or a slightly colored sound, but hopefully not at too much expense of low-level micro-dynamic detail.

Agreed, my 650 sounds better paired with the CTH. The headstage is not so immediate as the Lyr 3 (which isn't as forward as my Jot) and the Schiit lacks some of the immersion character that the CTH seems to posses. That coupled with the LPS-induced improved dynamic contrast just make for a wholly more satisfying sound.

The Lyr 3 has a deeper stage, and sounds more transparent to my ears; showing more the quality of my source material. It's cleaner, but reveals more flaws in my mostly streaming-dominated music selection.

 

My EH 6922 just died, but the MCTH is fine.

I've been performing quite a lot of tube swapping with the MCTH and have been experiencing difficulty inserting some of the tubes, mostly with lining up the pins to the holes. Don't have this difficulty with Vali 2 due to the socket being more visible.

The pins on the EH 6922 became bent after much removing and inserting into MCTH. Inserting into Vali 2 appeared to straighten them again. Pins on the NOS tubes I have used haven't bent.

I was listening to some music on MCTH with EH 6922, the amp cut out and the light went red. 20 or so seconds later the light went back to white but no music came through and tube does not appear to glow. Other tubes are working fine in MCTH. Tried EH 6922 in Vali 2, tube is dead there too.

I'm guessing it was the bent pins that have caused the failure. So be careful with inserting and removing the EH 6922, try not to wiggle it too much!

 

@Ice-man @captkirk So that'd be MCTH + a LPS for greater engagement and a "fuller" presentation that pairs well with leaner cans and a Lyr 3 (stock tube?) for something more resolving, if a bit leaner and significantly more forward-sounding on the whole?

Sounds like CTH = euphony and Lyr 3 = clinically clean by comparison. Also wondering how the Monoprice Liquid Platinum compares to the above two. I know this is quite a spread price-wise and not entirely fair, so sorry for the questions

 

Perhaps by comparison, but the Lyr 3 is not a lean sounding amp. It was plenty of fullness and oomph. But, less forgiving? Certainly.

Still, I find it plenty euphoric and full sounding in its own right.

 

Yeah, that’s about right to my ears, but not quite as clear-cut or defined as you might be thinking.

It’s just smooth with a touch of euphony, yes, but not in excess.

Agreed.

 

Yup, just to be clear impressions on the Lyr 3 have in no way led me to think it was lean, and I only chose to describe it as such in comparison to the MCTH

Between recent changes in my chain the amp is now a weak link, so to speak. Though I won't be able to upgrade for quite a long time (maybe early next year), I'm keeping an ear to the ground for prospects, ergo the questions. Down to the MCTH, the Lyr 3, the Liquid Platinum, and the ZDT Jr. This is likely more appropriate for the General Advice forum though.

(Also yes I'm aware those four amps are quite different overall. Have yet to hear any of them is all, given relative lack of availability round my parts.)

 

@Lyer25 It goes without saying, but it depends entirely on the rest of your chain.

 

I got to listen to both CTH and Lyr 3 at @captkirk’s on Sunday. I would agree with his assessment of the sound of the two amps. Both very good implementations.

 

My tubemonger socket saver arrived, along with the Sugru that @JustAnotherRando sent me (thanks!). I decided not to glue it in, as I realized doing so would make accessing the internals very difficult, if not impossible, without damaging the board/socket. The front panel and PCB are a single unit that slides out of the chassis after the rear panel is removed. The socket saver sticks out of the hole and would prevent it from coming out.



My wife had some black nail polish* and she said they use hair dryers set on high to cure it at salons, so I figured it should be heat resistant enough for the cool-running MCTH. The initial results were a bit glossy, so after 2 coats I took a bit of sandpaper to it. Results below:



The saver already seems to "grip" the socket on the board more than the stock tube does the saver, which sticks out of the chassis by a couple of mm. So it shouldn't be difficult to keep the saver inserted while swapping tubes.


*Unfortunately, I discovered too late that the nail polish was scented (why does everything have to be f#cking scented these days?), so now my MCTH is also functioning as a rather nauseating scented candle. I'll leave it on overnight and through the day tomorrow while at work, and hopefully the odour will burn off. This really isn't the kind of "burn-in" I want to be doing.

 

Does your wife know that you've been raiding her cosmetics?

I guess the scent would be a giveaway. Had no idea such a thing existed.

 

You may have discovered a whole new market... Aromatherapy Audio.