CTH-8550 MkII

Traditional thinking suggests that when looking to go all out in a quest for ultimate sound quality, the only choice is to stay with a separate preamplifier and power amplifier(s). However in recent years, darTZeel has turned that thinking on its head with the release of the CTH-8550 MkII integrated amplifier.

This is a no compromise, dual-mono design, including separate channel windings from both toroidal transformers. With its 50-ohm Zeel inputs, optional high-quality phono stages, all sources including turntables are accommodated. The darTZeel CTH-8550 is equipped with a plasma control panel, offering excellent contrast when viewed from any angle. A range of menus allows you to individually configure all settings for each input source.

The quality and design of the volume control is paramount to the sonic performance of an integrated amplifier and in the case of the CHT-8550 MkII, that is handled by an optical encoder notched magnetically, for unrivalled touch and precision.

However, as much as we invite you to peruse the specifications and technology, this amplifier is all about digging out the emotional expression in music. This is where the darTZeel sound separates itself from virtually all other brands, with a musicality, liquidity and flow that is a benchmark for integrated amplifiers around the world. Keep listening, and you will also hear immense detail & resolution, slam, grip and natural tonality. Unbelievable.

The creator of darTZeel instruments Hervé Delétraz infuses his sense of humour into his creations. The volume control is labelled the ‘Pleasure Control’ and in our experience, it sure is! This amplifier has an uncanny sense of communicating the heart of the musical message and ultimately, that is why music lovers and audiophiles pursue the hobby of music reproduction.

It is beyond a simple ‘recommendation’, we say that if you want the ultimate integrated amplifier experience, you simply MUST audition this beauty. Enjoyment guaranteed.

Videos

Reviews

Hi-Fi+, Chris Thomas, 2021

Forget the debate about tubes v solid state. Amplifiers like the darTZeel transcend such things. Some amplifiers are just really, really good to listen to. It’s as simple as that. It surely has to do something with the ‘voices’ the amplifier can convey to us and musical tales they tell. It is harmonically rich, very clean, crazily textured and able to resolve everything from micro to large scale dynamics plus it is immaculately seated timing-wise, which is crucial. You don’t need constant examination and evaluation. It would be way too crass. The system just lives and breathes atmosphere. That’s what we have here. The CTH-8550 MkII is a wonderful amplifier because it brings you face to face with the art form called music, and you won’t find how it does it on any spec sheet. You just listen, get involved, and give it your trust. If you love music for its form and emotional power, the darTZeel will thrill you. I love it.

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The Sound Advocate, Howard Milstein, 2021

The amplifier manages to establish a full-size surge of musical dynamism -that being the variation in loudness between notes being one of its most special virtues. It has a huge, 3 dimensional open sound while still maintaining the most absolute stereo locational effects of the program sources it displays… this is an amplifier that can initiate and reproduce a remarkable scope of the music and sound that emanates before you. Recognizing the above, the darTZeel in most cases will bring many audiophiles to a supreme state of musical heaven.! It simply is an amplifier that begs you to keep listening to the music of your choice, forgetting everything else going on, while only having to reach for another piece of source material to continue on the fantastic voyage.

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Part-Time Audiophile, Rafe Arnott, 2016

Whenever I got someone to dismiss sticker-shock from the equation, and talk to me about the amplifier’s merits based solely on performance after hearing it in my system, they spoke of musicality, and how right it sounded regardless of the genre it was tasked with playing… the 8550 as something that brings people together – as it did in my home – to enjoy the experience of fantastic music playback… musically, the 8550 is a sonic knockout, full stop.

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Stereophile, Wes Phillips, 2009

We proponents of the High End are fond of citing “intangibles” such as pride of ownership and the satisfaction of knowing you own The Best. These are real and quite considerable—and the darTZeel CTH-8550 delivers them in spades. It is a genre-defining product: a contender for The Best by anyone’s definition of the term….It was about as transparent a window onto recordings as I have ever heard… I was floored by the CTH-8550’s quality, performance, and convenience. It is a dream component.

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Product Specification

Type

Integrated amplifier

Nominal Output Power

200 watts RMS (230 watts peak) @ 8 ohms
330 watts RMS (360 watts peak) @ 4 ohms
400 watts RMS (500 watts peak) @ 2 ohms (software limited)

Line Gain

0 dB nominal, up to + 12 dB (+22 dB custom)

Power Stage Gain

26 dB @ 8 ohms

Analog Input Impedances

1 x Zeel BNC 50 ohms
1 x RCA line > 30 kohms
1 x XLR > 30 kohms

Optional Phonos:
Phono MM = 47 kohms. Neumann RIAA 4th pole included
Phono MC = 1 kohms. Neumann RIAA 4th pole included

Line Output Impedances

RCA = 75 ohms, darT BNC = 50 ohms

Speaker Output Impedance

< 0.33 ohms from 20 Hz to 20 kHz (measured under 8 ohms)

Frequency Response

2 Hz – 200 kHz, +0, -3 dB

Rise Time

< 0.8 µs

Slew Rate

> 88 V/µs, peak-peak

DC Output Voltage

< ± 15 mV max

Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)

< 1 % from 7 Hz to 77 kHz within the output dynamic range

Temporal Distortion

None, at any level and load, as specified above

Crosstalk

< – 90 dB from 20Hz to 20kHz

Signal to noise ratio

> 115 dB (A) @ nominal power

Power consumption

3 watts Standby, 40 watts @ idle, 1,000 watts @ maximum output power

Dimensions in mm

440 (W) x 350 (D) x 170 (H)
Total depth with handles: 415mm

Dimensions in inches

17.32 (W) x 13.78 (D) x 6.7 (H)
Total depth with handles: 16.4 inches.

Net weight

28kg (61.7lbs)

User Reviews

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