Okay! I am reading this and SOOO on the fence/confused because to buy the LC (it will require a bit of financial jockeying to make it possible) or save my money for the Schiit Mjolnir 2 which was my original plan.
I have owned the original Lyr around 3.5 years now and really have no complaints. I only upgraded my Bi-Frost because of a warranty issue which made upgrading an awesome deal! (Schitt Customer Service is awesome btw) The multi-bit was not an option at the time. I own Senn HD600s, LCD-2.1s, soon to have the upgraded drivers from Audeze, and the ZMF Omni in Cherry. I was at a recent Philadelphia Head-Fi meet and the time has come to go balanced as after listening to so many rigs for so long as has made me in the I AM going to upgrade mode...
Upgrading my dac is a future thing as I think I will get more out of the amp at this time and it cost less to upgrade! (Gunir Multi is $1300 and the Yaggi well... Point is no way right now)
The only time my gear comes out of the house is for head-fi meets so trans-portability is not a big deal.
I believe both amps will work just fine with my single ended B-Frost both amps point that out in their details.
I have heard the Mjolnir 2 it sounds as awesome as always. This is where the confusion comes in as you might have assumed...
I know sound is your own opinion and your personal choice I GET that... BUT given that, what do I gain by getting the LC vs. getting the Mjolnir 2 or visa-versa? I like all music from prog. rock to classical.
I watch a whole of Anime and TV on my set up... I have read so many conflicting things that I am driving myself nuts. A bit of clarity will help along a LONG way. I already know there is no right or wrong in the choices. I also upgrade very infrequently if that should enter the equation at all... I am not much of a tube roller either so if that is what it takes for it to sound better...)
I think the thing you're failing to take into account, and what's confusing you, is the different "house sounds" of Schiit and Cavalli. Just because two amps may look the same on paper, doesn't mean they'll sound the same. Schiit amps across the board tend to share some distinguishing characteristics, as do Cavalli amps. What you'll find is that people tend to prefer one sound over the other and they will express their preference as "this is better than that".
So with Schiit amps, you tend to get a more dry, analytical sound with lots of power. This can translate into a bigger soundstage and more apparent detail and space around the notes. When I heard the MJ2 and GMB (with both stock tubes and LSST), it felt like each note was individually presented for my inspection. It was a wonderful insight into the music and appealed to the analytical part of my brain.
With Cavalli amps, you tend to get a more "musical" sound without sacrificing detail. With the Carbon, this translates into a more realistic soundstage presentation at the expense of size. Also, it's a more musical experience where the notes flow into each other, allowing me to fall into the music rather than inspect it. The details are still there, but it becomes more about layering and spacial cues rather than a note by note delineation.
Obviously, I prefer the Cavalli sound as I own two of their amps. I've noticed that my preferences have shifted from a focus on detail at all costs to an appreciation of the gear that will connect me to the music. At first, as I was getting into the hobby, all I wanted to do was inspect the extra detail, hear things I've never heard, etc. Now that I've spent a lot of time in the hobby, I'm remembering that enjoying the music is more important than enjoying the gear.
One of the best setups I ever owned was an HD650+Project Ember+NFB-15 (Wolfson DAC). There were certain songs on that setup that just gave me goosebumps in a way that much of the gear I've had since hasn't. No, it wasn't the most expensive gear, nor was it the most technically superior. But damn if "Great Gig in the Sky" didn't send chills down my spine every time! I moved past that setup looking for "better" gear and it's taken me a while to get back to the point where I'm really enjoying the music like I did on that setup.
I guess the point of my rambling here is that people will listen to music in different ways and that can and will change over time. Is the MJ2 a good amp? Of course, it's just not my kind of amp. Other people love the big soundstage and analytical presentation and that's perfectly fine. Vanilla and Chocolate are both great flavors of ice cream, I just would rather have vanilla if I could only have one today. What flavor do you want?