[prez]

   
Just keep in mind it's the same as buying a SS amp essentially.  You don't have to change the sound and it's just one approach to design.  Some tubes can increase the detail but I would be wary of ultra expensive tubes.  I'm not familiar with the Lyr tube rolling but I would suggest if you're thinking something could be a little warmer, or the stock tube is too warm.  
 
I personally like tubes to slightly change the signature to my liking without busting my wallet.  Sometimes that comes with an increase/decrease in detail but to me, the overall sound is more important as long as it doesn't come with a huge sacrifice.
 
Just be wary of expensive tubes that offer small improvements.

Good thoughts.  I have stayed away from tubes because I haven't spent the time to understand exactly how they work, to then know what I would look for, etc.  I've heard from some that tubes can have a pretty limited life (which I have seen in guitar amps that use tubes), is that true in this headphone amp world?

 

[Llloyd]

  Good thoughts.  I have stayed away from tubes because I haven't spent the time to understand exactly how they work, to then know what I would look for, etc.  I've heard from some that tubes can have a pretty limited life (which I have seen in guitar amps that use tubes), is that true in this headphone amp world?

 
I believe it depends on the tube since a lot of tubes are new old stock and can be unreliable.  It's nothing like guitar amps in terms of life though. I remember my friend changing his tubes often, about once a year.  My taboo's stock tubes have lasted for 2+ years now even with getting banged up quite a bit.  But looking at an amp like the schiit vali, there's a reason the tubes are soldered on.
 

 Tubes also have a lifespan, though Vali's tubes are expected to last 10,000-20,000 hours--which is 7-14 years of listening 4 hours a day, every day.

 

 A few words about tube life. Most new old stock tubes had lives estimated in the 10,000+ hour range. This value assumed that the tube was run at less than half of its ratings, and was not abused in any way. To the best of my knowledge, lifetime ratings of current production tubes are unknown. As a practical matter, tube life really depends upon the operating conditions inside of your amplifier, and how much you abuse the unit. As a result, it is not easy to predict the exact number of hours you get from a given set of tubes. However, as a rule of thumb, small-signal tubes (12AX7, 12AU7, 12AT7, 5879, etc.) typically outlast two sets of power tubes (6L6, 6V6, 7027, 6CA7/EL-34, 6550/KT-88, etc.)

 

[Hansotek]

Good thoughts.  I have stayed away from tubes because I haven't spent the time to understand exactly how they work, to then know what I would look for, etc.  I've heard from some that tubes can have a pretty limited life (which I have seen in guitar amps that use tubes), is that true in this headphone amp world?

I've been there. Getting a handle on how to describe the sound you like is the best way to find what you are looking for. The Lyr tube rollers thread is about a billion pages long, so here are a couple quick links that should help you, if decide to go that route.
 
This guy (satwilson) actually has an HD500, so this tube countdown is very helpful:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/673709/schiit-lyr-tube-rollers/4350#post_11179347
 
This is the start of rb2013's tube countdown. Few people know more about 6922/7308 type tubes:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/673709/schiit-lyr-tube-rollers/2220#post_10619095
 
Joeq70's 6922/7308 tube impressions on the OP of the Aune T1 thread are also pretty spot-on and valuable too. Same tubes as the Lyr:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/633006/aune-t1-usb-tube-dac-ss-amp-discussion-thread-see-first-post-for-faq-updated-on-02-14-15

 

[prez]

  I've been there. Getting a handle on how to describe the sound you like is the best way to find what you are looking for. The Lyr tube rollers thread is about a billion pages long, so here are a couple quick links that should help you, if decide to go that route.
 
This guy (satwilson) actually has an HD500, so this tube countdown is very helpful:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/673709/schiit-lyr-tube-rollers/4350#post_11179347
 
This is the start of rb2013's tube countdown. Few people know more about 6922/7308 type tubes:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/673709/schiit-lyr-tube-rollers/2220#post_10619095
 
Joeq70's 6922/7308 tube impressions on the OP of the Aune T1 thread are also pretty spot-on and valuable too. Same tubes as the Lyr:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/633006/aune-t1-usb-tube-dac-ss-amp-discussion-thread-see-first-post-for-faq-updated-on-02-14-15

I am a fan of clarity and detail, with a solid low end (which the HE-500s can do).  I don't like when low-mids over take upper mids, making a muddy mix.

 

[Hansotek]

 
I've been there. Getting a handle on how to describe the sound you like is the best way to find what you are looking for. The Lyr tube rollers thread is about a billion pages long, so here are a couple quick links that should help you, if decide to go that route.

This guy (satwilson) actually has an HD500, so this tube countdown is very helpful:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/673709/schiit-lyr-tube-rollers/4350#post_11179347

This is the start of rb2013's tube countdown. Few people know more about 6922/7308 type tubes:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/673709/schiit-lyr-tube-rollers/2220#post_10619095

Joeq70's 6922/7308 tube impressions on the OP of the Aune T1 thread are also pretty spot-on and valuable too. Same tubes as the Lyr:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/633006/aune-t1-usb-tube-dac-ss-amp-discussion-thread-see-first-post-for-faq-updated-on-02-14-15

I am a fan of clarity and detail, with a solid low end (which the HE-500s can do).  I don't like when low-mids over take upper mids, making a muddy mix.

I just want to clarify your comment about the mids so I can help... Did you mean you don't like it when the bass bleeds into the mids? Or do you mean you prefer extra emphasis in the upper midrange between 1khz and 5khz?

Also, could you clarify "a solid low end"? Do you mean warm, punchy & impactful midbass? Or do you mean deep, extended, rumbley subbass?

 

[prez]

I just want to clarify your comment about the mids so I can help... Did you mean you don't like it when the bass bleeds into the mids? Or do you mean you prefer extra emphasis in the upper midrange between 1khz and 5khz?

Also, could you clarify "a solid low end"? Do you mean warm, punchy & impactful midbass? Or do you mean deep, extended, rumbley subbass?

Sure.
 
So, I specifically mean 200-700Hz when I saw low mid.   I do want to hear all the mids (200hz-6khz), but I don't like when the 300-500 range pushes in front. It causes an overly thick and can make a song sound like it's in a box.
 
I like deep, extended bass that is also clear, punchy, and impactful.

 

[Hansotek]

I just want to clarify your comment about the mids so I can help... Did you mean you don't like it when the bass bleeds into the mids? Or do you mean you prefer extra emphasis in the upper midrange between 1khz and 5khz?


Also, could you clarify "a solid low end"? Do you mean warm, punchy

Sure.

So, I specifically mean 200-700Hz when I saw low mid.   I do want to hear all the mids (200hz-6khz), but I don't like when the 300-500 range pushes in front. It causes an overly thick and can make a song sound like it's in a box.

I like deep, extended bass that is also clear, punchy, and impactful.

I don't think you have much to worry about with any of those tubes in the rb2013 & satwilson inks with the Lyr. Is your comment stemming from experience with the E09K? What pads are you using?

 

[prez]

I don't think you have much to worry about with any of those tubes in the rb2013 & satwilson inks with the Lyr. Is your comment stemming from experience with the E09K? What pads are you using?

Yea.  When I first powered the HE-500s from the E09k, I was impressed with the range of the headphones.  The more I listened, the less I liked the sound signature of the amp.  After receiving the Magni 2 Uber, it confirmed my dislike of the E09K (at least with these headphones). Having no real experience with tubes, and hearing people make comments about tubes making things "warmer", and bringing out the mids, I get nervous with the thought it's those low mids.  Does that make sense?

 

[Hansotek]

I don't think you have much to worry about with any of those tubes in the rb2013

Yea.  When I first powered the HE-500s from the E09k, I was impressed with the range of the headphones.  The more I listened, the less I liked the sound signature of the amp.  After receiving the Magni 2 Uber, it confirmed my dislike of the E09K (at least with these headphones). Having no real experience with tubes, and hearing people make comments about tubes making things "warmer", and bringing out the mids, I get nervous with the thought it's those low mids.  Does that make sense?

Yeah, I get it. IMO, you don't have anything to worry about. The characteristics you are describing are really more related to the E09K's poopy & boxey sound than a true distaste for a certain frequency range.

 

[Rockcoon]

I have not heard ha500 with my nad d1050 yet. But already got an idea how to drive them, if something with nad go wrong. So i need a little advice here.
1. Violectric v181 trough xlr?
2. Violectric v200 SE?
Witch will give a better result In your opinion or experience?

 

[Dogmatrix]

I have not heard ha500 with my nad d1050 yet. But already got an idea how to drive them, if something with nad go wrong. So i need a little advice here.
1. Violectric v181 trough xlr?
2. Violectric v200 SE?
Witch will give a better result In your opinion or experience?

Either amp will serve you well
I have the 181 and it is excellent running the HE500 with full differential balanced drive ultra clean and detailed
V181 is op amp based and V200 is discrete

 

[prez]

Yeah, I get it. IMO, you don't have anything to worry about. The characteristics you are describing are really more related to the E09K's poopy & boxey sound than a true distaste for a certain frequency range.

Lyr showed up today.  I bought one of the "b" stock units that supposedly could have some sort of physical defect (scratch, etc), but it came perfect.  In the 30 min I have been using it I have found the following:
 
1: It's silent.  I mean silent.  I read threads of people with weird noises, etc. I have turned it almost all the way up (which is exponentially beyond listening levels) to hear anything. So, I am thankful I am not having such experiences. I even plugged in some other more efficient and lower impedance headphones, and it's still quiet.
 
2: It's very interesting to compare this and the Magni 2 Uber.  On one hand, they seem a bit similar. Both power the HE-500s (and other headphones) well.  The mids on both are well delivered, but there is something to the Lyr mids that I can't put my finger on.  The word that pops in my head is natural, but I don't yet have a better way to explain it.  All I know so far is that I have listened to 7 songs, and each song I find myself smiling while I listen.  I'm sure if someone took a photo of me, I'd look silly.
 
3: At the moment, I seem to think there is better perceived separation of instruments and voices, but I need to A/B with the magni2u more to verify that. (Might just be me getting use to the HE-500s).
 
4: The bass is just great.  Which, honestly, both amps do bass well.  Right now, it seems to "flow" between notes a little more, but staying detailed.  It will be interesting to compare on some electronica music, to see how it stacks against the M2U(which handles that stuff well).
 
5: Lots of power.  I am @ 10 o-clock on the dial.  It's pretty loud. (As confirmed by my wife sitting across the room 

).
 
6: This thing gets toasty warm.
 
7: The combination of HE-500s and either amp exposes poor quality files rather plainly.  The Lyr does a better job of making those lower quality files still sound decent.
 
How long is the break in on this?

 

[Hansotek]

Yeah, I get it. IMO, you don't have anything to worry about. The characteristics you are describing are really more related to the E09K's poopy

Lyr showed up today.  I bought one of the "b" stock units that supposedly could have some sort of physical defect (scratch, etc), but it came perfect.  In the 30 min I have been using it I have found the following:

1: It's silent.  I mean silent.  I read threads of people with weird noises, etc. I have turned it almost all the way up (which is exponentially beyond listening levels) to hear anything. So, I am thankful I am not having such experiences. I even plugged in some other more efficient and lower impedance headphones, and it's still quiet.

2: It's very interesting to compare this and the Magni 2 Uber.  On one hand, they seem a bit similar. Both power the HE-500s (and other headphones) well.  The mids on both are well delivered, but there is something to the Lyr mids that I can't put my finger on.  The word that pops in my head is natural, but I don't yet have a better way to explain it.  All I know so far is that I have listened to 7 songs, and each song I find myself smiling while I listen.  I'm sure if someone took a photo of me, I'd look silly.

3: At the moment, I seem to think there is better perceived separation of instruments and voices, but I need to A/B with the magni2u more to verify that. (Might just be me getting use to the HE-500s).

4: The bass is just great.  Which, honestly, both amps do bass well.  Right now, it seems to "flow" between notes a little more, but staying detailed.  It will be interesting to compare on some electronica music, to see how it stacks against the M2U(which handles that stuff well).

5: Lots of power.  I am @ 10 o-clock on the dial.  It's pretty loud. (As confirmed by my wife sitting across the room  ).

6: This thing gets toasty warm.

7: The combination of HE-500s and either amp exposes poor quality files rather plainly.  The Lyr does a better job of making those lower quality files still sound decent.

How long is the break in on this?

Nice dude! Glad you're enjoying it so far!

Edit: don't know the answer to the amp break-in question... Bought mine used. The tubes typically take 100 hours or so.

 

[Rockcoon]

Either amp will serve you well
I have the 181 and it is excellent running the HE500 with full differential balanced drive ultra clean and detailed
V181 is op amp based and V200 is discrete

Thanks.
Well, i realy want to try balance now. So the next step is aftermarket cable hunt :evil:

 

[Tobes]

 
Either amp will serve you well
I have the 181 and it is excellent running the HE500 with full differential balanced drive ultra clean and detailed
V181 is op amp based and V200 is discrete

 
Don't think that's quite correct. The front end of both V181 & V200 amplifier sections employ opamps. From pictures it appears the drivers for the power transistors in the V200 are discrete, whereas the V181 may use opamps for this purpose.