[Wildcatsare1]

Hi Everyone,

Took ownership of a Lyr 3 with Multibit and the stock Russian tube and the Tung Sol. I own both a pair of LCD2Cs and a pair of Aeon Opens. I'm generally very impressed with the Lyr 3 - for the Aeon Opens especially it has opened them up and added an extra element of liquidity to the sound. I feel though that the Lyr 3 is ever-so-slightly bright for my tastes - this is not a criticism because the injection of all the other goodness offsets this but I would nevertheless like to go a degree warmer and wanted some thoughts on how to achieve this - my set up is MBP->Tidal->Lyr 3 (out of the two tubes I prefer the stock Russian as to my ears it's ever-so-slightly less bright.)

I've read the entire thread here and collated everyone's opinions on the tubes and their sonic signatures and I appreciate that, according to some, the tubes may only have a slight effect on the output, but I'm keen to give it a go, because, well, it's part of the fun.

So top of my list is the Ken Rad but finding this in the UK is a little tricky so I've opted for an 6SN7GT VT231 VINTAGE RCA NOS (photo below) which arrives soon - I'll report in when I hear it, but from what I understand the RCA gives some temperature to the mids and low end.

Be keen to hear your thoughts on extra warmth even if just anecdotal.

Also, quick question: does it matter if I switch the Lyr 3 on if it's not connected to (in this case) my MBP, i.e., it's just switched on at the mains, unconnected to anything else, and only after a while connect it all up and jump into the listening?



Big thanks,

MFM

Look for Mullard or Brimer CV181’s made in the U.K., both are warm tubes, you also may find German or Dutch tubes as well.

 

[ProfFalkin]

When you say warm, are you looking for a tube that doesn't have bright treble, or one that just has a lot of bass?

These terms can be misleading. The reason I ask, if you're looking to tame the treble on a bright headphone, and still have awesome mids and bass, the RCA gray glass tubes fit the bill quite well. Being as I'm treble sensitive, and the stock hd800 murders me sometimes, I found that tube does pair very well with them. My treble-head friend doesn't care for it. He says it takes away all the sparkle. I've heard this sparkle, and I call it the precursor to 6-10khz hearing loss. Anyway... Yeah. There you go.

 

[FLTWS]

As your sponsor, I will give you a "10-day clean" chip

 

[Currawong]

I usually find the chrome-dome Sylvanias to be a bit too polite for my tastes, but I have to say it worked out to be a good match for me in the Lyr 3.

 

[betula]

Can anyone comment on the sound differences between the Lyr3 and the Questyle CMA600i (amp only)?

 

[441879]

Hey all- haven’t posted for a while, but I’d thought I’d share since I bought a new DAC. I’m rather surprised to report it made a noticeable difference in the sound out of my Lyr 3. Mostly I bought it because I liked the display, but I really think it pairs well with the Lyr 3. Sound stage sounds much more realistic than with my Modi 2U. The D50 is perhaps less punchy than the Modi but more euphonic. The chain is IPhone or IPad going through either a USB cable or Apple airport and optical cable to a Topping D50. On the Lyr I’m using a Sylvania 2 hole bad boy for the tube and some AFCs as the phones.

This may be my end game.

 

[musicfrommemory]

When you say warm, are you looking for a tube that doesn't have bright treble, or one that just has a lot of bass?

Good question - so by warmth I'd go along with some of the following: an open and inviting sound with an enveloping, luscious and varying euphoric quality ranging in effect from comforting to ecstatic, especially in the mids and low end. I find warmth appears (if it is present) especially on the mid and low end of synthesised or electronic music, and music with upper and lower bass. Warmth doesn't exist in the highs (as I feel it.)

It sets off a cat's purr of a response in the listener with a peak response being the raising of ones hairs. The sensation of warmth might appear transiently or be ever-present in a song and also may peak and trough along the way. I feel, and I might be wrong, that warmth is incompatible with aggression, but that warmth may appear in e.g., the guitar notes of an electric guitar, in an otherwise aggressive tune.

The Aeon Opens are especially rewarding here, the LCD2C's less so.

 

[tafens]

So it finally arrived.. the Lyr3 (with multibit DAC card). I pushed in the accompanying 6N8S tube and let the amp warm up for half an hour. Then attached USB cable to computer to listen to some music.

Anticipation, then.. disbelief. Something is wrong, there is only sound from the left channel and that sounds weak as well. I have tried high/low gain (high sounds louder on the working channel, but no other difference), I tried connecting my Modi to the RCA inputs instead (bypassing the DAC card), but right channel still silent. Connected the Magni to the Modi instead and everything sounds fine from the Magni. So problem is with the Lyr3. Tube perhaps? So I exchanged the tube to a Tung-Sol 6SN7GTB I ordered beforehand from a local dealer. Still no right channel. Looks like the tube isn’t the problem either, but I have no other tube amp to confirm the tubes on.

I need some tips, have I missed anything?

I already sent an email to the vendor (Schiit-Europe), hoping to get a response by Monday.

 

[antoramp]

So it finally arrived.. the Lyr3 (with multibit DAC card). I pushed in the accompanying 6N8S tube and let the amp warm up for half an hour. Then attached USB cable to computer to listen to some music.

Anticipation, then.. disbelief. Something is wrong, there is only sound from the left channel and that sounds weak as well. I have tried high/low gain (high sounds louder on the working channel, but no other difference), I tried connecting my Modi to the RCA inputs instead (bypassing the DAC card), but right channel still silent. Connected the Magni to the Modi instead and everything sounds fine from the Magni. So problem is with the Lyr3. Tube perhaps? So I exchanged the tube to a Tung-Sol 6SN7GTB I ordered beforehand from a local dealer. Still no right channel. Looks like the tube isn’t the problem either, but I have no other tube amp to confirm the tubes on.

I need some tips, have I missed anything?

I already sent an email to the vendor (Schiit-Europe), hoping to get a response by Monday.

I had the same problem... now mine it’s on repair...

 

[ProfFalkin]

So it finally arrived.. the Lyr3 (with multibit DAC card). I pushed in the accompanying 6N8S tube and let the amp warm up for half an hour. Then attached USB cable to computer to listen to some music.

Anticipation, then.. disbelief. Something is wrong, there is only sound from the left channel and that sounds weak as well. I have tried high/low gain (high sounds louder on the working channel, but no other difference), I tried connecting my Modi to the RCA inputs instead (bypassing the DAC card), but right channel still silent. Connected the Magni to the Modi instead and everything sounds fine from the Magni. So problem is with the Lyr3. Tube perhaps? So I exchanged the tube to a Tung-Sol 6SN7GTB I ordered beforehand from a local dealer. Still no right channel. Looks like the tube isn’t the problem either, but I have no other tube amp to confirm the tubes on.

I need some tips, have I missed anything?

I already sent an email to the vendor (Schiit-Europe), hoping to get a response by Monday.

Sounds like you'll have to RMA. Sorry to hear that.

 

[Ripper2860]

I'm sorry to hear about the Lyr 3 issue. Schiit will handle that quickly for you seeing as how it is pretty much DOA.

 

[Ichos]

Hi everyone.
Any feedback on Lyr 3 vs mjolnir 2 (balanced) for the HD800s?

 

[MtnMan307]

I just ordered the Lyr 3 last night with no DAC but the upgraded Tung-Sol tube. I'm thinking it will be plenty good enough to sell the Vali 2 and maybe even the Jotunheim. I will have to post my impressions when it gets here and I can listen in my bedroom instead of the RMAF show.

 

[Ripper2860]

Welcome to the fold ...

 

[441879]

I just ordered the Lyr 3 last night with no DAC but the upgraded Tung-Sol tube. I'm thinking it will be plenty good enough to sell the Vali 2 and maybe even the Jotunheim. I will have to post my impressions when it gets here and I can listen in my bedroom instead of the RMAF show.

Now it’s time to wander on over to the Lyr3 tube rolling thread.... . When I bought my Lyr 3 that’s the first thing I did. Both the Tung Sol and NOS Russian sound good so you don’t need to and I wouldn’t recommend going nuts and buying a bunch of $100+ tubes, but depending on your phones there’s some great pairings out there.