[tamleo]

I haven’t heard a Modi multibit, so can’t comment directly, though I have heard “wall of sound” described as heavy compression where there isn’t much microdynamics. If that’s what you mean then no, it’s not compressed sounding at all.

The Bifrost is a very dynamic DAC which also does great rendering of small subtle changes in volume (microdynamics). It’s slightly warm with excellent bass execution, fantastic imaging and a slightly smoothed treble. Overall the sound is euphonic and rich sounding.

Sorry for derailing the Lyr topic. Thank you for your answer and yes, that is what I meant. I like the rich and euphoric sound from my Modi multibit too. Though this "wall of sound" effect made me fell the dac highly detailed at first, it gradually turned to a dull and stuffy type of sound later. It's great to hear that the Bifrost 2 performs microdynamic that well

 

[Jigetz]

I just wanted to add my two cents to this thread. I purchased a Jot 2 to test it out against my Lyr 3. I enjoy it a lot but for all intensive purposes I am going to be keeping my Lyr 3 on my desk (where I do most of my critical listening). The tube sound is just so smooth. Now on to sorting out which tubes to start trying. It will be my first foray into tube rolling.

The Jot 2 will be sticking with me though. I'm going to put it into my vinyl listening setup and feed it from my Freya+ for those quiet late night listening sessions.

Quick Update: I spent some time this evening and last with the Jot 2 feeding my 800s from the Freya+ and Bifrost 2. I guess it goes without saying but the the tubes do a lot to tame the Jot 2 and warm it up. As to be expected, it’s quite the paring. I was listening to Ella and Lois, OK Human, and Delta Kream via Roon.

 

[tafens]

I just wanted to add my two cents to this thread. I purchased a Jot 2 to test it out against my Lyr 3. I enjoy it a lot but for all intensive purposes I am going to be keeping my Lyr 3 on my desk (where I do most of my critical listening). The tube sound is just so smooth. Now on to sorting out which tubes to start trying. It will be my first foray into tube rolling.

I just love the tube sound, and the Lyr3 is a great amp. Together with the Bifrost2 it is simply amazing.

On tube rolling, for starters, I would recommend the new production Tung-Sol 6SN7 GTB that can be found at $25-30ish, IMO it’s one of the better new production tubes out there in that price range and (YMMV, in my ears, and all of that of course) carries a more “tubey” and a tad more spacious sound than the stock JJ 6SN7.
One step up from that (in both price and sound) that I’ve recently tried is the Shuguang CV181-Z (white base black glass) that keeps almost all of the good things of the Tung-Sol, improving upon clarity and spaciousness but at a small cost of bass and PRaT.

 

[adydula]

LIstening with my Lyr 3 and HD650s this amp....using a Federal Electronics 6SN7 GT..

Nice!

Alex

 

[adydula]

I was wondering who or what was Federal Electronics and found this:

https://federalelec.com/about-federal-electronics/history/

Its possible they made vacuum tubes back in the 60's?

I sent them an email asking this question...

I havent seen many tubes with this manufacturer.

Alex

 

[adydula]

Listening with my Lyr 3 and Focal Clears MG...nicer!

LOL!

Alex

 

[Jigetz]

Listening with my Lyr 3 and Focal Clears MG...nicer!

LOL!

Alex

I have the OG Clears and 800s. I much prefer the Focal's over the Senns on the Lyr.

 

[davidfrance]

I have the OG Clears and 800s. I much prefer the Focal's over the Senns on the Lyr.

When you say « OG », what does that mean ? On Focal’s website I see mention of the « MG », but not the « OG ».

 

[adydula]

OG = Original Generation, part of the audio headphone "slang" used...
The OGs are the silver and grey earpads with the aluminum alloy driver.
The MG are the newer ones, with Magnesium drivers...
Both had/have a PRO version and a non-Pro version.
Alex

 

[tafens]

OG = Original Generation, part of the audio headphone "slang" used...

And here I thougt it was “Old Geezer”.
But that makes sense too in a way, I guess

 

[adydula]

LOL!!

That would be me!

:>)

 

[JamminVMI]

I just wanted to add my two cents to this thread. I purchased a Jot 2 to test it out against my Lyr 3. I enjoy it a lot but for all intensive purposes I am going to be keeping my Lyr 3 on my desk (where I do most of my critical listening). The tube sound is just so smooth. Now on to sorting out which tubes to start trying. It will be my first foray into tube rolling.

The Jot 2 will be sticking with me though. I'm going to put it into my vinyl listening setup and feed it from my Freya+ for those quiet late night listening sessions.

Quick Update: I spent some time this evening and last with the Jot 2 feeding my 800s from the Freya+ and Bifrost 2. I guess it goes without saying but the the tubes do a lot to tame the Jot 2 and warm it up. As to be expected, it’s quite the paring. I was listening to Ella and Lois, OK Human, and Delta Kream via Roon.

Thanks for that! Just got a new Psvane 6SN7-SE ‘Tennis Ball’ from a little place in Western Mass called VivaTubes.com. While the black glass does not lend itself to a comforting glow in a darkened room, it makes me love the Lyr 3 all that much more. Got the tube yesterday as a birthday gift, and it’s beem playing stuff for the past 12 hours into headphones on the rack. I put on the Sundara and played Joss Stone’s LP1, and then some of Händel’s Concerti Grossi from Op.6. Stone’s soulful vocal textures are all there, and the violins in the Concerti are so detailed! I’d never heard of VivaTubes before, but my wife got the Tennis ball from them because it ‘looked cool’. It does, but it sounds absolutely brilliant!

 

[nasty nate]

I just love the tube sound, and the Lyr3 is a great amp. Together with the Bifrost2 it is simply amazing.

On tube rolling, for starters, I would recommend the new production Tung-Sol 6SN7 GTB that can be found at $25-30ish, IMO it’s one of the better new production tubes out there in that price range and (YMMV, in my ears, and all of that of course) carries a more “tubey” and a tad more spacious sound than the stock JJ 6SN7.
One step up from that (in both price and sound) that I’ve recently tried is the Shuguang CV181-Z (white base black glass) that keeps almost all of the good things of the Tung-Sol, improving upon clarity and spaciousness but at a small cost of bass and PRaT.

Agree with this 100%

I have this combo with my HD800S and don't ever anticipate upgrading / changing (other than headphones of course )

This stack is a Summit-Fi killer!

 

[davidfrance]

So now I stop. I am now on board with an Asgard 3, a Modi 3+ DAC, and a Lyr 3. So now I stop. The Lyr 3 just arrived. And it is working fine enough. I guess that I will have to wait 20 hours to see what it can really do with my Sennheiser HD660S headphones. But it already is showing promise after 45 minutes.

I got the Asgard 3 with a multibit DAC module, but the Lyr 3 I am just using the Modi 3+. That will be good enough to verify that all is functioning well enough. Maybe next fall I will go farther (a better DAC), after the vacation season is over.

 

[tafens]

So now I stop. I am now on board with an Asgard 3, a Modi 3+ DAC, and a Lyr 3. So now I stop. The Lyr 3 just arrived. And it is working fine enough. I guess that I will have to wait 20 hours to see what it can really do with my Sennheiser HD660S headphones. But it already is showing promise after 45 minutes.

But.. I don’t see a Bifrost2 in that list..?

I got the Asgard 3 with a multibit DAC module, but the Lyr 3 I am just using the Modi 3+. That will be good enough to verify that all is functioning well enough. Maybe next fall I will go farther (a better DAC), after the vacation season is over.

I don’t have the Modi3+, so I don’t know how that sounds, but I do know that the Bifrost2 makes the Lyr3 shine.
When I upgraded to it from the internal multibit card the improvement was immediately noticeable.