Lyr 3 - Brief Impressions:
SETUP: Mac (JRMC) > Hugo 2 > Lyr 3 (TS 6SN7) > HD800S, LCD-i4, EE Phantom, Senn IE80S
In terms of tonality, calling the Lyr 3 neutral may not be entirely accurate, as it has a bit of warmth to its tone. But to call it warm wouldn't be accurate either, as it actually sounds quite clear and transparent. But I can see people who prefer a brighter sound, describing the Lyr 3 as warm. Its warm tone originates from its smooth treble and the full-bodied mid-range, rather than from enhanced bass. The warmth and fullness in the mid-range reminds you that, it's not a pure SS amp. But it also doesn't possess a syrupy nature. So if you plan on pairing an unmodded HD800 (or don't plan on using EQ), this may not be the ideal amp. The tone shifts once you go from Low Gain to High Gain. On High Gain, the tone is a little brighter due to a brighter upper-midrange and treble. You start to notice some treble hardness and unevenness, but not exactly scratchy. I prefer my HD800S on LG and my Audeze LCD-i4 on HG. I have not tried the 6XX or a LCD 2C on the Lyr 3 yet, but I can see why those headphones would pair quite well with this amp.
Macrodynamics are really good and am still amazed at it, coming from portable audio. But I can't really tell how it compares to other amps. The bass is not super tight, but is sufficiently taut and far from what one would call as loose. Resolution, micro-dynamics and separation are what you could expect from a $500 amp I guess. It doesn't perform to the level of my Hugo 2. The amp is not partial between instruments or vocals, so all instruments and vocals are presented with equal weight and articulation. The transparency, as stated earlier is very good. But it doesn't have a totally dark background as a result of inherent distortion and noise floor. I am really splitting hairs here and expecting this amp to perform at summit-fi level.
The soundstage is definitely quite spacious with good proportions of width, depth and height. Not that it lacks depth, but I would have preferred just a touch more depth. The amp tends to congestion once a while, due to its slightly forward placement of presentation, and the large instrument images it conjures. So a slightly larger overall stage would have also been nice. Also, the stage isn't super airy. So it relies purely on its dimensions to create the holographic feel. It does pull it off for the most part, but does skimp at times. So do not expect a colossal stage.
In terms of the power, it seems to have enough to handle most demanding planars. But it is also quiet enough that, you could plug in your IEMs and not be greeted with a hiss fest (of course, there are these special cases like the SE846 and Zeus, that would hiss out of anything). From a tonality perspective, due to its neutral-warm tone, the amp is not exactly picky about headphones. It doesn't necessrily stand out in any aspect to me. But at the same time, it doesn't seem to have any weakness that would stop me from recommending it. These attributes make the Lyr 3 a versatile amp. So if you have a mix of headphones/IEMs and were looking for an amp in the $500, Lyr 3 just might be one of the best available options out there.
P.S: Sorry for the crappy photo:
Gave the T-Plate version a try, and it's an entirely different sounding tube than the flat plate version. I couldn't stand the flat plate (first one I tried), as the upper mids and treble just ripped holes in my ears -- hot, bright, glare-y, just unlistenable to me. The T-Plate version is still a little aggressive in that area (to my ears), but more aptly described as having a bit of emphasis rather than being hot and awful. Bass is tight and powerful, lots of detail in the mids, the highs are very extended, and overall dynamics are excellent. I could see this being a go-to tube if my system was leaning a little too far to the warm side or needed a jolt of life in the highs. Overall a nice sounding tube, but I actually prefer the regular (non-VT-231) Raytheon 6SN7GT as it's just a little smoother sounding, but giving up a bit of the bass depth and overall dynamic swing of the VT-231 in return.
I'll post back once I get them.
