[ProfFalkin]

I am really impressed with the Lyr 3 and the Raytheon VT-231. The tube really improved bass performance with my ZMF Blackwood (also have an Ori on the way, and an LCD-4 coming on Tuesday so I use it exclusively for beefy planars). Killer amp for the price, hits above its price range for sure. I also picked up a NOS/NIB matched pair of National Union 6SN7GT Black Glass, and NOS Sylvania JAN CHS 6SN7WGT so this will be an interesting comparison. I honestly don't plan to use the 6SN7WGT too much, since I have four of them and plan to use them in a Schiit Freya.

Would you mind snapping a photograph of that Raytheon? I'm curious if that's the same plate structure as mine

 

[Ripper2860]

Received my Lyr 3 today. Plugged in the TUNG-SOL tube and proceeded to give it a listen...

Wow! Just wow! The resolution and air around instruments is just wonderful. It just seems that more space, texture, and emotion is given to instruments and voices. Given the right recordings, the Lyr 3 makes the music palpable. I love my Magni 3, but Lyr 3 is just on a completely different level -- of course Lyr 3 is 5x the price of Magni 3.

This is my 1st real tube amp, so I don't know if the difference is to be attributed primarily to the Tube Sound, but honestly, I don't care. It is just wonderful and makes me want to re-listen to my favorite music to see what I've been missing!!

 

[earnmyturns]

Really enjoying a new Harmonia Mundi digital issue (via Presto Music) of Alessio Bax playing the "Emperor" concerto. Lyr 3 with Ken-Rad VT-231 treats the piano-strings balance very nicely. Update: It gets especially delightful in the final rondo, with the layering between piano notes and strings, and different instrument dynamics so well rendered.

 

[earnmyturns]

Received my Lyr 3 today. Plugged in the TUNG-SOL tube and proceeded to give it a listen...

Wow! Just wow! The resolution and air around instruments is just wonderful.

It will get even better, the tube needs some burn-in. In my experience (as a tube newbie) with the stock Tung-Sol and then with the Ken-Rad VT-231, the mids start a bit rough. My test is how a good recording of solo piano sounds, especially in louder passages. The harmonics start a bit jumbled, but after burn-in they become more realistic, organic.

 

[bcowen]

Really enjoying a new Harmonia Mundi digital issue (via Presto Music) of Alessio Bax playing the "Emperor" concerto. Lyr 3 with Ken-Rad VT-231 treats the piano-strings balance very nicely.

I like the Ken-Rad with staggered (offset) plates a lot too. Probably the best all-around tube I've tried in the Lyr 3 so far, which seems to be the consensus of most everyone that's posted on it. The '53 ribbed plate Foton is still my favorite for rock and metal, as you can crank the volume to ridiculous levels and listen for hours with no fatigue. The Ken-Rad has better bass, just not quite as forgiving up top and a lot of rock (and especially metal) recordings benefit from some forgiveness in that area.

 

[Ripper2860]

It will get even better, the tube needs some burn-in. In my experience (as a tube newbie) with the stock Tung-Sol and then with the Ken-Rad VT-231, the mids start a bit rough. My test is how a good recording of solo piano sounds, especially in louder passages. The harmonics start a bit jumbled, but after burn-in they become more realistic, organic.

So how should one go about 'burning in' a tube? Is it sufficient to just leave the Lyr 3 powered on, or do I need to plug in headphones/speakers and use music. I'm heading out for the day and want to leave it burning-in while I am out and also while I sleep tonight.

 

[Rhamnetin]

This is my 1st real tube amp, so I don't know if the difference is to be attributed primarily to the Tube Sound, but honestly, I don't care. It is just wonderful and makes me want to re-listen to my favorite music to see what I've been missing!!

It ain't due to the tubes, it performs very well with LISST too (not as good as with an excellent NOS tube though). It's just a stellar amp.

Would you mind snapping a photograph of that Raytheon? I'm curious if that's the same plate structure as mine

Sure thing:

Spoiler

 

[ProfFalkin]

So how should one go about 'burning in' a tube? Is it sufficient to just leave the Lyr 3 powered on, or do I need to plug in headphones/speakers and use music. I'm heading out for the day and want to leave it burning while I am out and also while I sleep tonight.

Just use it normally, but understand the sound may change after 40 hours or so.

 

[ProfFalkin]

It ain't due to the tubes, it performs very well with LISST too (not as good as with an excellent NOS tube though). It's just a stellar amp.



Sure thing:

Spoiler

Thanks!

 

[bcowen]

It ain't due to the tubes, it performs very well with LISST too (not as good as with an excellent NOS tube though). It's just a stellar amp.



Sure thing:

Spoiler

T-plates. Somehow I already knew it wasn't the flat plate version.

 

[earnmyturns]

So how should one go about 'burning in' a tube? Is it sufficient to just leave the Lyr 3 powered on, or do I need to plug in headphones/speakers and use music. I'm heading out for the day and want to leave it burning-in while I am out and also while I sleep tonight.

As I said I'm a tube newbie, but I just left the amp on 24h/day the first few days. I only played music when I was actually listening, a couple of hours/day. But sound clearly changed throughout the first 50 hours or so. My guess is that the heated filaments needs to stabilize with other physical properties within the tube. Once those changes happen, tube properties will be relatively stable for the tube's lifetime. After the first 50h or so, I turn off the amp after my last listening session, and turn it back on ideally 30 min-1h before the first listening session the following day. (Fortunately I also have a very good solid-state 2-channel system that to listen to, so I can wait for the pre-listen warm-up).

 

[Freeflap]

Ok, so I went and upgraded my headphones from my beloved monoprice m1060v2 to a pair of used Mr. Speaker ether flow.

I currently use a jds Element. Once the ether arrives how does the ether do with the lyr 3? Or should I consider jotunheim for a balanced amp option?

 

[bcowen]

Ok, so I went and upgraded my headphones from my beloved monoprice m1060v2 to a pair of used Mr. Speaker ether flow.

I currently use a jds Element. Once the ether arrives how does the ether do with the lyr 3? Or should I consider jotunheim for a balanced amp option?

Can't tell you exactly how the Ethers will do, but the Aeons are a great match with the Lyr 3. Logic would dictate that the Ethers will just be an extension of that.

 

[ProfFalkin]

Ok, so I went and upgraded my headphones from my beloved monoprice m1060v2 to a pair of used Mr. Speaker ether flow.

I currently use a jds Element. Once the ether arrives how does the ether do with the lyr 3? Or should I consider jotunheim for a balanced amp option?

I think the Lyr 3 would be the better match. The Ether can get a bit sharp up top, and a nice RCA grey glass can take some of the bite out of it and provide a very smooth sound.

 

[earnmyturns]

I currently use a jds Element. Once the ether arrives how does the ether do with the lyr 3? Or should I consider jotunheim for a balanced amp option?

I've used my Ether C Flows (and less often, my Æon closed) with Jot (truly balanced), Neurochrome HP-1 (not internally balanced, but balanced cable output), and Lyr 3 (single-ended). Overall, Lyr 3 wins for my everyday headphone listening. Jot is amazingly fast but has a shallow soundstage and has a sharp-edge upper midrange that goes too far with some recordings. Lyr 3 is still reasonably fast, but is smooths those edges a bit, especially with the Ken-Rad VT-231, and shows a deeper soundstage. The HP-1 is I think the best of the 3 from a reference point of view, but the Lyr 3 is more engaging.