[Slashn77]

Hey I am brand new to tube amps and have been looking to upgrade from my Mayflower ARC dac/amp.

I have hd 650 hifiman 4XX and hd700 as well as Andromedas I would like to hear with a tube

I always wanted to hear what tubes sound like and am mainly a IEM guy because when I am at my computer I mainly play FPS games and but listen to spotify premium 320kps(might go back to Tidal lossless) on my computer maybe 5 hours a week(usually listen to music through my xdsd moving around the house)

Would it be overkill to get a Lyr 3 with multibit card+$200 or save $100 and get the regular 4490 DAC.

Basically I am wondering first of all if the Lyr 3 is a good tune amp for mid fi for the price or is there something a better bang for the buck in this price range.
Secondly, For my Spotify/tidal uses is the MB a significant enough upgrade for double the price for someone who listens for enjoyment vs analytical (I do not want to upgrade for a long time so I have no problem with $100 extra if it makes a n audible difference to the average ear.
Lastly, Would you recommend getting the amp with Dac card or getting the modi MB and Lyr 3 separate. (Or doesn’t really matter just personal preference is my guess)

Looking to pull the trigger soon so any opinions of advice is appreciated! Thanks

 

[ProfFalkin]

Mine has the MB card. I use a mimby instead. The staging is better, and while they sound very similar tonally, the mimby is just a bit better overall. $50 better than the MB card? Hmmm... I think so.

Now... About whether the Lyr 3 is a good tube amp. It is a fantastic tube hybrid amp. I emphasize this as there are more tube amps out there than you can shake a stick at, and they all sound different. OTL amps will sound much different than the Lyr 3 - such as the Bottlehead Crack. Transformer coupled are a ton more expensive and have a different sound too.

The Lyr is basically a solid state amp with the soul of a tube amp. This means you get all the extension, impact, slam, etc of a SS amp. You also get that etheral tube sound, and the ability to tweak the sound to how you want it by rolling tubes.

If you want true tube amp, start with a Crack. If you want a taste of tubes without the OTL pitfalls, Lyr 3.

Edit: Nevermind, the Crack is bad with IEMs... Forget I suggested it.

 

[441879]

Hey I am brand new to tube amps and have been looking to upgrade from my Mayflower ARC dac/amp.

I have hd 650 hifiman 4XX and hd700 as well as Andromedas I would like to hear with a tube

I always wanted to hear what tubes sound like and am mainly a IEM guy because when I am at my computer I mainly play FPS games and but listen to spotify premium 320kps(might go back to Tidal lossless) on my computer maybe 5 hours a week(usually listen to music through my xdsd moving around the house)

Would it be overkill to get a Lyr 3 with multibit card+$200 or save $100 and get the regular 4490 DAC.

Basically I am wondering first of all if the Lyr 3 is a good tune amp for mid fi for the price or is there something a better bang for the buck in this price range.
Secondly, For my Spotify/tidal uses is the MB a significant enough upgrade for double the price for someone who listens for enjoyment vs analytical (I do not want to upgrade for a long time so I have no problem with $100 extra if it makes a n audible difference to the average ear.
Lastly, Would you recommend getting the amp with Dac card or getting the modi MB and Lyr 3 separate. (Or doesn’t really matter just personal preference is my guess)

Looking to pull the trigger soon so any opinions of advice is appreciated! Thanks

IMHO the Lyr 3 is definitely a star performer. I certainly noticed a sound improvement over my Magni 3. The sound isn’t particularly tubey though. I’d describe it as a nice marriage of solid state dynamics and flexibility combined with the excellent staging and sweet sound that tubes can produce.

Re your DAC: I asked the same basic question when I bought my Lyr 3. Long story short, it’s unlikely you will hear any significant difference between a multi bit and the AKM AK4490 if you are using Spotify premium on your smartphone. Tidal does have higher res audio that might justify the extra expense though, so if you’re thinking about going that way, I’d consider it.

 

[Slashn77]

Thanks for the quick responses.
I had tidal lossless for a long time and liked it but I was so sick of all the new rap content that they push over and over and also do not have the great playlists with amazing acoustic jazz vocal and chesky recordings.

Back on topic. The Lyr 3 with MB b stock is $650 or amp only for $450. No 4490+ L3 in b stock.
Im thinking it being a Hybrid with the option for LSST tubes for SS is an advantage bc I am not going to want the tube sound when gaming with hd700’s.(I don’t want to invest too much in case the tube sound isn’t what I like.
There was a Questyle CMA400i for like $500 in the FS thread that someone got to before me. It is obviously not a tube but would of saved me $150 and has a nice DAC with balanced XLR+2.5mm that would of been a very nice upgrade from my desktop setup now as well.

 

[Slashn77]

Has anyone compared the Lyr 3 to the massdrop Cavalli Tube Hybrid Amp (CTH) amp since it is $250. Maybe if that is comparable in SQ I can get my feet wet for cheaper and grab a modi MB for my DAC

 

[wasupdog]

The lyr3 is flat out a better amp, even considering the price difference.

 

[ProfFalkin]

Has anyone compared the Lyr 3 to the massdrop Cavalli Tube Hybrid Amp (CTH) amp since it is $250. Maybe if that is comparable in SQ I can get my feet wet for cheaper and grab a modi MB for my DAC

I had both, at the same time. The MCTH is a softer sound, and didn't carry the impact or weight of the Lyr at either end of the FR spectrum. It did render spatial detail a touch better in depth. For tone, I preferred the Lyr as well, but that's entirely preference. I thought the MCTH was more OTL sounding, or more "tubey" in some regards.

IMO, MCTH would be fine for some acoustic music where the full range of the frequency spectrum isn't being challenged, but for electronic music and pop where bass can really reach low, or in classical or horn centric jazz where you want lots of air, I'd pick the Lyr.

MCTH is a fine amp, don't get me wrong. On a certain Site-Which-Shall-Not-Be-Named there is a great thread where people are finding cheap linear power supplies and making it perform and sound even better, but my take on it is that I would rather not bother and stick to the Lyr 3. I thought I'd throw it out there though.

Regardless of which way you go, good luck and I hope you are satisfied!

Comparisons based on listening with stock tubes. YMMV. No tubes were harmed in the making of this film. Names changed to protect the innocent. Etc...

 

[Slashn77]

I had both, at the same time. The MCTH is a softer sound, and didn't carry the impact or weight of the Lyr at either end of the FR spectrum. It did render spatial detail a touch better in depth. For tone, I preferred the Lyr as well, but that's entirely preference. I thought the MCTH was more OTL sounding, or more "tubey".

IMO, MCTH would be fine for some acoustic music where the full range of the frequency spectrum isn't being challenged, but for electronic music and pop where bass can really reach low, or in classical or horn centric jazz where you want lots of air, I'd pick the Lyr.

Comparisons based on listening with stock tubes. YMMV. No tubes were harmed in the making of this film. Names changed to protect the innocent. Etc...

That is really good insight.
I actually do listen to some EDM when I am in the mood but acoustic jazz and pretty much anything I can find with a lot of instruments and some nice vocals.
I do not have the budget or the room for multiple combos for different music (I mainly use different HP’s for that) so a good all around setup under $700 for the Dac and Amp to work with everything nicely. If I had more room I would get a a better SS upgrade from my ARC like Questyle 400i or jot w/DAC then get a separate tube amp in the future that doesn’t break the bank like a little dot 3? or similar

 

[ProfFalkin]

That is really good insight.
I actually do listen to some EDM when I am in the mood but acoustic jazz and pretty much anything I can find with a lot of instruments and some nice vocals.
I do not have the budget or the room for multiple combos for different music (I mainly use different HP’s for that) so a good all around setup under $700 for the Dac and Amp to work with everything nicely. If I had more room I would get a a better SS upgrade from my ARC like Questyle 400i or jot w/DAC then get a separate tube amp in the future that doesn’t break the bank like a little dot 3? or similar

No offense to the little dot fanboys out there, but the LD3 my friend bought was terrible. I borrowed it for a few weeks (he used my Jot while I used his LD3) and after that experience we both came away with the opinion that the LD3 was complete $hite. Get a Vali 2 instead.

 

[Slashn77]

No offense to the little dot fanboys out there, but the LD3 my friend bought was terrible. I borrowed it for a few weeks (he used my Jot while I used his LD3) and after that experience we both came away with the opinion that the LD3 was complete $hite. Get a Vali 2 instead.

Edit: I actually confused with Vali 2 with Valhalla 2. I see the Valhalla 2 is a full OTL tube amp vs hybrid L3.
I am going to do a lot of reading of reviews before I keep asking more questions.
Thanks guys

 

[skyline315]

Edit: I actually confused with Vali 2 with Valhalla 2. I see the Valhalla 2 is a full OTL tube amp vs hybrid L3.
I am going to do a lot of reading of reviews before I keep asking more questions.
Thanks guys

The Vali 2 (with upgraded tube) is the best deal in audio I've ever run across. I'd keep it in consideration if the Lyr feels a bit steep to you.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Has anyone compared the Lyr 3 to the massdrop Cavalli Tube Hybrid Amp (CTH) amp since it is $250. Maybe if that is comparable in SQ I can get my feet wet for cheaper and grab a modi MB for my DAC

I currently have both, and won't be much help, because I like both amps. First, they both punch upward by a wide margin. I am using a Ken Rad VT231, or a Sylvania ”Bad Boy, ” and an Amperex A-Frame in the CTH, both are inky black backgrounds, decent ”head stage” (though not the last word). The CTH doesn't quite have enough power for the Abyss, but plenty for the Focal Utopia/Clear and HD650. Depending on what Headphones you have, either one is a gateway drug into tube rolling.

 

[Th3Drizzl3]

^^ imo the lyr3 is the better amp all the way around but both are very nice amps. one thing i prefer about the lyr3 is when using different tubes the sound changes a lot more based on the tube vs the cth which i find i can tube roll but it doesnt affect it nearly as much. i do own both.

 

[Slashn77]

^^ imo the lyr3 is the better amp all the way around but both are very nice amps. one thing i prefer about the lyr3 is when using different tubes the sound changes a lot more based on the tube vs the cth which i find i can tube roll but it doesnt affect it nearly as much. i do own both.

What do you think about the CTH being half the price since you own both?
We all know diminishing returns is huge in this hobby and if I can get 90% of the Lyr for about half price that would be a huge bonus to me I want a good value as well and the Lyr 3 with DAC card was already on the high end of what I wanted to spend. Thinking about getting a modi MB with CTH might be nice for under $500 or less if I can get one of them used

 

[Zachik]

What do you think about the CTH being half the price since you own both?
We all know diminishing returns is huge in this hobby and if I can get 90% of the Lyr for about half price that would be a huge bonus to me I want a good value as well and the Lyr 3 with DAC card was already on the high end of what I wanted to spend. Thinking about getting a modi MB with CTH might be nice for under $500 or less if I can get one of them used

CTH + RDAC is a nice combo! Sound wise and visually (Stack beautifully).
The RDAC is better than Mimby, IMHO.