[ProfFalkin]

I happened to find a used Lyr 3 and purchased it (cancelled the Schiit Audio order).
Tubes i’ll be using include the Stock NOS, a used but new production TS, and a Ken Rad vt-231 Mil Spec
Gonna compare it to the Jot, CTH, and Liquid Carbon X. Source will be the topping D50. Headphones used will be the HD600.
It’ll probably take me a week to 2 weeks to really write everything up and add it to my blog.
Weee!!!!

Nice! It's always fun exploring new stuff. =)

 

[FLTWS]

Nice! It's always fun exploring new stuff. =)

And thanks to Schiit's approach in design, sound, and price, it makes it manageable for many of us to "pay to play", again and again.

 

[mrip541]

Sorry if this has already been answered.... How is the preamp output noise floor? Has the Lyr 3 improved in that area from the Lyr 2?

 

[ProfFalkin]

I haven't tried using it as a pre myself, but I'd imagine the Saga would be quite a bit more beneficial in that role. And it's cheaper.

 

[mrip541]

I haven't tried using it as a pre myself, but I'd imagine the Saga would be quite a bit more beneficial in that role. And it's cheaper.

Thanks, but I'm trying to get dac/headphone amp/preamp in a single box.

 

[ProfFalkin]

I wonder if the pre outs get cut when a headphone is plugged in.

 

[Ripper2860]

The Lyr 3 does cut pre-out with headphones plugged in.

Per Lyr 3 FAQ page at Schiit.com

Does the volume control adjust the preamp outputs?
Yes.

Can I turn off the headphone outs when I’m using the preamp outputs?
The preamp outputs are automatically turned off when you plug in your headphones. Unplug your headphones to use the pre outs.

 

[Bacon Bits]

Initial impressions of lyr 3. Seems to be just a vali 2 with everything turned to eleven. Gonna listen more, but right now I am definitely not regretting snatching the last b stock lyr 3. Everything just sounds like the clouds cleared on the music on a nice spring day.

 

[JamesCanada]

Initial impressions of lyr 3. Seems to be just a vali 2 with everything turned to eleven. Gonna listen more, but right now I am definitely not regretting snatching the last b stock lyr 3. Everything just sounds like the clouds cleared on the music on a nice spring day.

Nice to hear it.
What phones are you running on?

 

[Bacon Bits]

I only managed to listen to my massdrop plus universal on them. Going to try my 650s later this weekend when I have time.

 

[earnmyturns]

My Ken-Rad VT-231 has had the suggested 50h of burn-in, and it is making a new classic jazz acquisition sound glorious: "Canonball and Coltrane" 24/192 FLAC converted from the original 2-track, 15ips tape by High Definition Tape Transfers. Wonderful dynamics, instrument separation, true jazz instrument tonality. Paul Chambers's bass is right where I expect it. For genuineness, you can even hear a slight tape print-through in the track opening quiet. There's a glitch in "You're a Weaver of Dreams" suggesting a bit of tape damage. It's giving me the shivers, like being there with these departed giants hearing this music for the first time.

 

[Ripper2860]

Thanks for the tip on High Definition Tape Transfers. I just listened to the Cannonball Coltrane sample and it is absolutely wonderful. I must treat myself to this one and the Dizzie Gillespie Verve 4-track when my Lyr 3 arrives this weekend.

 

[FLTWS]

earnmyturns makes 2 really good points.

"For genuineness, you can even hear a slight tape print-through in the track opening quiet."
Talk about true to the original source.

"There's a glitch in "You're a Weaver of Dreams" suggesting a bit of tape damage."
The more revealing the system the more readily one hears these things. Both a positive and a negative at the same time.

There have been a number of times with some remastered CD recordings where a glitch in the original source had me looking at every part of the chain as a possible culprit except for the original source. itself. I hang on to all my original issue CD's when I acquire a "remastered" one just for that purpose, as well as comparison, as not all remasters are an improvement over the original recording.

 

[earnmyturns]

earnmyturns makes 2 really good points.

"For genuineness, you can even hear a slight tape print-through in the track opening quiet."
Talk about true to the original source.

Many, many years ago, college times, I shared a house with a friend who owned one of those classic Revox reel-to-reel tape decks. I, OTOH, owned a classic Thorens TD-160 turntable, an integrated amp that I don't quite remember, and bass reflex speakers I had built from a Wharfedale kit (I think the Linton 2, but I'm no longer sure, they stayed behind when I left Portugal in 1977). I also had the coolest record collection. To avoid damage to records on party nights, we transferred to tape my party-est records (Grace Slick's "White Rabbit," Crosby, Stills & Nash, JCOA's "Escalator over the Hill, "ELP's "Pictures at an Exhibition," King Crimson's "In the Court of Crimson King" and "Lark's Tongues in Aspic", and to balance some hyper-romantic Rachmaninoff and Scriabin piano work (yes, out parties were strange...). To allow for party-long playing without messing around with tapes, we used the thinnest BASF tape. That's when I learned about print-through.

 

[Rhamnetin]

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.