[jumbito78]

   
That depends on your budget, but I'm currently listening to a set of Butt Ugly Amperex tubes from Brent Jesse's site that match the sound you describe. They are here:
 
http://www.audiotubes.com/butt.htm
 
Search for E88CC / 6922 "BUTT UGLY" Amperex white PQ type on the page to find them. They run $170 a pair. Compare that to the $380 a pair my Telefunken platinums run, and the butt uglys are a bargain. The Telefunkens have more detail and high end extension and the bass is tighter, but the Amperex tubes have more bass that's not bloated and a relaxed top end that's exactly what you're describing. I took a chance on something that would sound different than the Telefunkens while still sounding good and these fit the bill. Just my 2 cents.

Thanks!, already checked the website....will definitely give them a shot, did you buy your´s at  that website?
 
By the way, Im trying now the RCA 6BQ7A and even if they don´t get the sound I want with the HD700, they do make a terrific job with the Fidelios X1...the combination really rocks...

 

[jumbito78]

   
That depends on your budget, but I'm currently listening to a set of Butt Ugly Amperex tubes from Brent Jesse's site that match the sound you describe. They are here:
 
http://www.audiotubes.com/butt.htm
 
Search for E88CC / 6922 "BUTT UGLY" Amperex white PQ type on the page to find them. They run $170 a pair. Compare that to the $380 a pair my Telefunken platinums run, and the butt uglys are a bargain. The Telefunkens have more detail and high end extension and the bass is tighter, but the Amperex tubes have more bass that's not bloated and a relaxed top end that's exactly what you're describing. I took a chance on something that would sound different than the Telefunkens while still sounding good and these fit the bill. Just my 2 cents.

 
 

   
Nice!

Hardwired:
 
Thanks great!!!!!!!!!!!!! will definitely give the Amperex a shot.....

 

[DavidA]

 
DavidA do you think the Reflectors and Bugle Boys are upgrades from the Gold Lions? I listen mostly to jazz.

The only tubes that I have that I would say are "slight upgrades" from the Reflectors, Gold Lions, and Bugle Boys are 2 pairs Telefunken CCa, Siemens CCa/Lorenz, and a pair of 1960's Amperex Hollands, the difference is noticeable but only will careful listening.  I got these tubes when I first started as many said that they were some of the best but after trying a bunch of other tubes I've concluded that for me they are not worth the premium cost vs the Reflectors and some other less pricy tubes, like everything here YMMV.

 

[Exacoustatowner]

The only tubes that I have that I would say are "slight upgrades" from the Reflectors, Gold Lions, and Bugle Boys are 2 pairs Telefunken CCa, Siemens CCa/Lorenz, and a pair of 1960's Amperex Hollands, the difference is noticeable but only will careful listening.  I got these tubes when I first started as many said that they were some of the best but after trying a bunch of other tubes I've concluded that for me they are not worth the premium cost vs the Reflectors and some other less pricy tubes, like everything here YMMV.

The truck is that audio memory is fairly short so comparisons are hard unless the differences are large. I do like the Amperex!
I got the Ragnarok last month and I find myself listening to it most of the time. I have to say it reminds me of the Lyr-with the best Amperex-nearly holographic! And just a little bit larger soundstage when the signal chain is 100% balanced.
Via the unbalanced out the Lyr is very close in sound. I slightly prefer the Lyr with certain high end NOS tubes for some recordings with unbalanced HE-560. Ive compared them with about a second delay and level matching. It takes me 30 seconds or so to swap to balanced cables-but I think they are better

 

[DavidA]

The truck is that audio memory is fairly short so comparisons are hard unless the differences are large. I do like the Amperex!
I got the Ragnarok last month and I find myself listening to it most of the time. I have to say it reminds me of the Lyr-with the best Amperex-nearly holographic! And just a little bit larger soundstage when the signal chain is 100% balanced.
Via the unbalanced out the Lyr is very close in sound. I slightly prefer the Lyr with certain high end NOS tubes for some recordings with unbalanced HE-560. Ive compared them with about a second delay and level matching. It takes me 30 seconds or so to swap to balanced cables-but I think they are better

I was lucky enough to have my friend over with his Lyr2 so we could A/B quickly the different tubes we tried and we got to compare notes/impressions in real time.  Agree that audio memory is fairly short, I usually try to remember a comparison with something that I have so it gives me a slightly better point of reference.
 
As for the Rag, for me the Lyr2/Project Ember/BH Crack that I have are end game for me, I'm getting old so going to something like the Rag is not worth the investment, better off just getting more music.

 

[Exacoustatowner]

 
I was lucky enough to have my friend over with his Lyr2 so we could A/B quickly the different tubes we tried and we got to compare notes/impressions in real time.  Agree that audio memory is fairly short, I usually try to remember a comparison with something that I have so it gives me a slightly better point of reference.
 
As for the Rag, for me the Lyr2/Project Ember/BH Crack that I have are end game for me, I'm getting old so going to something like the Rag is not worth the investment, better off just getting more music.

Hi DavidA
That's quite lucky to be able to have 2 Lyr's to A/B! I can only compare the different tubes and Lyr-with the Ragnarok. My Oppo BDP-105D can output via the RCA and XLR balanced simultaneously so I can just switch the headphone plug quickly in slightly more than 1 second.
Since I am running XLR to the Ragnarok and RCA to the Lyr-I can't account for possible qualitative differences between the two routes. I suppose I could use the Stereo Out RCA and the Left and Right 5 channel RCA outs…but it's really all about the best out of either.
RE: "investments". I GET that. I was just spending TOO much on NOS tube rolling. Now that I have several pairs that I think are terrific I think I am set.Especially considering that the Ragnarok sounds so good. All that said- the Lyr with great tubes does NOT disappoint me in any way. I just hope the Rag extends the lifetime of the rare NOS tubes I have!

 

[esteboune]

Just came back from holidays in Canada where i bought a Lyr2.
 
I bought a couple of nice tubes as well. 
 
I did not manage to resist to the temptation and started listening with Reflektor 74 Gray shield instead of the Original tubes...
 
Compare to my previous amp ( Little Dot mkiii + upgraded tubes) there a noticeable change of soundstage, i can hear more details, the sound is more "airy". Moreover the bass seems better controlled.
 
Weirdly enough, the lyr2 is not as loud as the LDmkiii (using LCD2)... I was using the LD at 9am on the volume knob whereas the lyr2 is at 1-2pm
 
anyway, i have been using it for 1h already, and the it seems a bit better
 
 

 

[DavidA]

  Just came back from holidays in Canada where i bought a Lyr2.
 
I bought a couple of nice tubes as well. 
 
I did not manage to resist to the temptation and started listening with Reflektor 74 Gray shield instead of the Original tubes...
 
Compare to my previous amp ( Little Dot mkiii + upgraded tubes) there a noticeable change of soundstage, i can hear more details, the sound is more "airy". Moreover the bass seems better controlled.
 
Weirdly enough, the lyr2 is not as loud as the LDmkiii (using LCD2)... I was using the LD at 9am on the volume knob whereas the lyr2 is at 1-2pm
 
anyway, i have been using it for 1h already, and the it seems a bit better
 
 

Did you check the input gain on the back of the Lyr2?

 

[esteboune]

  Did you check the input gain on the back of the Lyr2?

thanks for your reply
 
set in LO

 

[DavidA]

 
thanks for your reply
 
set in LO

you're welcome, hope you enjoy your Lyr2

 

[esteboune]

 
you're welcome, hope you enjoy your Lyr2

i do!
 
( Samuel Barber just made me cry...)
 
with the LCD2 (50 ohms) i believe the gain setting is LO, am i right?

 

[DavidA]

 
i do!
 
( Samuel Barber just made me cry...)
 
with the LCD2 (50 ohms) i believe the gain setting is LO, am i right?

I usually have the gain on low but its more to keep the volume knob in the middle of the dial range.

 

[sebbaan]

Anyone using lyr and modi together?

 

[reddog]

I have some gold lions also, found them to quite good for the price.

+1

 

[jumbito78]

Thanks...any particular number recommendation? the purpose is to get rid of the high pitch in the HD 700....
 
regards.