[Amish]

Hey guys. Been reading threads all day on these two amps and I'm getting no where fast.
 
Here is the skinny;
 
I currently own a Bryston BHA-1 & Garage1217 Polaris.
 
I have owned the Project Ember in the past.
 
 
I miss tubes. I love my Bryston and don't plan to ever sell it but I would really enjoy a tube amp that I can switch to from time to time. Like I stated I owned the Ember for quite awhile and I absolutely loved the amp. I sold it to put money towards the Bryston but I regret doing that now.
 
The Ember (with the right tube) had a very lush 3d sound to it.
 
So I would think this is easy; just buy another Ember. BUT I keep looking at the Schiit Lyr 2 and thinking that the extra power might come in handy with my LCD-2 headphones. I know I can buy the Lyr2 and return it if unhappy but I'd lose 5%. I have a butt load of tubes but none of them would work with the Lyr2 so I would have to buy more tubes to roll. Not a big deal.
 
If anyone here has heard both the Ember and the Lyr2 and wouldn't mind comparing them for me I'd really appreciate it.
 
Sound characteristics is what I'm looking for as well as how much better the Lyr 2 drives my cans or if it makes much of a difference.
 
Thanks in advance.

 

[jodgey4]

Which LCD-2 do you have? Fazor or not? The Fazor version doesn't need the extra power.

 

[Amish]

I have the fazor. see sig. And thanks. I wasn't aware that the power requirements were different from the old LCD2
 
I know Audeze rec. 1 to 4 watts and the Ember gets me about 2 watts @ 50 Ohms. THough I wonder if the extra output of the Lyr2 would bring the cans to an even higher level? And I wonder how the Lyr2 sounds compared to the Ember.

 

[jodgey4]

The power won't matter unless you listen at incredible volumes, both have plenty of overhead imho.

 

[Amish]

I do listen loud and I have hit the Ember's ceiling as far as gain in the past. But I think I'm just going to stick with what I know and pick up another Ember. Thanks for your input dude.

 

[jodgey4]

I'm surprised you couldn't find comparisons easily... that's a bummer. If you listen loud, maybe the Lyr isn't such a bad idea. Idk, I haven't heard either, I just know power requirements . I'm sure you could trade tubes with people on Head-Fi or something if you got the Lyr?

 

[Amish]

I already purchased the Ember II and a 6SN7 tube to go with it.
 
The Ember gets plenty loud enough. Enough to damage ears anyway and It's only when I've been into the drink that I tend to really crank it up. My Bryston handles loud no problem though so I have the ability to switch between several headphone amps in my stack.
 
I think I will be fine.
 
 
Yeah there are hardly any reviews..(no pro reviews) that I could find on the Lyr2. I found plenty on the Lyr1 though. And the few threads I found about the ember Vs lyr2 were people asking for input and receiving no input worth reading.
 
Go to the Ember thread and its all love for Ember, go to the Lyr2 thread and its all love for Lyr2. Everyone loves what they have. Few admit when what they have isn't truly what they want. I think most people feel the need to justify their purchase.
 
Anyways, the Lyr2 would have been 'taking a chance on" while the Ember I already know sounds beautiful. The Ember mk2 is even more refined so I know I will be very pleased.
 
Plus one bonus is I have a butt load of tubes that work with the Ember and 4 more tubes on the way. I literally have a ton of money invested in my tubes and if I bought the Lyr2 I would have to start buying tubes again.

 

[jodgey4]

  I think I will be fine.
 
Few admit when what they have isn't truly what they want. I think most people feel the need to justify their purchase.

Careful, we don't take kindly to wisdom around here!

 

[M-83]

I just sold my Ember to a fellow Headfier. I had a Fiio X5 solely to use as usb dac, but I sold that too and now am waiting delivery of Lyr 2 & Bifrost uber dac with usb.  I have Mrspeakers Alpha Prime headphones and it has been said that the combo I have on the way should make the primes really sing.
 
I had my Ember on low impedance & high gain ands could get comfortably 1/2 way round vol pot before I started to reach the volume ceiling for my tolerance. Ember was the best amp I've owned to date.    It will be interesting to find out how the new set up compares!