[Armaegis]

Nothing on me at the moment, but all the old receivers I've had in the past that had the switch or button for loudness, from memory they all applied the boost regardless of where the knob was. No I never tested the range of the boost extensively. I just remember the boost always being there when I was fiddling with things, but no I never tested at the very upper ranges either since it would be unfeasible to listen to loud.

 

[Phoniac]

The designs that I know had a volume pot with a tap at the center position where the 'loudness' components (R/C) were connected. To really notice a change in sound you had to approach the 12 o'clock position. Maybe that 's why you didn't notice the change. It's often getting quite loud then...

 

[ben446]

As some have mentioned on the web, the Prism Lyra I & II have a relatively inferior headphone amp. This is easily remedied with something like a $100 JDS Atom however.

 

[Armaegis]

If you're playing in the tier of gear like the Prism, you can do better than the atom.

 

[ben446]

I am new to desktop 'audiophile' headphone amps so just wanted to try one out. I was also looking at the RNHP and maybe someday get into a Violectric V281 (which I heard at a meetup) I was blessed to own a Prism ADA-8XR awhile ago. That built in HP amp was quite good.

The Lyra II and Atom combo is very good but clinical. Great for really hearing what's in the mix but maybe not the best for listening simply for pleasure. Maybe adding a tube amp would warm things up for home listening or maybe best not to use production gear and expect an audiophile experience until you get into the bigger $ amounts.

 

[ben446]

So I got some new headphones (Meze Empyrean) and holly molly do hi rez files on the lyra 2 sound stunning. ( Aurivana 3.5, MBP, usb C) Just fiddling around, I tried going toslink out from a QR1P directly in to the Lyra 2 and things sound much better. There is no noise or artifacts on the usb, the toslink just has way more detail. It really sounds live. I want the library management from the Mac so now I need to try and see if sound over ethernet or some other solution will work.

The struggle is real!

 

[Armaegis]

Toslink from a mac is not known for being high quality, but I've never played with that myself.
Right now I'm using an RME to convert usb to optical feeding into my Lyra, but I'm hard pressed to say that it sounds better. Different, but perhaps a sidestep.

 

[ben446]

Which RME and what software and OS are you using? Are you still connected through USB to access the Prism app? On mine ( Aurivana 3.5, MBP, usb C), I find fuller base and mids. Lots of reverb. With the different source, QR1P > toslink, the clarity over all really shines.

 

[Armaegis]

Babyface Pro FS via USB (through a Schiit Wyrd) on a Win10pro machine.
Prism is not connected to the computer at all.

You're getting reverb??

 

[DAZZER]

Thanks for the comparison!
To be continued?

 

[Armaegis]

Thanks for the comparison!
To be continued?

The three dacs I have in my stable now are the Prism Lyra, RME Babyface Pro FS, and the SPL Mercury.

Lyra: airy mid-highs, most easy listening
Babyface Pro FS: neutral without being clinical like the ADI-2 Pro
Mercury: weirdly feels like the proper big brother of the Babyface

A couple years ago I also had the Crane Song Solaris (not the latest model) which I describe as remarkably average but not in a bad way.

At one point I was hoping to get my hands on a Burl B2, but I can never seem to find them for a reasonable price in Canada.

 

[DAZZER]

It's very interesting!
Though I assumed that "reserved posts 2 and 3" are for extended reviews of Forssell and Schiit...

 

[Armaegis]

Oh, hah well I suppose if I ever got it into me to write some more, but those pieces of gear are long gone so I won't be able to write anything accurate anymore. Besides which, I feel like the reviewing world has gotten weird these last few years. Everyone is spitting out youtube videos, or posting super fancy reviews with tons of top notch photography on their own sites, or jamming in measurements of dubious usefulness, etc. It takes energy to write reviews that are actually meaningful, and it's hard to compete with all that fluff out there.