[Paladin79]

I'm at the point in life where I listen to music, not gear. I'm happy with my gear ... I know there are better systems out there.
That said, I'm very impressed with the DAC designed experiments that you folks do, Tom.

Most everyone listens to music, the quality and nuances are affected by types of gear I would think. One can listen to music on most cell phones but there are other options. I have a lot of respect for you by the way as I do with anyone’s personal choices on music, gear, and all things related. Tube gear was being phased out as I began my career so I worked with more solid state equipment including the first solid state televisions that RCA produced. I did have tube theory so I worked with tubes as well including older Dynaco gear. I am very familiar with both but at this phase of my life I prefer music through tube gear regardless of the downfalls. It is about music, and sound that those after me might get to enjoy.

I do run a solid state 7.2 surround sound system and on occasion hear music, but it is not what I consider listening. It is just there.

Oh and thanks for the kind words about the DAC comparisons. I did the same thing with 6sn7 equivalent tubes. Folks far smarter than me helped set it up. Because of time restraints we may be limited to 40-45 participants.

 

[Mark200]

Many years ago a car salesman told me they looked at two things to evaluate a man walking in the door - his shoes and his watch.

Back in 1989 I was working for IBM and they sent me (with some others) to a meeting with a potential customer who wanted IBM to develop a system to track the whereabouts of people based on their travel itineraries recorded in the American Airlines systems. The potential IBM customer claimed he met the CEO of American Airlines and that the airline would let him have that information, which could be used for (among other things) to allow legal process servers to find people to give them notice that they are being sued, for which they would pay money to him. Also for bail bond businesses, or government agencies wanting to find people. The customer claimed to have $10 million in CD's at a bank (in 1989 dollars) to fund the project.

I sat next to the customer at a round table in the meeting, so I looked down at his shoes. They were not athletic shoes or causal shoes, just traditional leather-type shoes, but they were very cheap and very beat-up. He had a very cheap watch (and I don't mean a cheap digital watch). The customer had his secretary at the meeting to take notes, and she was pretty close to the ugliest woman I have ever seen (I hate to say those kinds of things about people). I told my management about his watch and his shoes, and that I was pretty sure he was a fraud. It turned out I was right and he had no money, and that he wanted IBM to develop the system for him without any payment to IBM upfront, and he would pay for the cost out of the revenue he would earn.

Aside from the guy's shoes and watch (and secretary), there is no way that American Airlines would have given him that data, since they would be out of business in no time if anyone found out about it.

 

[Mark200]

Apple Watches ruined me for anything else.

I hate buying stuff that becomes obsolete in 1-2 years max. I don't have to endure any embarrassment of my $500 10-year-old battery operated Tissot watch being out of date because it still looks brand new.

I bought a special wrench for $10 to be able to open the back of the watch to change the battery myself, so I do that every couple of years for about $3 per battery. I usually don't wear the watch when at home, so a mechanical self-winding automatic watch is not a good option for me.

 

[OldRoadToad]

I have never owned any tube equipment. But one exception I am thinking about making is the Schiit Lyr+ Hybrid Headphone Amp for the following reasons:

• The tube is only for the pre-amp stage. The power amp stage is solid state. So less colorization than a full tube amp
• There is only one tube, so no worry about tube mismatching, etc
• One tube for the pre-amp stage should not generate too much heat
• No bias adjustments needed for the one pre-amp tube
• Pre-amp stage tubes last longer than power stage tubes (not 100% sure about this).
• The amp can be switched to 100% solid state mode via remote control (or just removing the tube).
• Since this is a headphone amp, microphonic effect from a speaker playing in the room will not be a factor

It looks really cool and you can put one of those "Tennis Ball Tubes" in it.

ORT

 

[Mark200]

It looks really cool and you can put one of those "Tennis Ball Tubes" in it.

ORT

I am not 100% sure, but I think when you pull the tube or switch to solid-state mode with the remote, it basically operates like one of the tennis ball solid state devices already built into to.

 

[Acapella48]

Unless you are a collector, or just like showing off, I just don't see the point of fancy watches at this point. My phone or computer will always tell me the time more accurately and I don't really see the point of wearing a watch as jewelry. Maybe if out in the wilds I could see wearing a sturdy watch but otherwise it seems an anachronism to me.

Ditto. I gave up wearing a watch back in the '90's. Smart phone, computer, clock in the car, clocks on the walls everywhere at work. Didn't make sense to wear a watch.
When I was a teenager, a watch my older brother gave me was stolen at knife point, so watches as jewelry never was a thing.

 

[Acapella48]

I have 2 x 15PFi's and will be taking both with me when I move. I'll use one on my flight simulator PC and peripherals and the other on my TV and the 4 pieces of audio gear I will hang onto. Highly recommended.

My Furman Elite 15PFi developed a hum after 2 years and then just upped and died. Last year, PS Audio gave me $700 in trade for the 15PFi towards a Stellar Power Plant 3.

 

[tafens]

I have never owned any tube equipment. But one exception I am thinking about making is the Schiit Lyr+ Hybrid Headphone Amp for the following reasons:

• The tube is only for the pre-amp stage. The power amp stage is solid state. So less colorization than a full tube amp

Yes, however, as I understand it, it’s the pre-amp stage that is the one providing more of the colorisation. There is definitely variation to be had (to my ears) by rolling the one tube to other brands and types in my Lyr3.

One tube for the pre-amp stage should not generate too much heat

Not too much, the body of Lyr3 doesn’t get particularly hot, when I measured with an IR thermometer it was around the 40°C mark (and Lyr+ I imagine, would be much the same). I measured using a socket saver/riser to elevate the tube up out of the chassis, but the Lyr+ shouldn’t need one for that. I wouldn’t grab the tube itself with bare fingers while it’s hot though.

There is only one tube, so no worry about tube mismatching, etc

Absolutely. It’s a lot easier (and less expensive) to only need one tube instead of a matched pair. The tube is a dual triode though, meaning it contains two separate triode sections. Most tube resellers provide a service for matching them if you want

No bias adjustments needed for the one pre-amp tube

As far as I know, all Schiit tube gear has auto-bias. No need to worry about that.

Pre-amp stage tubes last longer than power stage tubes (not 100% sure about this).

The tube in Lyr3/+ can last up to 20000 hours (it was mentioned in a live stream recently). That is a good number of years with daily use, in the ballpark of you’ll probably ever need the stock tube that comes with the amp and one spare, unless you use the amp very much for a very long time.

The amp can be switched to 100% solid state mode via remote control (or just removing the tube).

That’s a good option, and I believe a smart move by Schiit to address tube nervosa. I certainly felt that when starting out with tubes. Now though, as a somewhat more seasoned tube user, I just keep a few spares and would probably never feel the need to switch out of tube mode

Since this is a headphone amp, microphonic effect from a speaker playing in the room will not be a factor

Nope, but a microphonic tube can still get you if vibrations from something gets to the amp. I don’t believe microphonics are that common though, although I have had the misfortune of stumbling upon one or two tubes that had it. Most tube resellers can screen for that though, besides matching.

 

[Paladin79]

Yes, however, as I understand it, it’s the pre-amp stage that is the one providing more of the colorisation. There is definitely variation to be had (to my ears) by rolling the one tube to other brands and types in my Lyr3.


Not too much, the body of Lyr3 doesn’t get particularly hot, when I measured with an IR thermometer it was around the 40°C mark (and Lyr+ I imagine, would be much the same). I measured using a socket saver/riser to elevate the tube up out of the chassis, but the Lyr+ shouldn’t need one for that. I wouldn’t grab the tube itself with bare fingers while it’s hot though.


Absolutely. It’s a lot easier (and less expensive) to only need one tube instead of a matched pair. The tube is a dual triode though, meaning it contains two separate triode sections. Most tube resellers provide a service for matching them if you want


As far as I know, all Schiit tube gear has auto-bias. No need to worry about that.


The tube in Lyr3/+ can last up to 20000 hours (it was mentioned in a live stream recently). That is a good number of years with daily use, in the ballpark of you’ll probably ever need the stock tube that comes with the amp and one spare, unless you use the amp very much for a very long time.


That’s a good option, and I believe a smart move by Schiit to address tube nervosa. I certainly felt that when starting out with tubes. Now though, as a somewhat more seasoned tube user, I just keep a few spares and would probably never feel the need to switch out of tube mode


Nope, but a microphonic tube can still get you if vibrations from something gets to the amp. I don’t believe microphonics are that common though, although I have had the misfortune of stumbling upon one or two tubes that had it. Most tube resellers can screen for that though, besides matching.

Very well said. I only run into microphonics on rare occasion and some tube types are more susceptible. The rack system I use as well as the racks being on a tiled floor helps me cut down on vibrations, static electricity, etc. Some tube amps I designed are in fairly heavy stable cases, 2.5 lbs of copper on some as well as 3/4 inch solid wood. On my turntable plinth I used one inch thick solid maple on a 3/4 inch cherry shelf.

Oh and when I buy any tube gear I tend to stock up on tubes for both variety and longevity.

 

[Ableza]

Back in 1989 I was working for IBM and they sent me (with some others) to a meeting with a potential customer who wanted IBM to develop a system to track the whereabouts of people based on their travel itineraries recorded in the American Airlines systems. The potential IBM customer claimed he met the CEO of American Airlines and that the airline would let him have that information, which could be used for (among other things) to allow legal process servers to find people to give them notice that they are being sued, for which they would pay money to him. Also for bail bond businesses, or government agencies wanting to find people. The customer claimed to have $10 million in CD's at a bank (in 1989 dollars) to fund the project.

I sat next to the customer at a round table in the meeting, so I looked down at his shoes. They were not athletic shoes or causal shoes, just traditional leather-type shoes, but they were very cheap and very beat-up. He had a very cheap watch (and I don't mean a cheap digital watch). The customer had his secretary at the meeting to take notes, and she was pretty close to the ugliest woman I have ever seen (I hate to say those kinds of things about people). I told my management about his watch and his shoes, and that I was pretty sure he was a fraud. It turned out I was right and he had no money, and that he wanted IBM to develop the system for him without any payment to IBM upfront, and he would pay for the cost out of the revenue he would earn.

Aside from the guy's shoes and watch (and secretary), there is no way that American Airlines would have given him that data, since they would be out of business in no time if anyone found out about it.

Back in the 80's my video production company got a contract with IBM in San Jose to produce training videos for their "CIM" platforms.

 

[golfbravobravo]

Well done ... my three favorite modern jazz bassists are Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten and Stanley Clarke. In no particular order.
On acoustic - it's tough to beat Christian McBride at the moment.

The you need the s.m.v. album. Hard to find, but brings all three together.

 

[Mark200]

Yes, however, as I understand it, it’s the pre-amp stage that is the one providing more of the colorisation. There is definitely variation to be had (to my ears) by rolling the one tube to other brands and types in my Lyr3.

Are you are saying that a tube pre-amplifier adds more colorization than a tube power amplifier? I would tend to doubt that.

Obviously, in the Lyr+ the tube pre-amp stage would add more colorization than if the tube was pulled and operated in solid state mode for the pre-amp (the power amp stage is always solid state in the Lyr+). I would definitely think that the Lyr+ (with tube) would have less colorization than a full integrated 100% tube amp (tubes in both pre-amp and power-amp stages).

 

[Ableza]

Are you are saying that a tube pre-amplifier adds more colorization than a tube power amplifier? I would tend to doubt that.

As with many things in life and most things in audio, "it depends." Some do, some don't, there is no universal truth.

 

[theeclone]

Welp, I did it. Ordered a closeout black freya N. I'm sure now they'll immediately put some silver ones up for sale Looks like another trip to the schiitr is in my near future.

The paypal pay in 4 has been enticing me to buy Schiit lately. Don't really understand what's in it for them to offer 0% payments but I'll take it!

Wonder how many other ppl in the world will own an all lisst freya N

 

[RCBinTN]

The you need the s.m.v. album. Hard to find, but brings all three together.

I have that one - it kicks ass!