[ProfFalkin]

@ProfFalkin sorry about the car. That's never fun

Question = what volume are you typically listening to? I'm around low gain with the marker on the volume wheel right at noon.

Interestingly when I go back and forth from the jds, also set at low gain around noon (50% mark) the jds sounds louder. This is not very scientific I admit, but given that the lyr 3 puts out 6 watts and the jds puts out 1.1 watts at 32 pounds, that just seems wrong. The lyr should be noticeably louder

I have the built in multibit. Someone noted that the multibit card has lower voltage output to the amp section vs an external dac. Is that true? Seems that would have the effect of reducing the amps power by feeding it lower voltage??

I'm on high gain at 9 o'clock.

Yes, I think the internal multi-bit card uses 1.5 volt to the amplifier. The volume is the same on the multi bit card as it was on a base Modi 2 I borrowed, which is also 1.5v out. The Modi 2 MB (which is what I use) is 2V, and is louder at the same volume knob setting.

 

[bcowen]

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[Freeflap]

Is that question directed specifically at the Perfesser or to the thread in general? Don't want to barge in....

And what's with the silver twist cable for the Aeon's? Better than the Dummer cable? I remember you were very pleased with the cable upgrade on the M1060's....same thing goin' on with the Aeon's cable?

open question. wanted to see what everyone's experience is like.

when i bought the ether flow ( i don't have aeon's. sorry if i might have suggested that in earlier posts) , i didn't love them. i was a bit disappointed. the treble seemed closed and recessed. they sounded more like a pair of closed headphones vs open headphones. when i upgraded the m1060 cables, i was pleased with the openness and improved treble. I thought this silver twist cable would do the same. the silver is a nice upgrade. more open soundstage and brighter mids and trebles. definitely better than the stock dummer cables. don't know about the upgrade dum cables. haven't tried those.

I also removed the inner white filter. that helped a lot too. Guess i like that open sound more. now, am loving these ether flows. On the headphone forum, the owner of mr speaker, dan clark was posting info about some pad upgrades / options to open up the sound more. most reviewers seem to think the ether flow is already quite bright, but i never had that impression.
my m1060 are in contrast very bright, probably too much so with weak bass response. the lcd 2 are great too. there is a bit of midrange bloom warmth that is a little unnatural. otherwise it's a great pair of heaphones.

My only regret with the twisted silver: the shielding is somewhat hard plastic and has microphonics when the cable rubs on the table or chair. also, the end connector is somewhat positional. not sure what i did to it. i might take it apart and resolder the ends for a more secure electrical connection. found them on the 'bay.

 

[buonassi]

This is not very scientific I admit, but given that the lyr 3 puts out 6 watts and the jds puts out 1.1 watts at 32 pounds, that just seems wrong. The lyr should be noticeably louder

9 watts is no joke and it's there. did you notice the significant dB increase high gain has over low? It's pretty substantial and isn't usually that high of a difference with other amps I've used. This amp has juevos amigo.

remember, that for each 10 db increase in volume, 10 times the power is required and the sound is "perceived" as twice as loud. so the Lyr 3 is capable of roughly 10db louder than your JDS or "twice as loud".

This is getting fun - curious what cans you're using? Let's play the 'what if' game.

 

[bcowen]

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[Freeflap]

interesting. I was contemplating trying to fix the cable myself. how did you build your cable? where did you get the mr speakers connectors? they seem hard to find. I am contemplating building some cables myself. Always enjoy a DIY project. Plus the cost savings are huge.

don't like the aeons or ethers?

Yes, i know my assessment is far from scientific. it's just that i had assumed the lyr3 would overpower the jds anywhere near similar volume dial settings and it doesn't. perhaps the jds internal dac puts out higher voltage than the built in multibit in the lyr3, hence the apparent volume disparity. made me start to question whether or not my lyr is working correctly. i have no way to test output voltage. any suggestions?

 

[Freeflap]

This is getting fun - curious what cans you're using? Let's play the 'what if' game.

ether flow, audeze lcd2 and m1060 monoprice. probably will sell the monoprice. don't use them much anymore. looking at some closed cans perhaps for my son in college.

 

[Freeflap]

tube du jour. Tonight I will be listening to this .A 2 hole Sylvania 6sn7gt bad boy. Just getting warmed up but already this is an incredible tube. Extremely dynamic. Powerful bass. It just oozes power!
I don't recall the 3 hole or the brimar creating this kind of power. Will have to do more back and forth.

 

[bcowen]

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[buonassi]

ether flow, audeze lcd2 and m1060 monoprice. probably will sell the monoprice. don't use them much anymore. looking at some closed cans perhaps for my son in college.

Let's use the ether flows. They require just over 1 mW of power to reach 90 db at the ear. 1.08 mW according to Tyll's measurement rig. At 1080 mW, or just over 1 watt, you're at 120 db at the ear. 1 solid minute of listening at this loudness will result in some form of permanent hearing damage. How severely depends on many factors, but you get the point.

The lyr will drive the ether flows to almost 130 decibels. Suffice it to say, you really don't want your kids playing with knobs in this case.

Really, the takeaway from this post is that there is less than 10 db loudness gap (all other factors held constant) between your two amps. 9 watts seems like a lot, until you realize that 10x the power is required for a 10 db gain. Then 9 watts doesn't seem like so much, until you experience 130 dbs for half a second 'accidentally' (usually a child is involved). Then you'd be wishing your amp only topped out at ear bleeding levels, instead of they lyr's brain melting levels.

gotta love the logarithmic nature of power, huh?

 

[Freeflap]

@buonassi so true. forgot about the db / log issue. Just was looking at 9 watt vs 1 watt. jds makes a big deal about never needing more power than 1 watt for headphones.

i remember with loudspeakers, the rule of 3 db = double power. guess same applies here. NAD used to make a big deal about headroom with their amps. Even if the amp was nominally rated at 40 watts, it could hit peaks of 160 watts to handle the transient loud spike in the music even if the average listening level was only using 5-10 watts of juice.

 

[earnmyturns]

Let's use the ether flows. They require just over 1 mW of power to reach 90 db at the ear. 1.08 mW according to Tyll's measurement rig. At 1080 mW, or just over 1 watt, you're at 120 db at the ear. 1 solid minute of listening at this loudness will result in some form of permanent hearing damage. How severely depends on many factors, but you get the point.

The lyr will drive the ether flows to almost 130 decibels. Suffice it to say, you really don't want your kids playing with knobs in this case.

Really, the takeaway from this post is that there is less than 10 db loudness gap (all other factors held constant) between your two amps. 9 watts seems like a lot, until you realize that 10x the power is required for a 10 db gain. Then 9 watts doesn't seem like so much, until you experience 130 dbs for half a second 'accidentally' (usually a child is involved). Then you'd be wishing your amp only topped out at ear bleeding levels, instead of they lyr's brain melting levels.

gotta love the logarithmic nature of power, huh?

No kidding. I have my Lyr 3 in high gain, Ether C Flows. 10am on the volume is as much as I'm comfortable with.

 

[chef8489]

No kidding. I have my Lyr 3 in high gain, Ether C Flows. 10am on the volume is as much as I'm comfortable with.

That's about all I can get in my lcd2c as well.

 

[Freeflap]

after several hours of listening, the 2 hole sylvania bad boy is a keeper. dynamic, powerful musical. Going back and forth from the jds, it just more musical and involving.

here's a suggestion: i found a local vintage tv / radio / museum. they collect and sell vacuum tubes. If you have one near you , i suggest you call them to see if they have any 6sn7 for sale. the 2 hole i received is from them. I have a couple 7n7 franken also. they are USED not NOS. i will likely keep one and sell off the others. I also have 4 sylvania 6sn7gtb. they are not badboys, but frankly, also sound pretty darn good. Will do some more listening to them tonight. I am surprised at how good they sound, being that they are not true badboy sylvanias. i have one westinghouse with a top halo getter. haven't listened to that one yet.

 

[Ripper2860]

Gotta say - I've never met a Sylvania tube that I hated. Liked them all to varying degrees.

6SN7GT 2 hole and 3 hole are strong and a flip of the coin as to which is better in my rig.

6SN7GTA chrome domes are wonderful

6SN7W is to die for

VT-231 is nicely balanced

6SN7WGTA well balanced with nice mids and soundstage