[m17xr2b]

I've never seen a 6SN7 design that can use 6SL7, you're asking for trouble and voiding your warranty. While it will work the long term consequences are unknown.

 

[earnmyturns]

you mean lyr3 vs your Apex? I agreed with your post when you said the Lyr3 can sound outstanding with the right tube (like the PSVanes, etc) but I would have thought the Apex would wipe the floor with the Lyr. What are the differences specifically? Resolution? Control? Can you list off a few differences?

No, the Apex does not "wipe the floor with the Lyr." It has better resolution, better instrument separation, and the midrange (especially for piano) is more controlled and refined, but it is not a huge difference. In addition, the Lyr has more power. I mostly listen at moderate levels, but in some cases that extra power seems to improve bass impact. So, I actually enjoy switching between the two from time to time. Last but not the least, the Apex is more than 7 years old (I'm the 3rd owner) and I have to "save" it as it's not clear that I can get it repaired if something starts failing (like drying electrolytic caps).

 

[buonassi]

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/6sn7-tube-pairs.900602/

Prices are meh, but not too bad. Try to resist ripper.....

 

[bcowen]

.

 

[Deaj]

Nice to hear the seller is being good about stuff. Wish they were all like that.

"Between the five Foton's, the two 7N7 'frankentubes', four 50's RCA 7N7's, two 50's RCA 6SN7GT's, a Sylvania tall bottle 'chrome dome 6SN7GTA, three 60's RCA 6SN7GTB's, and two re-issue Tung-Sol 6SN7GT's..."

Great start! Only a couple hundred more to go now...

Must.... resist....

 

[ilikepooters]

No, the Apex does not "wipe the floor with the Lyr." It has better resolution, better instrument separation, and the midrange (especially for piano) is more controlled and refined, but it is not a huge difference. In addition, the Lyr has more power. I mostly listen at moderate levels, but in some cases that extra power seems to improve bass impact. So, I actually enjoy switching between the two from time to time. Last but not the least, the Apex is more than 7 years old (I'm the 3rd owner) and I have to "save" it as it's not clear that I can get it repaired if something starts failing (like drying electrolytic caps).

Being in USA there's probably a lot of people you could send it off to if it needs a re-cap

 

[Zachik]

Prices are meh, but not too bad. Try to resist ripper.....

That is as futile as telling a dog to stop licking its butt...

 

[bcowen]

.

 

[Ripper2860]

Here I was minding my own business ...

 

[Zachik]

Here I was minding my own business ...

No such thing on these threads!!

 

[buonassi]

So after getting a bit familiar with tubes (thanks Lyr3), I've circled back to solid state and a little thing called CanOpener Studio by Goodhertz. It's a plugin that works in AU and VST form, so you need a plugin host like JRiver or Audirvana+. It uses psycho acoustic delay modeling to increase the soundstage and push instruments out further. It's quite convincing and does this with no loss of quality like some other plugins that prioritize frontal localization (at the expense of resolution and retaining the original FR presentation.)

In terms of separation of instruments and placement precision (width, height, and depth) it seems to do this better than tubes - kinda similar, but more focused at a palpable distance. I can almost always 'grab' an instrument that's precisely placed within the arch above and to the sides of me. But, it is not a replacement for the warmth and tone you'd get from tubes. Still, I guess I say this as a PSA, cause it's really fun and very much hifi with 64bit processing. Of course, the best is when you use it with a nice tube amp - it's never "too much of a good thing".

Anyone else try this software and want to share settings?

 

[Rowethren]

Anyone in the UK have access to a tube tester as one of my Bad Boys has stopped working, it doesn't heat up and produces no sound at all but the Lyr 3 is still working fine with the stock tube... A real pain as it isn't even that old. Probably less than 50 hours run time

 

[FLTWS]

If 1/2 of the tube doesn't light I'm not sure what a tube tester will tell you? One triode is dead would be my guess.

 

[Rowethren]

None of the tube heats up, no sound from either channel unfortunately... What a pain considering how expensive these are

 

[FLTWS]

Yes they are expensive. The fact that your LYR works with the stock tiube tells the tale. There are some very knowledgeable tube-o-philes here who suggest re-soldering the pins a bit to flow and re-connect any broken leads but I don't think that's the case here if both halves are dead.