Schiit Lyr 3 Tube rolling thread.....

[FLTWS]

Installments of $144 makes it doable... hmmmm.....

I agree, just do it!

 

[bcowen]

.

 

[Scrith]

A quick update from my tube-rolling adventures...
- I finally received a tube from Russia, a Melz 6N8S with a metal base, holed anodes, and dual triodes. This tube is surprisingly good! I'd put it in the same league as 3- and 2-hole Bad Boys, and possibly the TungSol round plates tube (which it is quite similar to). I still prefer the English tubes (especially the Mullard ECC32), but this thing is quite good.

 

[Scrith]

I'm comparing my other Russian 6N8S, a Foton with a black base from 1952, and I'm noticing the Foton has a dropoff in volume in the left channel at around 10 o'clock on the volume knob when on High Gain. I switched the Lyr3 to Low Gain (which requires the volume to be around 12 o'clock) and the problem was less obvious, but still there. So I'm curious if there is something different about these tubes that would cause that to happen?
it sounds quite nice, by the way, just a slight notch below the Melz w/ metal base.

 

[kiwivda]

But when you roll the tubes, do you wait for them to cool down before swapping or do you use one once at a time for a while and then swap?

 

[Scrith]

But when you roll the tubes, do you wait for them to cool down before swapping or do you use one once at a time for a while and then swap?

Yes, when I decide to switch tubes I turn the Lyr 3 off, unplug it, then wait for the tube to cool (I use the back of my pinky, which is sensitive to heat, to check it...yes I wipe the glass off with a cloth after removing it, and I use a cloth while inserting it).

I've really only had one unusual event while playing with the Lyr 3: one of the Telefunken ECC82 tubes (which requires an adapter I've used with other tubes) suddenly stopped working about one minute after I started listening to it. I immediately removed it and haven't used it since. This happened about 2 weeks ago, and I've used the Lyr 3 without any problems since then (I haven't tried using that tube again, though).

 

[bcowen]

.

 

[Scrith]

Ugh, I think that Foton tube did something, hopefully just oxidation, because now I'm hearing this problem with several tubes. Some more details...at around 10 o'clock on the volume knob (for both low gain and high gain) the right channel suddenly becomes 10db or so higher in volume than the left channel...if I keep going on the volume knob the problem is slowly reduced (and gone at around 12 o'clock). I tried flipping the channels in software and the problem didn't go away (nor did swapping the left/right cables on my AFCs), so it seems like the problem is with the amp.

So, if it is oxidation that somehow ended up getting stuck (or falling down into) the Lyr 3's socket, how should I clean it?

 

[bcowen]

.

 

[ilikepooters]

But when you roll the tubes, do you wait for them to cool down before swapping or do you use one once at a time for a while and then swap?

I power off and wait for the filament glow to vanish and then get my asbestos fingers in there and pull the tube out.

 

[Rowethren]

I power off and wait for the filament glow to vanish and then get my asbestos fingers in there and pull the tube out.

I work in the asbestos industry so all I can say is I hope your fingers are properly encapsulated and you wear a P3 filtered respirator when using your fingers...

 

[bcowen]

.

 

[Rowethren]

This is the minimum level of personal protective equipment (PPE) required for changing a tube in the Lyr 3. I just assumed everybody knew this?

Haha, a bit extreme you only need one of these:

 

[Scrith]

Update on troublesome Lyr 3 and some tube observations:
The volume problem I'm having with the Lyr 3 has resulted in a warranty claim (at Schiit's request). I'm not sure whether or not that means no Lyr 3 for awhile or not (maybe they'l just send a replacement? We'll see). However, on Low Gain I usally run with the volume a bit higher, so the problem isn't affecting me much at the moment (I definitely need it to be fixed, though).

By the way, does anyone have any strong preference for one Gain setting over another in the Lyr 3? I've always run with High Gain, but Low Gain is sounding quite nice to me today...a bit more comfortable sounding, if that makes sense.

OK, one more new tube arrived: A Marconi B65 (with faded text on it that says Made in Holland). Very nice, almost sweet compared to the British tubes I've been enjoying lately. I think I prefer the warmth of the Mullard tubes a bit more, but this is one very nice sounding tube. Clean, detailed, bass is great...just a fantastic tube.

I also went back to listen to a few of my favorites after quite a bit of time with foreign tubes this week:
- TungSol black glass & round plates: just a great tube, incredibly detailed.
- Sylvania Bad Boy w/ 3 holes: not as good as I remember. Kind of dull, I guess, compared to the exciting tubes I've been listerning to lately. Mine is from Brent Jessee so I assume it is a good one. Maybe that tube just had a bad day.
- Sylvania 6SN7WGT w/ metal base: very nice, just a bit below the TungSol with round plates (not quite as much energy, and the bass seems just a bit fuzzy)
- TungSol "mouse ears" tube: very nice tube, just a bit less exciting than some of my other tubes (also from Brent Jessee).
- new TungSol 6SN7GTB (the one that came with the Lyr 3): boring!

And a high-level observation: these tubes aren't that all that dramatically different. I definitely have moved towards carefully listening to sections in specific familiar tracks to tell them apart, rathern than just general music listening. I had started out rating them on a scale of 1 to 10, but all of them ended up with a score of at least 7. So I'm going to revise my scoring system a bit.

 

[Wes S]

Update on troublesome Lyr 3 and some tube observations:
The volume problem I'm having with the Lyr 3 has resulted in a warranty claim (at Schiit's request). I'm not sure whether or not that means no Lyr 3 for awhile or not (maybe they'l just send a replacement? We'll see). However, on Low Gain I usally run with the volume a bit higher, so the problem isn't affecting me much at the moment (I definitely need it to be fixed, though).

By the way, does anyone have any strong preference for one Gain setting over another in the Lyr 3? I've always run with High Gain, but Low Gain is sounding quite nice to me today...a bit more comfortable sounding, if that makes sense.

OK, one more new tube arrived: A Marconi B65 (with faded text on it that says Made in Holland). Very nice, almost sweet compared to the British tubes I've been enjoying lately. I think I prefer the warmth of the Mullard tubes a bit more, but this is one very nice sounding tube. Clean, detailed, bass is great...just a fantastic tube.

I also went back to listen to a few of my favorites after quite a bit of time with foreign tubes this week:
- TungSol black glass & round plates: just a great tube, incredibly detailed.
- Sylvania Bad Boy w/ 3 holes: not as good as I remember. Kind of dull, I guess, compared to the exciting tubes I've been listerning to lately. Mine is from Brent Jessee so I assume it is a good one. Maybe that tube just had a bad day.
- Sylvania 6SN7WGT w/ metal base: very nice, just a bit below the TungSol with round plates (not quite as much energy, and the bass seems just a bit fuzzy)
- TungSol "mouse ears" tube: very nice tube, just a bit less exciting than some of my other tubes (also from Brent Jessee).
- new TungSol 6SN7GTB (the one that came with the Lyr 3): boring!

And a high-level observation: these tubes aren't that all that dramatically different. I definitely have moved towards carefully listening to sections in specific familiar tracks to tell them apart, rathern than just general music listening. I had started out rating them on a scale of 1 to 10, but all of them ended up with a score of at least 7. So I'm going to revise my scoring system a bit.

First time I have read about the 3 hole bottom getter Sylvania sounding dull. Interesting as always, how we hear things differently. I tried a Tung Sol round plate and it was a bit to cold in the mids for me. Does your Tung Sol round plate have copper grid post or steel? Mine had steel grid post.