[Jason Stoddard]

I have the Arya Stealth model and find it gets plenty loud at 1-2 o'clock with a modern mastering of "rock" music, and rarely do I push any recording past 2 o'clock.

These specs from the HFM site caught my eye, though:

Arya
Impedance : 35 Ohms
Sensitivity : 90db

Arya Stealth Magnets
Impedance : 32 Ohms
Sensitivity : 94dB

Susvara
Impedance : 60 Ohms
Sensitivity : 83dB

My really old, inefficient HFM (esp. HE-5 LE) definitely struggle to get loud even at 3 o'clock. IIRC, that makes the Susvara even harder to drive, so I'm not surprised by @timsams results. And it's definitely something in the design of the Lyr+, as my new Hel+ on high gain can get the HE-5 LE painfully loud.

All that in tube mode, btw.

Lyr+ uses a relay volume ladder, which has an entirely different curve than a potentiometer. At noon, it's still -40dB. At 3:00, you still have almost 20dB left. To put that in perspective, most volume potentiometers are -10 to -20dB at noon.

Just keep turning it up. It doesn't make it work any harder. It doesn't hurt the amp. It just takes advantage of a proper, completely linear, always-matched volume ladder.

 

[timsams]

Lyr+ uses a relay volume ladder, which has an entirely different curve than a potentiometer. At noon, it's still -40dB. At 3:00, you still have almost 20dB left. To put that in perspective, most volume potentiometers are -10 to -20dB at noon.

Just keep turning it up. It doesn't make it work any harder. It doesn't hurt the amp. It just takes advantage of a proper, completely linear, always-matched volume ladder.

Hello Jason,

Do you think it's normal for my LYR+ to not being able to fully power the susvara compared to the SMSL SP200 which is supposed to be a lower powered device ? What am I doing wrong with the device ?

Best,

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Hello Jason,

Do you think it's normal for my LYR+ to not being able to fully power the susvara compared to the SMSL SP200 which is supposed to be a lower powered device ? What am I doing wrong with the device ?

Best,

Have you literally turned it all the way up in high gain? With a 2V RMS DAC source? Without any volume controls applied in the signal path?

It won't be surprising to be at 3-5:00 on the volume knob with Sus and a 2V source, but it'll be just fine.

 

[adydula]

Hello Jason,

Do you think it's normal for my LYR+ to not being able to fully power the susvara compared to the SMSL SP200 which is supposed to be a lower powered device ? What am I doing wrong with the device ?

Best,

This: Without any volume controls applied in the signal path

Make sure your volume setting in your Operating system or Sound Settings are not cranked down...

 

[timsams]

Have you literally turned it all the way up in high gain? With a 2V RMS DAC source? Without any volume controls applied in the signal path?

It won't be surprising to be at 3-5:00 on the volume knob with Sus and a 2V source, but it'll be just fine.

Topping E50 rca output (2V), no preamp (-0dB), and Lyr at max volume on remote and physically, high gain, SS mode (preamp desactivated). Normal volume on the susvara

Topping E50 balanced output (4V) to SMSL SP200 high gain and close to max volume. Almost deafening levels

That's how I'm having it.

I have a multimeter if you need me to test out stuff

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Topping E50 rca output (2V), no preamp (-0dB), and Lyr at max volume on remote and physically, high gain, SS mode (preamp desactivated). Normal volume on the susvara

Topping E50 balanced output (4V) to SMSL SP200 high gain and close to max volume. Almost deafening levels

That's how I'm having it.

I have a multimeter if you need me to test out stuff

Balanced output from the DAC will get you 6dB more gain. And 6dB more if you're going balanced out to the headphone.

Beyond that, we'd have to have a look. But it sounds like there's just a lot more gain available in one instance. People drive Sus with Midgard and Mjolnir 3 (heck, that's a 2W amp), so it's not a power thing.

 

[timsams]

Balanced output from the DAC will get you 6dB more gain. And 6dB more if you're going balanced out to the headphone.

Beyond that, we'd have to have a look. But it sounds like there's just a lot more gain available in one instance. People drive Sus with Midgard and Mjolnir 3 (heck, that's a 2W amp), so it's not a power thing.

So I switched the balanced output to rca the Lyr and the normal RCA output to the SP200, so they both get 2V (SP200 got quieter by 6dB as you said). Since I don't use balance cables, we should be on the same level from the DAC to the amps but LYR+ is a bit behind even though it's more powerfull on the specs.

You never had an instance where the AMP just lose power but doesn't break ? Sus is powered fine on the LYR but behind a lower tier amp and that tickles me a bit.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

You never had an instance where the AMP just lose power but doesn't break ?

Nope.

Probably just more gain in one case. Gain =/= power. A tube might change that around. More gain there.

Also worth checking you're really in high gain. There's an LED for SS mode and LED for high gain.

 

[timsams]

Nope.

Probably just more gain in one case. Gain =/= power. A tube might change that around. More gain there.

Also worth checking you're really in high gain. There's an LED for SS mode and LED for high gain.

Yup, both leds are ON. I can't see where there a gain would be to limit the LYR+ that much. I'll should maybe reach out to your support instead of spoiling the thread.

Thanks a lot for the replies. Love the amp, just looking for the last bit of power to call it endgame for me ^^

 

[Reputator]

Lyr+ has modest gain in the upper end of the volume pot compared to some other amps. I definitely get more legroom on my lesser-powered Corda Classic, but the cases where that needs to be pushed to the edge are so rare it's hardly ever an issue for me.

I even tried a crazy >4k ohm vintage headphone on the Lyr+, and it needed to be just about max for decent volume, but it got there.

 

[XGeneX88]

I have the Arya Stealth model and find it gets plenty loud at 1-2 o'clock with a modern mastering of "rock" music, and rarely do I push any recording past 2 o'clock.

These specs from the HFM site caught my eye, though:

Arya
Impedance : 35 Ohms
Sensitivity : 90db

Arya Stealth Magnets
Impedance : 32 Ohms
Sensitivity : 94dB

Susvara
Impedance : 60 Ohms
Sensitivity : 83dB

My really old, inefficient HFM (esp. HE-5 LE) definitely struggle to get loud even at 3 o'clock. IIRC, that makes the Susvara even harder to drive, so I'm not surprised by @timsams results. And it's definitely something in the design of the Lyr+, as my new Hel+ on high gain can get the HE-5 LE painfully loud.

All that in tube mode, btw.

Yes but he is saying that he has his Lyr+ sitting at 100% volume (dial turned all the way up to max) and not getting adequate volume on his Susvara. This to me doesn't sound right at all. Should be loud enough to destroy his driver, hearing, or both.

 

[timsams]

Yes but he is saying that he has his Lyr+ sitting at 100% volume (dial turned all the way up to max) and not getting adequate volume on his Susvara. This to me doesn't sound right at all. Should be loud enough to destroy his driver, hearing, or both.

You make it sound like I should be dead after hitting the max It's adequate, but that's it. Not loud and far from deafening levels

 

[XGeneX88]

You make it sound like I should be dead after hitting the max It's adequate, but that's it. Not loud and far from deafening levels

Right… you SHOULD be dead lol. I remember on my less powerful amps, I was able to get Susvara to very loud volumes.. painful even.. and Lyr+ pushes waaay more power. On 100% volume, the Lyr should be producing unbearable volume levels. If it’s not then idk. Anyone else here with a Susvara able to confirm?

 

[dilbertprogrammer]

@timsams -- FYI / FWIW...

Granted, none of my headphones are Susvara-level (60 ohm, 83 db) hard-to-drive, but I find that the 2:45-3:00 range on the Lyr+ volume pot (with high gain) allows me to reach a plenty-loud, enjoyable listening level on my harder-to-drive (some higher impedance, some lower sensitivity, some both) headphones. This is with my source set to max volume.

Headphone	Impedance	Sensitivity	Volume Pot setting (on high gain, in tube mode)
Audeze LCD-4	200 ohm​	97 db	3:00
HEDDphone (OG)	42 ohm	87 db	2:45
Hifiman Arya V2	32 ohm	94 db	2:45
SYJ Moonlight	23 ohm	87 db	3:00
Hifiman Edition XS	18 ohm	92 db	2:45
AKG K240 Sextett	600 ohm	88 db	2:45

 

[XGeneX88]

@timsams -- FYI / FWIW...

Granted, none of my headphones are Susvara-level (60 ohm, 83 db) hard-to-drive, but I find that the 2:45-3:00 range on the Lyr+ volume pot (with high gain) allows me to reach a plenty-loud, enjoyable listening level on my harder-to-drive (some higher impedance, some lower sensitivity, some both) headphones. This is with my source set to max volume.

Headphone	Impedance	Sensitivity	Volume Pot setting (on high gain, in tube mode)
Audeze LCD-4	200 ohm​	97 db	3:00
HEDDphone (OG)	42 ohm	87 db	2:45
Hifiman Arya V2	32 ohm	94 db	2:45
SYJ Moonlight	23 ohm	87 db	3:00
Hifiman Edition XS	18 ohm	92 db	2:45
AKG K240 Sextett	600 ohm	88 db	2:45

I concur and have very similar results with my own Arya and other harder to drive cans such as the Diana v2 and others.