[timsams]

Sooo, I plugged the jack out of the SP200/soundblasterX G6 to the RCA in the schiit Lyr and now I'm getting somewhere. At 2:00 to 3:00, I'm getting the volume I want. I need to find a PREAMP for the Lyr that can be stacked. Any Idea in the schiit lineup or else ?

 

[XGeneX88]

Sooo, I plugged the jack out of the SP200/soundblasterX G6 to the RCA in the schiit Lyr and now I'm getting somewhere. At 2:00 to 3:00, I'm getting the volume I want. I need to find a PREAMP for the Lyr that can be stacked. Any Idea in the schiit lineup or else ?

Schiit does sell several units that can be used as a preamp but I’ve personally never used any of them. Sorry, I don’t have any advice on that one =\

 

[dilbertprogrammer]

Sooo, I plugged the jack out of the SP200/soundblasterX G6 to the RCA in the schiit Lyr and now I'm getting somewhere. At 2:00 to 3:00, I'm getting the volume I want. I need to find a PREAMP for the Lyr that can be stacked. Any Idea in the schiit lineup or else ?

Schiit does sell several units that can be used as a preamp but I’ve personally never used any of them. Sorry, I don’t have any advice on that one =\

The Schiit Saga S looks like it would be a nice stacked compliment to the Lyr+.

What's in your current audio chain / setup?

 

[Currawong]

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.

Unfortunately his Soundblaster doesn't specify the output voltage of the line out. I suspect that is where the problem lies, or the Windows mixer volume isn't at 100%.

My first thought was that buying a dedicated DAC like the Bifrost would be a better idea, but then I realised that the set-up may be for gaming specifically.

 

[Dr. Cube]

The Schiit Saga S looks like it would be a nice stacked compliment to the Lyr+.

What's in your current audio chain / setup?

Unfortunately his Soundblaster doesn't specify the output voltage of the line out. I suspect that is where the problem lies, or the Windows mixer volume isn't at 100%.

My first thought was that buying a dedicated DAC like the Bifrost would be a better idea, but then I realised that the set-up may be for gaming specifically.

A Saga S won't increase the voltage. Gain is 0 dB in both modes. For less money and less space in the same footprint (which is, I must mention, not the only way to solve this), a Modius would deliver 2 V RMS. A Modi wouldn't stack, but would still hit 2 V. Before pursuing this I would want to confirm that the Soundblaster is delivering an inadequate voltage.

I recall Bifrost 2 being marginal for rhythm games because of the ~20 ms latency, but I don't know if there's latency data for the other DACs. Of course that may not even be a concern for other game genres. The last time I had a console rigged into my office system, it was going through an HDMI extractor into a Modi, but I don't remember if I ended up checking the latency.

 

[Reputator]

@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 like how you laid it out neatly in a table! FWIW maybe I listen at quieter levels but for my HEDDphone ONE and Arya V3 I only need about 1-2:00 or so.

My AKG K340 though needs closer to 3 for sure.

 

[timsams]

Unfortunately his Soundblaster doesn't specify the output voltage of the line out. I suspect that is where the problem lies, or the Windows mixer volume isn't at 100%.

My first thought was that buying a dedicated DAC like the Bifrost would be a better idea, but then I realised that the set-up may be for gaming specifically.

I'm using the Topping E50 as a dedicated DAC, everything is at 100% everywhere. Sometimes it was loud at max volume, sometimes not. I used the G6 and SP200 to increase the gain ahead of the Lyr+.

Unfortunatly, the LYR+ doesn't have balanced input (I guess because a lack of space). But I had to DIY something to get the LYR to the right power/gain for the Susvara. I could use the LYR at 3:00 with the susvara and it was a joy.

Does the pre-amp output of the LYR gives the same SS / tube experience compared to the from Jack ? I know my feliks euforia had less of a tube sound as a pre-amp than directly plugged in.

EDIT : Schiit products are very very expensive in EU, I think I will go E30/L30 as a bottom stack and use the L30 as a PREAMP (read it could). It would just be a 100 buck investement to use the most out of the Lyr

 

[jerhowe]

Some things to be careful of:
Is the headphone plug in all the way? If not, it can short the circuit and potentially fry something.
Is the tube in correctly? It's easier than one may think to force the tube in the wrong way.

I have a review unit in, and so far I like it best with an old chrome-top Sylvania, but they are expensive! I'm going to have to try some of my 6922 collection though. I like the solid state mode over the stock Tung Sol tube, though I haven't put many hours on it.

Both times my amp went bust, it was in the same position as the last listening session before when everything was working well. I guess it's just a fluke, my unit is returning tomorrow from repairs.

Very curious how you find the Lyr+ compared to the MJ3 you just reviewed. I enjoy the typical SS sound but with more back-to-front layering, which is why I love tube hybrids. MJ3 might be up my alley though.

 

[Currawong]

Both times my amp went bust, it was in the same position as the last listening session before when everything was working well. I guess it's just a fluke, my unit is returning tomorrow from repairs.

Very curious how you find the Lyr+ compared to the MJ3 you just reviewed. I enjoy the typical SS sound but with more back-to-front layering, which is why I love tube hybrids. MJ3 might be up my alley though.

One person I talked to who got their Lyr+ replaced said that it came back with new firmware as well. I think, being a sophisticated design, we're seeing early design issues that didn't come up in testing, which have now, likely been rectified.

The MJ3 is more refined -- much like going from a Bifrost 2 to the Yggdrasil. You get more nuances from the music. In a similar way to being able to choose to have a tube active or not, you can choose between types of amplification circuit, which are subtly different.

 

[jerhowe]

One person I talked to who got their Lyr+ replaced said that it came back with new firmware as well. I think, being a sophisticated design, we're seeing early design issues that didn't come up in testing, which have now, likely been rectified.

The MJ3 is more refined -- much like going from a Bifrost 2 to the Yggdrasil. You get more nuances from the music. In a similar way to being able to choose to have a tube active or not, you can choose between types of amplification circuit, which are subtly different.

Confirming that my repaired unit also got a firmware update, which it didn't get in Jan of this year. I guess the improvement happened sometime between then.

 

[timsams]

I remember you guy saying it was running warm, but is it running hot ? I can barely put my hand on it more than 3 seconds and it's running even hotter than the Aune S7 that is supposed to be between 60c and 70c.

I'm looking at some 40x10 fans to do like @Reputator

 

[Reputator]

I remember you guy saying it was running warm, but is it running hot ? I can barely put my hand on it more than 3 seconds and it's running even hotter than the Aune S7 that is supposed to be between 60c and 70c.

I'm looking at some 40x10 fans to do like @Reputator

Yeah do NOT let it get that hot. That's almost always a prelude to it breaking.

 

[timsams]

Yeah do NOT let it get that hot. That's almost always a prelude to it breaking.

Oh boy ! Breaking due to the heat not being dissipated or heat being the first sign of a breaking lyr ?

 

[keenerz]

check to see if your tube is in properly if you are using the tube. But I think it’s a prelude to breaking. I tried turning mine off and on when it was doing that and it just died anyways.

 

[Reputator]

Oh boy ! Breaking due to the heat not being dissipated or heat being the first sign of a breaking lyr ?

I can't be sure, it's more a correlation. But I know mine wants to get hot like that if I don't keep the fans running, so I know the fans work to prolong its life, and it's gonna be a year here soon since I got my repaired unit back.

Hope I didn't just jinx myself.