[grokit]

 
Quote:

Hmm thats odd that you say the WA5 is good at driving the HE-6.  I used to have that amp for a while and tried the HE-6 prototype on them and the matching was actually quite bad.  It didn't have anywhere near enough power for those headphones.  To me, the WA5 is actually a lot picker than I thought with headphones.  It sounded completely wrong with the sony R-10 and the Thunderpants.  As for LCD-2, it is a pretty good match, but way too lush sounding.

 
Quote:

The production version is supposed to have better efficiency than the prototype that was sent around in loner program, isn't it?

 
This is interesting, maybe the difference in efficiency between the prototypes and the production version was that the HE-6 was improved to make them as efficient as the K1000. I own an HE-6 and have tried the protos, but I haven't had a chance to listen to the WA5 personally. That's good to know about its pickiness, as I had generalized that it was quite versatile from reading about it in the Woo thread.
 
Likewise I have read a few posts from a couple of HE-6/WA5 owners that seem quite satisfied with that pairing, pretty sure they are Frank I and SillySally but not positive. I wonder how much of a difference different tubes would make with the LCD-2 for example. Have you listened to a K1000 out of the WA5's K1000 jack?

 

[sferic]

Day 2: Listening thru my Denon H5000's. The bass just f'ing slaps you in the face and knocks you down. I might like a little more air around the treble, but that could be about burn in or tube rolling or your brain getting used to it. I'm really liking this amp.
 
Back in the olden days, with vinyl and cassettes and reel to reel & such, we were always hungry for clean treble without hiss. Interesting that in the digital domain it's the warm powerful precise bass that seems to distinguish great equipment.

 

[musicman59]

Quote:

Hmm thats odd that you say the WA5 is good at driving the HE-6.  I used to have that amp for a while and tried the HE-6 prototype on them and the matching was actually quite bad.  It didn't have anywhere near enough power for those headphones.  To me, the WA5 is actually a lot picker than I thought with headphones.  It sounded completely wrong with the sony R-10 and the Thunderpants.  As for LCD-2, it is a pretty good match, but way too lush sounding.
 


 

That is because the HE-6 prototype were a lot more inefficient compared to the end production product. I have the HE-6 and the WA5-LE and they sound great out of the high impedance output. I listen to the a pair of HE-6 in a meet with my own WA5-LE and I placed the order that same night.
 
The sound of the WA5 depends on the tubes you are using. I have the EML 300B Mesh, EML 5U4G Mesh and several driver tubes but my favorites are Mullard ECC32, Sylvania Brown Base 6SN7WGT, Tungsol BG/RP 6SN7GT and RCA Red Base 5692. I Have listen to HE-6, HD800, T1, LCD-2, D7000, D2000 woodies,DX1000,Edition 9, Edition 8, Edition 10 and RS-1. All of those sound great with it.
 
 

 

[Rope]

Quote:

Day 2: Listening thru my Denon H5000's. The bass just f'ing slaps you in the face and knocks you down. I might like a little more air around the treble, but that could be about burn in or tube rolling or your brain getting used to it. I'm really liking this amp.
 
Back in the olden days, with vinyl and cassettes and reel to reel & such, we were always hungry for clean treble without hiss. Interesting that in the digital domain it's the warm powerful precise bass that seems to distinguish great equipment.

When I first received my AH-D5000's, the bottom end was bloated and sloppy, lower mid-range muddy.  I was looking for a buyer until I discovered the markl mod.  If you'd like to tighten up the bottom end, and clean up the lower mids, I highly recommend damping and stuffing the ear pads.  It truly worked wonders with mine.
 
Now, where's my Schiit?
 

 

[guruindrag]

Mike, 
After speaking with you at 32 Ohm about awaiting the arrival of your Lyr, I was hoping you'd share some impressions.  I'm glad to hear you're enjoying it!  I can't wait to listen to it when I can convince my dad to trade headphone rigs for a few weeks.  =)  
 
Quote:

Holy Schiit balls! 
 
I'm still rather new to the hobby, having only discovered the idea of "head-fi" after stumbling into a store near me called 32 Ohm.  It started around the beginning of January with a pair of Grado SR-80i's and a nice entry-level DAC/Tube Amp combo.  Here I am at the beginning of March with a pair of ALO cabled Audez'e LCD-2's, a MHDT Havana DAC, and the Lyr. 
 
The Havana was picked up yesterday in lieu of the arrival of the Lyr.  I know my ears are still gaining their "palate" as it were, it's likely some of the high school students reading this have better tuned ears (though I still have an extreme range of hearing for my age).  Despite my potential naivete, I would say that the Lyr is butter with the LCD-2s.  The synergy is undeniable, at least in my current system.  One thing that I can readily admit is that I am on the "Team Musicality" side of the clarity vs. musicality debate.  I'm pretty sure that is what this pairing is all about.  There is something magical happening in my apartment right now.  It is taking everything within me to avoid sexual allusions and metaphors to describe it. 
 
There are a few things that I know to go perfectly together.  Gin and tonic.  Blue cheese and honey.  Foie gras and sauternes.  Pizza and beer.  So far this headphone/amp combo is quickly being added to the list.  In my case, the Havana is a great addition to the group.  There's no doubt that I have coloration abound in my system (I'm trying diff tubes for their sonic effects), but it is a thing of beauty.
 
I nearly jumped out of my seat after a certain point in Pink Floyd's "High Hopes" on the Pulse CD.  I finally, truly get dynamic range and I think the Lyr is at fault.  I started anticipating the coming crescendo in the song, and the Lyr did an absolutely astounding job in that build.  An absolutely smooth ride up that hill of sound, it crushed what I anticipated.  And this is all with the stock tubes.  I have since switched to some NOS GE smoked glass tubes in hopes of matching the tube in the Havana, and I will try my Amperex pair soon. 
 
I am obviously in the very beginning of my love affair with this amp.  I know all the dangers and pitfalls while judging a thing.  I was easily swayed by the hype behind it.  I can't remember where I first saw it, but after seeing it here and gizmodo and some other places I was already nearly sold.  Once I picked up the LCD-2's I started researching amps for them and saw this Schiit again.  I finally pulled the trigger and regretted it for a month.
 
No longer.
 
I probably tried to be too poetic and pretty with my writing above.  If'n you got questions about specifics, ask 'em.

 

 

[tunarat]

 
Quote:

Mike, 
After speaking with you at 32 Ohm about awaiting the arrival of your Lyr, I was hoping you'd share some impressions.  I'm glad to hear you're enjoying it!  I can't wait to listen to it when I can convince my dad to trade headphone rigs for a few weeks.  =)  
 


 

Trade for the isabellina?!  You're on girl! The Lyr is not in the same class of course, but a worthy candidate in the sub 1K range. The somewhat muddled bottom end and lack of that SET style air on the top end were rapidly remedied by a quick (and pain in the ass .. duct tape to the rescue again) tube swap. Those JJ's are just Sch....!  This amp's a keeper!
 

 

[gh0st0]

Quote:

 
Trade for the isabellina?!  You're on girl! The Lyr is not in the same class of course, but a worthy candidate in the sub 1K range. The somewhat muddled bottom end and lack of that SET style air on the top end were rapidly remedied by a quick (and pain in the ass .. duct tape to the rescue again) tube swap. Those JJ's are just Sch....!  This amp's a keeper!
 

What tubes did you replace the JJs with?
 
 

 

[Sophonax]

Hey sferic, how's the noise level you're getting from the Lyr with your D5000?  I'm curious about how much noise the Lyr has with low-impedance, (reasonably) sensitive headphones like the D5000, considering how much gain the amp has.

 

[leesure]

Quote:

What tubes did you replace the JJs with?
 
 

+1...inquiring minds wanna know!
 
 

 

[mikerobe]

Quote:

Mike, 
After speaking with you at 32 Ohm about awaiting the arrival of your Lyr, I was hoping you'd share some impressions.  I'm glad to hear you're enjoying it!  I can't wait to listen to it when I can convince my dad to trade headphone rigs for a few weeks.  =)  
 


 

Your dad is lucky!  Though I haven't gotten to hear an Isabellina, I am sure you'll love the sound of the Lyr. 
 
I'll bring it in to the shop at some point so C can play with it at the store.  Maybe when I take you up on the offer to switch out my mini-plug for a 1/4".  I've taken up so much of his time over the past few months; moving stuff around, trying 15 pairs of iems, throwing my bike bag and helmet around.  Seriously, thanks for everything.  Ken really has a great crew working up there, y'all have made it a great experience each time I come in.  Just hope my major spending is done.
 
Of course, y'all got in those AlgoRythm Solos now.  Crap.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Hey all, 
 
Thanks for the initial impressions and kind words. I just thought I'd drop in here and see if I can answer any questions you might have . . . or to salve your wounded fingers as you try to pry the tubes out of the chassis. Apologies on that one, we actually use a rubber tube (similar to duct tape, I guess) to install and reinstall during production, and future runs will have some chamfered edges to make the job less of a pain. 
 
We'll be shipping the rest of the pre-orders today, and we hope to be shipping again 2-3 weeks.
 
All the best,
Jason

 

[Yuceka]

Jason 
 
If I want to pre-order now, do I make the payment right now or when the amp is ready to be shipped in, as you said, 2-3 weeks? 

 

[29029]

I wonder if I am in that 2-3 week bracket as well - I pre-ordered 25th Feb

 

[tunarat]

 
Quote:

What tubes did you replace the JJs with?
 
 

Valvo E188CC' s, German production,pretty rare. I think almost any good NOS valves would be an improvement though, the Lyr seems pretty sensitive to tube signature, (a good thing!). Right now the DAC is the weak link in the chain. Plan on moving the setup to the vinyl rig and cd this weekend to get a better listen, but really like what's going on so far. Whereas the Asgard has the "wow" factor. the Lyr has the "smile" factor with the ALO LCD2's. Suprising is the synergy with the recabled ESW9's tough, really open soundstage and spot on bass for this closed can. 
 
 

 

[tunarat]

 

Hey sferic, how's the noise level you're getting from the Lyr with your D5000?  I'm curious about how much noise the Lyr has with low-impedance, (reasonably) sensitive headphones like the D5000, considering how much gain the amp has.

I'm getting very minor noise with the esw9's, 42 ohms, and it really doesn't start to increase till about 2:00, well past listening levels.