[NightFlight]

Quote:

Answer 1: Yes.
 
Answer 2: These are very popular (especially the Rx versions): http://herbiesaudiolab.net/tube.htm
 
Click on the pictures to see the "premium" ones...click on the link below FAQ's link that says, "More tube dampers" for some additional (and less expensive) options.  Whichever version you choose, buy the dampers for the 9-pin tubes.  Hope this helps!
 
Cheers!

-HK sends

Oh sorry, I didn't see this link already.
 
I posted the UltraSonic RX link without explanation yesterday, in reference to Iamnothim's avatar. I think that if you have your tubes hiked up in the Lyr with socket savers, they look a bit ungainly. So while I believe dampeners help, not everyone necessarily think so. I'm just saying that if you are in the camp of the latter, they would at the very least look nice.  Hell, some people can't even tell the difference in sound between tubes.
 
I for one have finally discovered my first break in with the 6N23Ps. They did in fact take nearly 100hrs to show their true colours. Not fully there yet and I'm hoping for further opening up. When they did start to break in the difference to me was a very sudden change. It's like the music showed up and the $ expense on the rig worth every penny. I haven't heard 'Music' for years, and I had begun to forget what it was like.  

 

[HK_sends]

Quote:

Oh sorry, I didn't see this link already.
 
I posted the UltraSonic RX link without explanation yesterday, in reference to Iamnothim's avatar. I think that if you have your tubes hiked up in the Lyr with socket savers, they look a bit ungainly. So while I believe dampeners help, not everyone necessarily think so. I'm just saying that if you are in the camp of the latter, they would at the very least look nice.  Hell, some people can't even tell the difference in sound between tubes.
 
I for one have finally discovered my first break in with the 6N23Ps. They did in fact take nearly 100hrs to show their true colours. Not fully there yet and I'm hoping for further opening up. When they did start to break in the difference to me was a very sudden change. It's like the music showed up and the $ expense on the rig worth every penny. I haven't heard 'Music' for years, and I had begun to forget what it was like.  

I'm glad the tubes are opening up for you!  You are right about looking ungainly and the dampers do help to address the look, plus you get the benefit of the damping.

 
Cheers!

-HK sends

 

[Sniperbombers]

Quote:

Answer 1: Yes.
 
Answer 2: These are very popular (especially the Rx versions): http://herbiesaudiolab.net/tube.htm
 
Click on the pictures to see the "premium" ones...click on the link below FAQ's link that says, "More tube dampers" for some additional (and less expensive) options.  Whichever version you choose, buy the dampers for the 9-pin tubes.  Hope this helps!
 
Cheers!

-HK sends

Ahhh! k i will definitely put this on the side as a near future purchase

 

[toschek]

I bought these brass rings from audiotubes.com, and I think they are pretty good too if you wanted to see some other options.
 
http://www.audiotubes.com/damper.htm
 
I didn't believe in it at first but they seem to sharpen everything up just a little bit.  I can definitely tell a difference when I take them off.

 

[TooPoor]

 This thread has already cost me a significant amount of money (sans the initial Lyr purchase) so I come here for opinions on how well the HD800's work with a Lyr/Bifrost combo. I've always had headphones that emphasized some coloration, but I'm hearing awesome things about the newest HD800 batches (s/n 20###+), not being so cold/harsh, etc. And tubes can do wonders, as we all know. But is the Lyr powerful enough? No way I'm going to go out and buy a $2k amp (at the moment at least

). Just looking for some honest, educated opinions!

 

[NightFlight]

Quote:

 This thread has already cost me a significant amount of money (sans the initial Lyr purchase) so I come here for opinions on how well the HD800's work with a Lyr/Bifrost combo. I've always had headphones that emphasized some coloration, but I'm hearing awesome things about the newest HD800 batches (s/n 20###+), not being so cold/harsh, etc. And tubes can do wonders, as we all know. But is the Lyr powerful enough? No way I'm going to go out and buy a $2k amp (at the moment at least

). Just looking for some honest, educated opinions!

Well my jump into the world of headphones has just recently started. I read and read to try and determine what I would want. I got a deal on the HD800s. I got them at a price that was close enough to the HD650's that I thought the extra expense would be worth it. I spent more on the Bifrost/Lyr combo than I did on the 800s, but I had to start somewhere. Wishing now that I had bought them used, as it would have negated break-in,but I wasn't patient enough. Oh well.
 
As for the synergy.. its okay. I can't speak of any comparison however. The HD800 Appreciation thread is a better place for that. From what I've bee told the Lyr is basically a starting point. I can only guess that it will allow you get a sense of what the HD800 is capable of. I see it as a starting point. I might mod the Lyr and see what happens or in a year or so go in the DIY direction.  The Lyr is a budget amp. Does it sound like one? No. Does it sound like a crazy expensive amp? No.  It will offer some fun. It retains its value, you can always sell it here on Head-Fi with relative ease. In fact... you could wait for one to come up and grab it for a bit cheaper. The warranty follows the hardware.
 
I really dig the idea of tweaking out the sound with different tubes though. I'm determined to try them all.  There seems to be two camps. Amperex and Mullard. Depends on what you like. But the way I see it, that's the beauty of it. I'm just hoping my tastes don't turn out to be a ridiculously expensive and rare type.

 

[TooPoor]

 It'd be a compulsive (not impulsive) purchase. I truly love my LCD2.2's out of the Lyr with my Orange Globes. I just want to experience the spaciousness the HD800 offers, whereas the LCD's are a a bit more narrow/forward. I'm just quite worried about the sibilance and harshness I hear about all the time. Input appreciated!

 

[toschek]

I was in a listening situation on Friday where I was let down by the HD700s, and since I have a month left to return the HD700s I was glad I caught this before I got stuck.  Long story short, I will have HD800s by the end of the week (dunno why I am giving Sennheiser another chance, glutton for punishment and a long time admiration for their mics in recording applications I guess) and I'll have an opinion I'm sure on how it matches to the Lyr.
 
The Lyr has plenty of power and I'm sure it'll make a good mate for HD800s.  Since the HD800 is so neutral your choice of tube will be highly impactful.   
 
I'm actually looking forward to that, for a while now I felt like all of the headphones I have had till now - grado 225i, HD650, K702, K702.65, HD700 have all been a little shy of neutral so I can never quite get the true flavor of a particular tube.   It will definitely be interesting.   Since I've been almost entirely listening to large ensemble pieces lately I am looking forward to the soundstage.
 
There seems to be a fair number of users in this thread who have Bifrost/Lyr/HD800 and I haven't seen much dissatisfaction.
 
The only thing is I have heard that the HD800s do way better in balanced mode, especially on soundstage it makes a tremendous difference.  It also just sounds much fuller and richer.   I have heard a comparison of HD800 in single-ended vs balanced to be like SDTV vs. HDTV, so that is something to consider.   I look forward to Schiit's "statement" amp later this year (hoping very much that all these tubes I bought for the Lyr can be used there, I will seriously be sad if I can't use them) as I think it will probably be the perfect mate for every set of headphone and efficient speaker you can find.  The pricing sounds good too if they are really talking about keeping it under $2K.
 
Anyway I think the HD800/Lyr will be good for a while, I would just keep a balanced amp/source on your horizon.   That is what I am going to do.

 

[TooPoor]

 And that is exactly why I came here instead of the Appreciation Thread! Their neutrality should allow for noticeable differences with tubes. Plus, the Lyr IS powerful. I just keep reading about people buying massively expensive amps for the HD800's and I can't imagine the Lyr not being able to power them well... I'm pretty new at this, so my assumptions are just that; assumptions. Let me know what you think!

 

[NightFlight]

Quote:

 And that is exactly why I came here instead of the Appreciation Thread! Their neutrality should allow for noticeable differences with tubes. Plus, the Lyr IS powerful. I just keep reading about people buying massively expensive amps for the HD800's and I can't imagine the Lyr not being able to power them well... I'm pretty new at this, so my assumptions are just that; assumptions. Let me know what you think!

 
I think its more about headroom and finesse... detail. The H800s crave it. I think the Lyr is an excellent amp, just perhaps not endgame. But increments in fidelity get smaller while the increments in $ get bigger. Logarithmic in fact.

 

[NightFlight]

Quote:

Okay, so like my sig says I just got my 6N23Ps. They sounded pretty good right out of the box. But I took 'em out today to roll in the Simmens E88CC (A6/non-cca/BWB)  I won on the weekend. I let them cook for 4hours before I gave a listen.
 
Well... YUCK! 
 
They couldn't hold anything together worth a damn.

   5 minutes later... and back in the box they went.
 
To be fair the 6N23's have 51hrs of run time about now. They are very enjoyable and I think just getting their stride. Well see how much better they can get.  Methinks the Simmens will have to break in without any listener. The 6N23s were fine to listen to right off the hop.

 
 
Well, I gave the Simmens another go. Initially, they were just as shrieky as they were before. However a couple hours later they gave up their forbidden fruit for me. I'm really impressed. They are much more spacious. The mids are more forward, bass still there. Open. Airy. Effortless. Musical. These are my new favorites in fact. The 800s are back in the box (works wonderfully as a hush box!) and breaking in tubes again. *sigh* Does it ever end?
 
Anyone want to swap something for my 6N23P-EVs to try? At 98hrs I'm wondering if their even fully broken in due to the millspec. ie, takes longer to break in, but much longer to die too.

 

[NightFlight]

100th post. Goodnight!
 

 

[Bananaheadlin]

100th post. Goodnight!

 

Congrats!

A quick question as I am not very familiar with tubes. Are the stock tubes by any chance versatile, or is tube rolling a must to get the best synergy for all your phones?

 

[toschek]

You almost have to sorry, the JJ option is OK until you hear alternatives though (just don't follow this thread lest you get tempted.)

 

[HK_sends]

Quote:

100th post. Goodnight!
 

Ahh...I remember my 100th post, back in the day...

 
Cheers!

-HK sends