[gimmeheadroom]

What do you guys recommend for the Lyr 2 for around 100 bucks a pair?

I got a couple of previous version Schiits that were demos in a shop for cheap. They look untouched and don't have much time on them. The Valhalla 2 sounds pretty ok to me with the stock tubes. The Lyr 2 is lifeless with the HD 600 and LCD-2C I tried it with. Music is mostly jazz, funk, and classic rock. I'd like a lively sound with good bass extension but not bloomy, more on the warm side rather than analytical. Thanks.

 

[Paladin79]

What do you guys recommend for the Lyr 2 for around 100 bucks a pair?

I got a couple of previous version Schiits that were demos in a shop for cheap. They look untouched and don't have much time on them. The Valhalla 2 sounds pretty ok to me with the stock tubes. The Lyr 2 is lifeless with the HD 600 and LCD-2C I tried it with. Music is mostly jazz, funk, and classic rock. I'd like a lively sound with good bass extension but not bloomy, more on the warm side rather than analytical. Thanks.

I preferred the Lyr 2 to the Valhalla 2 myself, there are some very good Amperex 6dj8's around whose bass is quite enjoyable. I moved on to the Mjolnir and fell in love with some that are considered small horseshoe getter that are among my favorites. I did not hear a lot of difference no matter what tubes I used in the Valhalla so I just left the originals, the Lyr gave me a larger change with tube change. The Lyr 3 does this for me as well. YMMV of course.

 

[Wes S]

What do you guys recommend for the Lyr 2 for around 100 bucks a pair?

I got a couple of previous version Schiits that were demos in a shop for cheap. They look untouched and don't have much time on them. The Valhalla 2 sounds pretty ok to me with the stock tubes. The Lyr 2 is lifeless with the HD 600 and LCD-2C I tried it with. Music is mostly jazz, funk, and classic rock. I'd like a lively sound with good bass extension but not bloomy, more on the warm side rather than analytical. Thanks.

Holland made Bugle Boy 6dj8 d getters.

From my favorite seller.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Matched-Pa...821493?hash=item1a87c28375:g:r-wAAOSw~AFdvbX2

From a seller I don't know anything about.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/AMPEREX-6D...:IL8AAOSwKJldVuBE:sc:USPSPriority!75006!US!-1

These tubes are insanely good, and can hang with all the "Holy Grail Tubes", without a doubt.

 

[koover]

Holland made Bugle Boy 6dj8 d getters.

From my favorite seller.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Matched-Pa...821493?hash=item1a87c28375:g:r-wAAOSw~AFdvbX2

From a seller I don't know anything about.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/AMPEREX-6D...:IL8AAOSwKJldVuBE:sc:USPSPriority!75006!US!-1

These tubes are insanely good, and can hang with all the "Holy Grail Tubes", without a doubt.

For the money and what you get in return with sound, these are great tubes.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I preferred the Lyr 2 to the Valhalla 2 myself, there are some very good Amperex 6dj8's around whose bass is quite enjoyable. I moved on to the Mjolnir and fell in love with some that are considered small horseshoe getter that are among my favorites. I did not hear a lot of difference no matter what tubes I used in the Valhalla so I just left the originals, the Lyr gave me a larger change with tube change. The Lyr 3 does this for me as well. YMMV of course.

Did you find a good headphone pairing for the Lyr 2? I don't have a lot of headphones but it was just meh on everything I tried.

Holland made Bugle Boy 6dj8 d getters.

From my favorite seller.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Matched-Pa...821493?hash=item1a87c28375:g:r-wAAOSw~AFdvbX2

From a seller I don't know anything about.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/AMPEREX-6D...:IL8AAOSwKJldVuBE:sc:USPSPriority!75006!US!-1

These tubes are insanely good, and can hang with all the "Holy Grail Tubes", without a doubt.

Thank you, Wes! It is difficult for me to buy anything outside the EU and I don't know enough about the markings to spot fakes. Do these look ok to you and is the D-getter required?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Audio-Tube-6DJ8-ECC88-AMPEREX/254366013030
https://www.ebay.com/itm/AMPEREX-Holland-Ogrange-Globe-ECC88-6DJ8-audio-tube/362803650313

The second guy's price is pretty steep.

For the money and what you get in return with sound, these are great tubes.

Thanks a lot, guys!

 

[kolkoo]

I can sell ya ECC88 D-Getter and PCC88 D-Getter and PCC88 D-Getter Pinched waist(PWs more expensive) in Europe. But next year cause I ain't shipping in December

 

[gimmeheadroom]

That could be fine. I'm going to be away for a few weeks pretty soon. Where are you located and are the tubes new?

 

[kolkoo]

Well I mean they were made in 1958... I am located in Bulgaria (part of European Union). But they test well, Of course if we decide to do this I would have to pick out a pair and listen to it for a while in my amp to be sure it's good.

 

[Paladin79]

Did you find a good headphone pairing for the Lyr 2? I don't have a lot of headphones but it was just meh on everything I tried.

I have a fondness for Sennheuser HD650 or HD6XX with most all amps I use or used. I did run some cables through a cable cooker and now I really like an old pair of Alpha Primes as well but they will not work well with some of my OTL amps. I no longer own the Lyr 2 or Valhalla. I am down to 9 or 10 tube type headphone amps.



Thank you, Wes! It is difficult for me to buy anything outside the EU and I don't know enough about the markings to spot fakes. Do these look ok to you and is the D-getter required?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Audio-Tube-6DJ8-ECC88-AMPEREX/254366013030
https://www.ebay.com/itm/AMPEREX-Holland-Ogrange-Globe-ECC88-6DJ8-audio-tube/362803650313

The second guy's price is pretty steep.



Thanks a lot, guys!

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Well I mean they were made in 1958... I am located in Bulgaria (part of European Union). But they test well, Of course if we decide to do this I would have to pick out a pair and listen to it for a while in my amp to be sure it's good.

How long ago they were made does not have any connection to whether they are new or not. I mean have they been used? If yes, they're not new. If no, they're new.

NOS (New, old stock) means new

 

[kolkoo]

If they are new or not has no connection if they are any good. I could show you tubes I've tested that came from boxes that were never opened that had horrible test results or even problems. And pulled used tubes from ebay that were pristine.
NOS is a term which may mean virtually anything but usually means the tubes test good. Either way any tubes I sell will come with test results. Test results are also a mixed bag (I've explained this many times) because when you buy tubes they were tested at an operation condition that many times is not specified. So in ebay you can see tubes that test STRONG ZOMG PERFECT 23mA!!! (100%=15mA) except they were tested at an operating point at which 100% is 30mA. And plate current does not always tell the story if a tube is good or not either. Tubes were built with some Voltage Gain (Mu) variances and tubes that I measure that have High Mu have higher plate resistance and lower Ia, but still the same transconductance (Gm) which signifies tube life.

TLDR: I consider all NOS tubes used, unless they came in sealed unopened boxes which are almost non-existent. The NEW part in NOS usually means they test as good as new, which is a mixed bag depending on seller and their testing method. As for my tubes last I checked they tested as good as new but I will have to retest and listen to them before making a sell as always.

 

[TK16]

How long ago they were made does not have any connection to whether they are new or not. I mean have they been used? If yes, they're not new. If no, they're new.

NOS (New, old stock) means new

In my experience almost everything is used, probably 90% imo. I'd buy from @kolkoo he is an excellent and trusted seller here. I can vouch for the D-getter Heerlen. Probably one of the best price/performance ratio in 6DJ8 territor.

 

[Wes S]

Heerlen D - Getters are the bees knees, and I currently have them in both my amps. The 6dj8 and 7316/12au7 are incredible, and I will soon find out about the E88CC version soon, thanks to kolkoo.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

If they are new or not has no connection if they are any good. I could show you tubes I've tested that came from boxes that were never opened that had horrible test results or even problems. And pulled used tubes from ebay that were pristine.
NOS is a term which may mean virtually anything but usually means the tubes test good. Either way any tubes I sell will come with test results. Test results are also a mixed bag (I've explained this many times) because when you buy tubes they were tested at an operation condition that many times is not specified. So in ebay you can see tubes that test STRONG ZOMG PERFECT 23mA!!! (100%=15mA) except they were tested at an operating point at which 100% is 30mA. And plate current does not always tell the story if a tube is good or not either. Tubes were built with some Voltage Gain (Mu) variances and tubes that I measure that have High Mu have higher plate resistance and lower Ia, but still the same transconductance (Gm) which signifies tube life.

TLDR: I consider all NOS tubes used, unless they came in sealed unopened boxes which are almost non-existent. The NEW part in NOS usually means they test as good as new, which is a mixed bag depending on seller and their testing method. As for my tubes last I checked they tested as good as new but I will have to retest and listen to them before making a sell as always.

I agree with a lot of what you said. But if you get unused tubes at least you know somebody hasn't put 10.000 hours on them. You're right, it's no guarantee they'll sound good.

 

[gardibolt]

Heerlen D - Getters are the bees knees, and I currently have them in both my amps. The 6dj8 and 7316/12au7 are incredible, and I will soon find out about the E88CC version soon, thanks to kolkoo.

True story. I return to my D-getter Heerlen Bugle Boys every now and again, and I've reached the conclusion I could have stopped there and saved myself a lot of money and not been appreciably worse off.