[R Scott Ireland]

Quote:

 
BTW, when I said hundreds of instances, I forgot that we are in the new thread.  There are probably not hundreds of instances in this thread, but the old thread was 500+ pages long, there were definitely hundreds of instances in that thread.
 
I have only heard my Lyr through two pairs of headphones and one pair of IEMs, I have not heard a mismatch either.  But I have read about it enough times to believe a mismatch is possible.

 
I just posted a few days ago about the Russian tubes - they sounded completely different with Denon headphones when compared to the Sennheiser HD800 and Audeze LCD-3.  Night and day difference. No change in anything else - same tubes, same amp, same DAC, same source.

 

[MisterMoJo]

Quote:

 
Insert them as you would any tube.  I would treat the pins with Deoxit myself, especially since the idea behind socket savers is that they remain installed while you swap tubes.  The idea being that the socket savers, which are relatively easy to replace, will take the wear and tear of tube rolling, thereby sparing the sockets installed in the amp.  These would be much more difficult to replace, the procedure would involve dismantling the amp and soldering new sockets in place.
 
These will most definitely make removing tubes easier.  You may have to use a piece of non conducting material to hold the socket savers down while removing tubes, especially at first.  Eventually the sockets will loosen a bit and this will be less of a problem.

What would you suggest I use to hold the socket savers down?  What do you use?

 

[J&J]

I use a wood skewer to hold socket savers  down when removing tubes

 

[nelamvr6]

Quote:

I use a wood skewer to hold socket savers  down when removing tubes

 
 
That would work fine.  I use a plastic tuning wand from a calibration kit.
 
Just anything that is thin enough to fit in the gap in the top of the case that won't mar the case should work.  A popsicle stick would work or a tongue depressor for example.

 

[nelamvr6]

Guys, I still have one pair of the RTCs available in the For Sale forum:  http://www.head-fi.org/t/676217/nos-rtc-e188cc-vacuum-tubes#post_9693464

 

[Junior mints]

Guys, I still have one pair of the RTCs available in the For Sale forum:  http://www.head-fi.org/t/676217/nos-rtc-e188cc-vacuum-tubes#post_9693464

Out of curiosity, what year are they?

 

[nelamvr6]

Quote:

Out of curiosity, what year are they?

 
 
They appear to be from 1967.  The second line in the date code reads:  Right Triangle, 7, H on both tubes.

 

[NightFlight]

Quote:

You guys realize these are low level pre-amp tubes and aren't really going to effect the sound greatly from headphone to headphone right? The solid state amp portion if more of the defining interaction with the headphone, not really the sonic signature with the tubes in the preamp. 

 
Er what.. Sorry...What?!? I've not played around with many amps, but tube to tube is night and day to me.

 

[jmsaxon69]

Quote:

 
Er what.. Sorry...What?!? I've not played around with many amps, but tube to tube is night and day to me.

It's headphone to headphone using a Lyr I am talking about... You read all the posts in that conversation and came away with me saying there is no difference between the sound of tubes?

 

[NightFlight]

Quote:

It's headphone to headphone using a Lyr I am talking about... You read all the posts in that conversation and came away with me saying there is no difference between the sound of tubes?

 
No, I replied a little quick. I'm just catching up. Sorry.

 

[rb2013]

It's headphone to headphone using a Lyr I am talking about... You read all the posts in that conversation and came away with me saying there is no difference between the sound of tubes?

Even though the Lyr is a hybrid ( and I love well done hybrids), the front signal tube, really the preamp section have a huge impact. This is were the signal initially gets amplified before the SS Mosfets get involved. So are very involved in the sound quality. As the very low level input signal gets amplified, the tubes have a direct effect. Now how much of this effect you can hear depends on many things. Your source one. Your ears/mind the other.

 

[jmsaxon69]

Quote:

Even though the Lyr is a hybrid ( and I love well done hybrids), the front signal tube, really the preamp section have a huge impact. This is were the signal initially gets amplified before the SS Mosfets get involved. So are very involved in the sound quality. As the very low level input signal gets amplified, the tubes have a direct effect. Now how much of this effect you can hear depends on many things. Your source one. Your ears/mind the other.

I completely agree.  So what's your point? Can so few people on this board read AND comprehend?

 

[sceleratus]

Quote:

I completely agree.  So what's your point? Can so few people on this board read AND comprehend?

It took me quite some time, and a few posts to the contrary, before I think I got your point.  I only got it because I happen to have listened to the exact same "tubes" on two completely different amps.  Lyr hybrid and a 300B.  Same HP's though.
 
The difference was dramatic.  More than any tube to tube change within the same amp.  Hence, @jmsaxon69's point is the back stage is more important than the front.  Seem strange, but I have to agree,  I'm not sure it really applies with pure Lyr listeners.
 
Did I "get it" ?

 

[NightFlight]

Quote:

I completely agree.  So what's your point? Can so few people on this board read AND comprehend?

 
Hey, I said sorry. What more do you want?
 
Besides, I think were saying the same thing. You implied that tube changes are in fact small compared to amplification models. I stated I haven't tried many tube amps, but that different tubes within that same amp are huge. So we are on the same page, but my comment was perhaps a little heavy.  My bad.
 
I've got a Crack OTL kit on the way. Hoping to modify it for a 6922 after I get the kit on its feet. So, I'm heading down the road you've stated. The amp side is big. I've read a couple reviews stating a preference for the crack over the Lyr. IMHO there's a boundary leap in terms of simplistic implementation that the Crack has over the Lyr (grains of salt: I've not yet heard a Crack OTL amp).  DIY of course leads to tweaking.. and plays completely of in that court of the last %1 that audiophiles seek.
 
As for the chain vs Lyr, I've got my modified Emotiva DAC and its something special. Unmodified - I think the Emotiva marketing strategy is a little... ambitious.  There were so many simple things to correct in the xda-2.  But the nice thing about its construction is that its big enough to provide room for fixes.  My modded DAC showcases the Lyr's ability to branch out beyond the Bifrost uber. The Bifrost is a good DAC and certainly no slouch but not in the 1K+ league. The Emotiva mods consisted of nothing more than component upgrades, electrical & physical dampening and signal path routing changes to help remove reflective EMI.  Cumulatively, the most impacting change I've made.
 
The Lyr + good tubes can reveal source and DAC quite well. I found the HD800 thread to be quite dismissive towards the Lyr. Their loss. Then again, I want to hear the BHSE + SR009 and see if its worth the fuss.

 

[rb2013]

Hey, I said sorry. What more do you want?

Besides, I think were saying the same thing. You implied that tube changes are in fact small compared to amplification models. I stated I haven't tried many tube amps, but that different tubes within that same amp are huge. So we are on the same page, but my comment was perhaps a little heavy.  My bad.

I've got a Crack OTL kit on the way. Hoping to modify it for a 6922 after I get the kit on its feet. So, I'm heading down the road you've stated. The amp side is big. I've read a couple reviews stating a preference for the crack over the Lyr. IMHO there's a boundary leap in terms of simplistic implementation that the Crack has over the Lyr (grains of salt: I've not yet heard a Crack OTL amp).  DIY of course leads to tweaking.. and plays completely of in that court of the last %1 that audiophiles seek.

As for the chain vs Lyr, I've got my modified Emotiva DAC and its something special. Unmodified - I think the Emotiva marketing strategy is a little... ambitious.  There were so many simple things to correct in the xda-2.  But the nice thing about its construction is that its big enough to provide room for fixes.  My modded DAC showcases the Lyr's ability to branch out beyond the Bifrost uber. The Bifrost is a good DAC and certainly no slouch but not in the 1K+ league. The Emotiva mods consisted of nothing more than component upgrades, electrical & physical dampening and signal path routing changes to help remove reflective EMI.  Cumulatively, the most impacting change I've made.

The Lyr + good tubes can reveal source and DAC quite well. I found the HD800 thread to be quite dismissive towards the Lyr. Their loss. Then again, I want to hear the BHSE + SR009 and see if its worth the fuss.

Good post. Before I got the Lyr I was using a tricked out Woo WA6-SE, considered by many on Headfi to be a really great HP amp in the $1k+ range. I kicked it up a notch by recapping it and adding a sweet '58 Mullard GZ34, and after extensive tube rolling settled on some NOS EM7s. When I got the Lyr, initially I was not impressed, even after rolling some Philip SQ, Amperex PQs, and '58 Bugle Boys. But then came the '70s Voskhods...they really lit up the Lyr. Very lively and exciting. I would listen to the Woo for an hour or so with HD800s, then get kinda bored. I mean it sounded great, no fault I could point to. But the Lyr/Voskhog/HD800/Black Dragons combination really got my blood rushing. Detailed, dynamic, thrilling. So I've sold the Woo! I also had an Earmax Pro with Nos tubes, that's gone too. I then moved my prized APL NWO dac down to where my HP listening happens. The trading of the Xindak Dac5 to APL took the experience to whole other level. Then more Voskhod rolling...I just have to say the sound now is way beyond anything I thought HPs were capable of. I bought a pr of HE500 recently on Audiogon, they sound really good too. But the sound onthe HD800/Black Dragons was in a whole other league. Even the bass on my HD800 is better, better defined and more natural in tone. And I found the HD800 much more comfortable. I also tired the Mad Dogs, they were gone in a week. Bottom line these other HPs sounded good on the Lyr, but I think their is a unique synergy going on with the Lyr/VR/HD800/Black Dragons.