[IEMCrazy]

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Can the Asgard drive the HD600 well? How about the HD800?
Part of my issue is that I'm swapping headphones often and I want an amp that can drive virtually all of them well, if possible. That said, I don't see myself getting into hifiman cans.

 
Sure it can.  HD600 and HD800 are similar (with HD800 actually being a touch easier to drive) and they aren't really that power hungry.  They're high impedance so they take a lot to get them moving, but they don't really use much current at all. 
 
I'll say that Lyr happens to sound excellent with HD650/HD600, and is also darn good with HD800 (in the absence of Mjolnir....

), and if you were interested in powering mostly those and deciding between those two amps, I'd not hesitate suggesting Lyr.  But if it's important to power Grados and Denons as well, Asgard is definitely the safer bet unless you plan on getting into HE-500.  HE-400 will work on any of them (though might sound a little better on the Lyr), and HE-6/HE-5LE....even Lyr lacks enough current to properly drive those things.  Even Mjolnir can't deliver the full power rating HE-6 is specced for to reach peak output (not that you'd want to...)
 
 
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For anything short of HE-6 or K1000 I've found the Asgard puts out more than enough power.

The grand irony: HE-6 takes more power than even Lyr puts out, and Lyr's too much power for most anything else!  That said, that extra push sounds darned good on the Sennheisers....

 

[claybum]

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Here's an interesting problem I will have to solve if I buy a Schiit; I want to use the preamp outs to go to my powered speakers (Audioengine A5+s) but I understand those are active even when you plug in headphones. But, I don't want sound coming out of the speakers when I'm using headphones, and it's a hassle to have to turn off the speakers every time I switch to headphone listening. 
 
How should I solve this issue? Basically, I want the preamp RCA outs from the Schiit amp to not output anything when I'm using headphones. 

Better check your Schiit!!! 
 
Not all Schiit amps have pre out.

 

[Mediahound]

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Better check your Schiit!!! 
 
Not all Schiit amps have pre out.

 
You're right, the Asgard does not but the Lyr does have preamp out RCAs.

 

[IEMCrazy]

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You're right, the Asgard does not but the Lyr does have preamp out RCAs.

 
You probably want to email Jason and ask, but I'm 90% sure there's no relay that cuts the pre-outs off when you plug headphones in.  I'm pretty sure they run concurrently.

 

[Defiant00]

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You're right, the Asgard does not but the Lyr does have preamp out RCAs.

 
Yeah, if the preamp feature is of high importance to you then you're looking at the Lyr.

 

[Mediahound]

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You probably want to email Jason and ask, but I'm 90% sure there's no relay that cuts the pre-outs off when you plug headphones in.  I'm pretty sure they run concurrently.

Right. 
 
So is there some sort of RCA switch I can install after the Lyr preamp outs that would cut off the signal, or something like that?

 

[amandarae]

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Here's an interesting problem I will have to solve if I buy a Schiit; I want to use the preamp outs to go to my powered speakers (Audioengine A5+s) but I understand those are active even when you plug in headphones. But, I don't want sound coming out of the speakers when I'm using headphones, and it's a hassle to have to turn off the speakers every time I switch to headphone listening. 
 
How should I solve this issue? Basically, I want the preamp RCA outs from the Schiit amp to not output anything when I'm using headphones. 

You can use a DPDT switch for the line level out of the Lyr going to your amp.  Tie one stereo side to ground(for both the Land R) channel.  The other side connects to the line level out/preamp out(stereo connected to the output of the Lyr).  When you switch to headphone, with volume control at maximum attenuation, flipping the switch to ground disconnects the preamp out from the Lyr(open circuit) and mutes or shorts the input to the amp to ground.  Flipping the other way after you disconnect the HP, allows the Lyr output line level signal to connect via the switch to the active speakers line level input.
 

 

[Mediahound]

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You can use a DPDT switch for the line level out of the Lyr going to your amp.  Tie one stereo side to ground(for both the Land R) channel.  The other side connects to the line level out/preamp out(stereo connected to the output of the Lyr).  When you switch to headphone, with volume control at maximum attenuation, flipping the switch to ground disconnects the preamp out from the Lyr(open circuit) and mutes or shorts the input to the amp to ground.  Flipping the other way after you disconnect the HP, allows the Lyr output line level signal to connect via the switch to the active speakers line level input.
 

 
Is there some device I can buy that will do that for me? I'm not handy with electronics unfortunately. I just know how to buy them.

 

[amandarae]

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Is there some device I can buy that will do that for me? I'm not handy with electronics unfortunately. I just know how to buy them.

Yes.  Just type "AV Switch" on the net and there are tons of it depending on your budget.  
 
Here's one cheap http://www.amazon.com/RCA-DT902AV-2-Way-Switcher/dp/B0014KOAD8/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1352937535&sr=8-9&keywords=audio+selector+switch  Radioshack also carries these selectors.  just type "2 Way A/V Selector" on the search box.  
 
I could be wrong but most "Active" speakers have a line input sensor that monitors the level of the input before it turns ON the amplifier.It is better though in many cases where the input should be shorted (grounded) when it is not in use.  This is the reason why you see the ground connection on the diagram.  The switcher does not have it and maybe you do not need it.  If you do, just tie the + pins of the second set of output(your choice) to ground.
 
 
Cheers!

 

[Mediahound]

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Yes.  Just type "AV Switch" on the net and there are tons of it depending on your budget.  
 
Here's one cheap http://www.amazon.com/RCA-DT902AV-2-Way-Switcher/dp/B0014KOAD8/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1352937535&sr=8-9&keywords=audio+selector+switch  Radioshack also carries these selectors.  just type "2 Way A/V Selector" on the search box.  
 
I could be wrong but most "Active" speakers have a line input sensor that monitors the level of the input before it turns ON the amplifier.It is better though in many cases where the input should be shorted (grounded) when it is not in use.  This is the reason why you see the ground connection on the diagram.  The switcher does not have it and maybe you do not need it.  If you do, just tie the + pins of the second set of output(your choice) to ground.
 
 
Cheers!

 
I don't get why the Lyr plays sound out of the RCAs and the headphone jack at the same time. Shouldn't it be one or the other? Who would want to play music out of their speakers and headphones simultaneously? That seems like the opposite of what people would want. 
 
I may just have to get a separate DAC like the $120. NuForce Icon uDAC-2 just to use for my powered speakers.
 
Then, I would switch outputs from that DAC to the Bifrost DAC  in the OS on my computer depending on if I want to listen to headphones or the speakers...

 

[claybum]

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I don't get why the Lyr plays sound out of the RCAs and the headphone jack at the same time. Shouldn't it be one or the other? Who would want to play music out of their speakers and headphones simultaneously? That seems like the opposite of what people would want.

Well, Schiit is probably just trying to keep the cost low. At $450, I wouldn't expect much more from the Lyr. Also, I think that many people would find it no big deal to flip a switch to off when changing from speakers to headphones. But that is just me. I have multiple sources and amps and usually have to flip a few switched and turn a couple knobs when changing my listening situation. 

 

[Mediahound]

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Well, Schiit is probably just trying to keep the cost low. At $450, I wouldn't expect much more from the Lyr. Also, I think that many people would find it no big deal to flip a switch to off when changing from speakers to headphones. But that is just me. I have multiple sources and amps and usually have to flip a few switched and turn a couple knobs when changing my listening situation. 

 
The problem is with a headphone amp that has a preamp, it's a double whammie; when you want to go to headphones, you have to flip your speakers/amplifier off AND when you want to go to speakers, you have to unplug the headphones. Seems like it will get pretty tedious. 
 
It's true that more expensive DAC/amp units have a built in switch and I'd certainly be willing to pay like $100. more for this feature on the Lyr. 
 
On my Grace m902 for example, it's as easy as the press of one button to switch outputs. 

 

[grokit]

I don't think the issue is cost so much as the impurity of putting a switching relay into the signal path.

 

[Mediahound]

Is the preamp outs on the Lyr variable or just a pass through signal?

 

[solserenade]

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Here's an interesting problem I will have to solve if I buy a Schiit; I want to use the preamp outs to go to my powered speakers (Audioengine A5+s) but I understand those are active even when you plug in headphones. But, I don't want sound coming out of the speakers when I'm using headphones, and it's a hassle to have to turn off the speakers every time I switch to headphone listening. 
 
How should I solve this issue? Basically, I want the preamp RCA outs from the Schiit amp to not output anything when I'm using headphones. 

 
 
This is what I use: 
 
http://www.amazon.com/Woods-13568-Wireless-Control-3-Outlet/dp/B001Q9EFUU/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1352957242&sr=8-17&keywords=wireless+outlet
 
I plug my powered monitors into one of these and keep the remote nearby while headphone-listening -- very handy.