[Peculier]

I'm looking to get the HE-500 or HE-5LE, but I've heard that their highs can be tiring very quickly, and I heard that Tube amps like the Schiit Lyr are good paired with it. Can anyone give any experience?

 

[J&J]

I matched my 5LE with a Schiit Lyr hybrid ss/tube and the results is astonishing the 5LE need some power but I understand the 500 is more effecient

 

[Chris_Himself]

Tube hybrid like the Schiit Lyr would be great!
 
The Lyr drove the HE-500 to new levels, thats for sure.

 

[MattTCG]

Quote:

Tube hybrid like the Schiit Lyr would be great!
 
The Lyr drove the HE-500 to new levels, thats for sure.

I had this setup. It was incredible!! Jinks Chris 

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

I'm looking to get the HE-500 or HE-5LE, but I've heard that their highs can be tiring very quickly, and I heard that Tube amps like the Schiit Lyr are good paired with it. Can anyone give any experience?

 
The HE-500 is very natural sounding, it's not overly bright or fatiguing at all.
 
It is great off solid state or tube. By the way, the Lyr really isn't all that tubey, it's a hybrid, so you're listening to solid state and tube.
 
Just get something reliable that generates more than 1 watt and go with it. You can do it for $200 or up to whatever you want to spend to achieve that (some 1 watters are the NFB-12.1 (more like 3 watts) and the Asgard (1.3ish watts).
 
I use both the Asgard & Lyr with my HE500. The Asgard is a touch brighter. The Lyr has more low end warmth.
 
Very best,

 

[Chris_Himself]

Hey boys, how is the NFB-12?
 
I just wanted a quick confirm since I'm gonna buy one in a few minutes...

 

[Il Mostro]

I found that my Concerto ran out of gas with the HE-500's.  Certainly good to a point, but not optimum.  Channel Islands VHP-1/VAC-1 has more grunt, but still not ideal.  So much more grip and dynamic headroom with my Opera Audio Consonance (two EL84's and one 12AU7).  Although touted as "easier to drive", these need extra juice to sound their best.

 

[MattTCG]

Quote:

Hey boys, how is the NFB-12?
 
I just wanted a quick confirm since I'm gonna buy one in a few minutes...

 
NFB-12 is very good. Nice solid state amp and a very good dac IMO. Underpriced and underrated.

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

Hey boys, how is the NFB-12?
 
I just wanted a quick confirm since I'm gonna buy one in a few minutes...

 
It's an excellent value for the money. Decent DAC. Great amplifier. Overall a good package. One of the best power/performance options per dollar you could get.
 
Very best,

 

[Peculier]

Thanks for all the input guys! Right now as a DAC/Amp I'm using the Yulong D100 to drive some Beyerdynamic DT770s. Would it be worth it to buy a Lyr and use that as an amp instead of the D100's proprietary amp with the HE-500 or 5LE?

 

[Chris_Himself]

Quote:

 
NFB-12 is very good. Nice solid state amp and a very good dac IMO. Underpriced and underrated.

 
Quote:

 
It's an excellent value for the money. Decent DAC. Great amplifier. Overall a good package. One of the best power/performance options per dollar you could get.
 
Very best,

 
 
Ok now NFB-12, or HDP?
 
I swear nothing beats the HDP, although both of you dudes are probably more experience than I am at this point since I don't post as much anymore so I'm not as in-tune with the market as I used to be.

 

[MattTCG]

They are both good. I have only owned the audio gd stuff, so I'm really only comfortable making suggestions in that camp.

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

 
 
 
Ok now NFB-12, or HDP?
 
I swear nothing beats the HDP, although both of you dudes are probably more experience than I am at this point since I don't post as much anymore so I'm not as in-tune with the market as I used to be.

 
The HDP is excellent as a DAC, but I wouldn't use it as an amp primarily for something like the HE-500 or any ortho that really needs 1 watt or more to become fully dynamic.
 
Very best,

 

[winegeek]

I have both the HE-5LE and HE-500 and have only used ss amps, and I wouldn't ever describe the highs as 'tiring'...

 

[Peculier]

Are there any notable differences between the two?