Lyr 3 Discussion Thread

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by neogeosnk, Mar 20, 2018.

  1. msommers

    msommers High on Epipens

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  2. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    Did not heard wa6 and have no idea about m1hpa, so take my comments as a grain of salt.

    1. The only woo amp I heard was wa5se, probably with fully maximized. I heard wa5se multiple times with utopia, ether flow, eikon and hd6xx. Kinda liked it much. It sounded extremely euphoric, immersive, and musical to me. But, even prices are super-different, I think Lyr 3 still hold relative strengths in key technicalities (clarity, plankton, and volume gradation). Note this is from my memory. Will verify this some time soon. But these criteria may not be the most important things to woo-lovers. I can safely say woo and schiit might have VERY DIFFERENT philosophies for ideal audio.

    2. I will hardly use the word "warm" to describe Lyr 3. Not that It's freezing cold, or has zero warmth. Indeed I don't need any more warmth except some special situations (e.g. using lightly-modded hd800). But compared to many "warm sounding" tubes, Lyr 3 sounds more SS-like and colder (even relatively cooler-sounding tubes taboo 4 was warmer than Lyr 3). At least with new TS 6sn7.

    3. LCD2C (note: Revealed) and Lyr 3 show awesome synergy. Not very sure if this holds for lcd-x.
     
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2018
  3. nerone

    nerone New

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    Thanks for the input @Vtory.
    What you describe as euphonic, immersive and musical is exactly what I'm looking for and what I had with the WA6-SE.
    I like the woo, but for me they are a bit pricey, and I'd rather have something more affordable as I'll have to pay twice the price of any amp due to customs taxes.
    I tried the Vali 2 and Valhalla 2 and didn't like both. They are good, but none of them is what I'm looking for. I'm guessing Lyr 3 is also not for my taste, and that is sad, as it's not expensive.
    Whenever you could update your impressions between both I'd be pleased to read them.
     
  4. JustAnotherRando

    JustAnotherRando My other bike is a Ferrari

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  5. dmckean44

    dmckean44 In a Sherwood S6040CP relationship

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    Leaving it on all the time is not a big deal either. I can handle the 10 cents a day it costs to always have a warmed up amplifier and DAC.
     
  6. nerone

    nerone New

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    Why not use something like this during the time the amp is off: http://www.kitazato.co.jp/products/warmplate/mp_series.html
    You could save a few cents on extended tube life.:D
     
  7. earnmyturns

    earnmyturns Smartest friend

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    Listening to Brad Mehldau's After Bach on newly arrived Lyr 3 + Tung-Sol: Holo Spring KTE 3 > Lyr 3 > MrSpeakers Ether C Flow. Definitely does not suck. Love how liquid the piano notes sound, almost rolling off the keyboard, clear attack, lush decay. This could become a favorite for listening to piano recordings... Oh, and the lower notes are solid, the high notes liquid, not overly edgy (unlike Jot).

    Even without detailed A/B, this is a keeper.
     
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2018
  8. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    Based on what you have said, it's a bit challenging to find such amps with limited budget. SET amps with good transformers (e.g. DNA amps) will easily satisfy you. But they generally cost a lot...

    I am not sure if you already checked out this thread:
    http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...erbaf-cheap-tube-amp-guide-1200-or-less.2796/

    Also keep your eyes on Massdrop if they open ZDT Jr drop again. I am sure they will try to sell leftovers around late June to early July (like MCTH). I didn't hear this amp, but many trusted ears reported how good zdt jr or NBM (basically identical product) sounded:
    http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...-x-eddie-current-zdt-jr-official-thread.5408/

    Hands also compared lyr 3 to zdt jr, which is also an interesting read:
    http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...r-3-discussion-thread.5946/page-9#post-197163
     
  9. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    The Woo WA6SE is flat out one of their best amps. I actually prefer the WA6SE to their $26,000 monstrosity W234 or a WA5 without megabuck tubes and cap upgrades.

    With the right tube, the Lyr 3 can have a warm tone. The Lyr 3 is typically just a teeny bit warm but laid back with most 6SN7s. Brimar or Pope 6SN7s can do a warmer tone while also offering some bloom. Problem is that these tubes are unobtainable. The WA6SE will always be a bit bloomier being all tube and also because of it's typical tube compliment. Note that I never felt the WA6SE was especially outright warm. But the inner warmth, the bloom, the wetness was there. The Lyr 3 is a hybrid, so you will never get the same extent of this effect.

    Personally I would prefer the LCD-X from the Lyr 3 because the WA6SE isn't especially powerful or good at driving lower Z loads. The LCD-X impedance is 20. This is even lower than the HE-500.

    FWIW: My bedroom rig is Lyr 3 + LCD2C using a neutral-bright 6SN7. Source is Gungnir Multibit fed by a CD transport.
     
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2018
  10. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Bad idea with LCD-X.
     
  11. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    The Lyr 3 isn't as euphonic as the WA6SE, but I found it just as musical - that is emotionally involving.

    Your Valhalla 2 experience, I hope you weren't using your LCD-X. Any kind of ortho sucks from Valhalla 2.
     
  12. earnmyturns

    earnmyturns Smartest friend

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    Aw, fsck, the opening of the Fritz Reiner/CSO Scheherazade (SACD 88.2/24 1996 remastering), which I use as my test track, sent shivers down my spine. This little amp is really involving!
     
  13. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    What a coincidence. I am listening to similar but a bit different tracks - Scheherazade by Mackerras and LSO (1990). This lyr 3 is f***ing good at reproducing all details-delicacies-impacts in orchestral works. Very satisfying experience.
     
  14. earnmyturns

    earnmyturns Smartest friend

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    Now listening to a new Baroque music purchase, Pièces de Viole by Marin Marais, performed by La Rêveuse. I've not heard this on any other system, but the depth and resonance of the different string instruments (viole, théobre, harpsichord) is exquisite. Compared with a succession of other headamps, some otherwise very competent, there's some especially engaging magic here.
     
  15. zeissiez

    zeissiez Turn that Schiit down - acquaintance

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    WA5 is a lot more euphoric than WA6SE, soundstage and images are much larger, a lot more powerful too. The problem is steep price of good 300B tubes and cap upgrade. Does it sound 5x better than WA6SE? I think it does! But that is crazy amount of money.

    Schiit amps are always musical sounding especially for pop and rock due to their tonality tuning and intimacy, and they are powerful too. Woo amps offer a different experience, more euphoric and tubey. Headphones like HD800, T1 would benefit from some wetness of the Woos. But for rich sounding planars I prefer SS or hybrid.
     
  16. nachocheese70

    nachocheese70 Facebook Friend

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    What headphones do you listen with? Valhalla 2 can be picky due to the higher output impedance (its OTL). I have the Vali 2 and it’s an incredible amp for its size and price, but on absolute scale I felt the Mjolnir 2 bests it overall (including the overall immersive and musical feeling). It’s definitely a warm sounding amp, so if neutral is your preferred style then it may not be a good match. It would be interesting to hear how the Mjolnir 2 compares to the Lyr 3, but this would probably depend on the headphone.

    Also, if you’re focusing on euphonic and immersive sound, see if you can find an used Eddie Current with transformer coupled outputs. Even new, EC amps are lower priced than Woo, but are very well built (easily survive 2nd hand, 3rd hand ... just keep an eye on the tubes). While most forum discussions revolve around Balancing Act, Aficionado, and Studio, don’t overlook the 2A3. I’m extremely happy with my upgrade, and to me the Mjolnir 2 lost the euphonic adjective to the 2A3.
     
  17. Darren G

    Darren G Friend

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    Read back through the thread. There have already been some impressions posted comparing the two ;)
     
    Last edited: Mar 31, 2018
  18. nerone

    nerone New

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    I was already suspicious that DNA and EC amps would suit me better, but new they are expensive and used they are rare and impossible to find where I live.

    Unfortunately my experience was with the HE-500 and LCD-X, I knew from the start that this wouldn't be a perfect match, but I wanted the Valhalla more as a preamp, which I didn't like due to some nasty noises (loud pops and cracks) on my speakers.
    Since the ZDT Jr is not a good pairing whit LCD-X, I'll keep an eye on the MCTH, but it lacks the pre-out which is desired.
    Maybe I'll adventure myself in a Lyr-3 just to keep me busy while I save for the WA6SE.

    I think the way to go is maybe save some more for the WA6SE or save a lot more and go for a DNA or Eddie Current. I hope someone decides to commit the crime of selling one of these and also be willing to send it to Brazil.
    Thank you all for the help you provided. I really appreciate it.
     
  19. zeissiez

    zeissiez Turn that Schiit down - acquaintance

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    In comparison with high end amps available today, I don’t think we can call EC’s big tube amps euphonic. They are open, clear, accurate, transparent, immersive, they simply disappear. They are more in line with Hifi sound than bloom and coloration.
     
  20. nachocheese70

    nachocheese70 Facebook Friend

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    I may be using euphonic wrong. I meant it as being precise and transparent while still maintaining a sense of tube warmth and being very pleasant to hear. It is far from what I would consider bloom (I had a HeadRoom headphone amp that I felt is the poster child for bloom). Likewise, going the other direction an amp can be too precise (Hugo 1) to sound a little unnatural and overall unpleasant (though it’s probably the DAC portion causing the issue).
     

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