Lyr 3 Discussion Thread

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

  1. earnmyturns

    earnmyturns Smartest friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2016
    Likes Received:
    3,218
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Palo Alto
    Home Page:
    Will do at some point, but I have a lot of work and travel before I can get to it. One observation is that since Lyr 3 is single-ended, the more reasonable (and cheaper) Soekris option for it would be the single-ended non-amped dac1321. The reason I have the 1541 at work is that it is a very capable single-box solution. But the lovely well-rounded, dynamic, liquid, but contained sound of the Lyr 3 at home is starting to spoil it a little bit for me :/
     
  2. Junki

    Junki Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2017
    Likes Received:
    102
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    United States
    I'll be using a Topping D50, which has a couple hours left on Massdrop. A very well implemented single-ended 2x ES9038 DAC with my preferred opamps. An impression from someone with similar taste in signature as me described its sound as refined, a bit warm, very resolving, and without the glare associated with pre-9038 Sabre-based DACs.
     
  3. dmckean44

    dmckean44 In a Sherwood S6040CP relationship

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,425
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Peoria, IL
    I like the dac1321 Lyr 3 pairing a lot.
     
  4. earnmyturns

    earnmyturns Smartest friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2016
    Likes Received:
    3,218
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Palo Alto
    Home Page:
    One of my recent Lyr 3 revelations was listening to a recent 24/48 live jazz recording from NOS Holo Spring KTE 3. Not everyone's cup of tea musically, I guess, although it is very much in my taste envelope. But the key point is how wonderfully present the instruments were, especially the double bass. Slightly warm in the low-to-mid range, but just enough to bring out the intimacy of a live jazz gig. I've tended to favor a somewhat more straight-edge rendering, but the Lyr 3 with this good NOS DAC is breaking down my defenses...
     
  5. GoodEnoughGear

    GoodEnoughGear Evil Dr. Shultz‎

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,070
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Cape Town, South Africa
    Thanks, no rush, if you get to it you get to it :). I have the DAC1541 as well, doing full duty at home as head and preamp. I'm happy with it, but curious nonetheless.
     
  6. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

    Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2016
    Likes Received:
    10,831
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    East Coast
    Heck. TYVM for introducing these wonderful tracks. I am listening to them now.. (with ADI2 DAC - LYR 3 - eqed LCD2C)

    Great demonstrations of why microdynamics and microdetails are so important, and how Lyr 3 excels there. It's almost like acoustically done pornography. Damn great..
     
  7. dmckean44

    dmckean44 In a Sherwood S6040CP relationship

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,425
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Peoria, IL
    How unfortunate.
     
  8. Junki

    Junki Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2017
    Likes Received:
    102
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    United States
    Why is that?
     
  9. dmckean44

    dmckean44 In a Sherwood S6040CP relationship

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,425
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Peoria, IL
    The Lyr 3 is capable of showing the differences between much better DACs.
     
  10. StefanAC

    StefanAC Acquaintance

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2017
    Likes Received:
    32
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Germany
    That partly answered a question I asked a few days ago. Has anyone else compared the Lyr 3 with MB module to the dac1541 or the Holo Audio Cyan, both used as DAC/amps? Headphones are Audeze LCD-2.2F and Focal Elex.
     
  11. GoodEnoughGear

    GoodEnoughGear Evil Dr. Shultz‎

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,070
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Cape Town, South Africa
    Certainly the DAC1541 DAC will be an improvement over the Schiit card(s), though I can't speak for the Cyan. The Soekris USB input will be better than the gen2 USB on the card as well. So on the one hand you have an excellent DAC and a passable Amp on the Soekris' side and an excellent amp with a passable DAC on the Lyr 3 side.

    I have neither of your headphones, but if their performance is amp limited the Lyr 3 would be the way to go. If they are sensitive enough and can benefit from the better detail retrieval of the Soekris then that's the way to go.

    Overall you're looking at the Lyr3/MB combo coming in at around $700 which is half the price of the Soekris, so perhaps not a fair fight. It would leave you open to getting a better DAC later, though, if you went Lyr3 now. You might even opt for the DS card and save the other $100 for a Bifrost Multibit or Gungnir Multibit down the road.
     
  12. StefanAC

    StefanAC Acquaintance

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2017
    Likes Received:
    32
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Germany
    Thank you for your assessment, @GoodEnoughGear! I was mostly thinking along the same lines but was eager to get another opinion. Only difference is that I like the concept of an integrated unit despite the obvious drawbacks.

    And although I’m very happy with the MCTH + SDAC at the moment, I‘m constantly thinking of what to upgrade next. DAC, amp, headphones (the Elex aren’t even delivered yet) - it’s a never ending game.

    BTW I just read that there seem to be production issues with the Holo Audio - some units have been recalled. Maybe that’s why it’s so quiet around the Cyan.
     
  13. Junki

    Junki Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2017
    Likes Received:
    102
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    United States
    Sounds like you’ve auditioned the D50 comparatively. What were your thoughts?
     
  14. Br444m

    Br444m New

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2017
    Likes Received:
    40
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    NL
    I'd like to see some subjective impressions/comparisons of some of the Topping DAC's from the regulars here too. It's a bit too easy to state they're all shit without proper listening - just because that one guy is shilling for them.

    I searched the forums and found one comparison of a Topping D30 with Yggdrasil gen2 from @Josh83. That Topping didn't fare too well.
     
  15. Junki

    Junki Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2017
    Likes Received:
    102
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    United States
    Doesn't look like the fairest or most unbiased comparison. When it comes to subjective comparisons, the integrity bar needs to be a little higher than any rando ala Head-fi that was triggered by someone who found that the D30 measured better than the Yiggy.

    Here's a subjective impression that's more trustworthy: https://www.headfonia.com/affordable-digital-to-analog-conversion-topping-d2-and-d20/2/

    (D20 is discontinued, but I figured it's consistent with the above if we're widening to all Topping DAC's.)

    I don't understand the likes that go around here. This place is much more celebratory of noise than when I first created an account.
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2018
  16. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    12,285
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Colorado
    Home Page:
    Why is that more reputable than the other? A) Headfonia sucks and B) all they did was compare ho-hum DACs with ho-hum DACs. All it says is, at best, it might be better than other ho-hum DACs. Big deal. Need more reputable impressions.
     
  17. Junki

    Junki Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2017
    Likes Received:
    102
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    United States
    Why at best? Isn't the logic at minimum? Or maybe neither can be concluded?

    I can agree with that.
     
  18. Arun Kumar

    Arun Kumar Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2017
    Likes Received:
    208
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Bangalore, India
    There aren't as many people in SBAF as there are in other forums. Also AFAIK most members (esp. seniors) here don't change gear often and rarely if every try entry level dacs. If you already have a Topping or have access to one you're always welcome to post your view points and comparisons.
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2018
  19. msommers

    msommers High on Epipens

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2016
    Likes Received:
    2,750
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Calgary, Alberta
    Home Page:
    Junki, you come off very Dunning-Kruger. Maybe take a break from posting for awhile.
     
  20. Br444m

    Br444m New

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2017
    Likes Received:
    40
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    NL
    I value impressions from here much more because people try to define context and preferences - so others can interpret. I actually did order a D30 a few months ago but didn't give it any headtime yet. I may do a comparison with Modi Multibit and the Audio GD R11 DAC, but I'm still learning how to reliably discern differences between DAC's and use the correct terminology to describing this - so this may take a good while.
     

Share This Page