2022 Texas Audio Roundup

f**k yea @purr1n Hopefully next year I can show you the way of Florida man IRL.

 

I think this is what @Lunk_Wray is referring to: https://www.schiit.com/about/news/schiit-lyr-previewed

"Lyr+ is expected to be available in 4-6 weeks from schiit.com at $599 without a tube, or $699 with a premium 6SN7."

 

Schiit definitely considered JJ 6SN7 premium as of my Lyr 3 shipment earlier this year, but maybe that changes with Lyr+. I wondered whether they'd try to get a psvane as a stock tube somehow, given how much better people seem to like it in Lyr 3 (me included).

I can't tell from reading whether it sounds the same or similar to Lyr 3 with a tube though - if not, maybe the psvane isn't a sure bet. Seems like people were more excited about other things.

 

Here's something: Someone (it can't be me, I wasn't there) put up an impressions thread on Head fi's impressions forum for the show. I'm curious if anything happens to it. If you want to think that I'm shilling for Jude's baby, then go right ahead. But remember what I said earlier:

 

My memory is probably only worth so much, but I'm pretty sure that there was a Psvane tube in it as well as a Psvane box beside it. I just assumed that's what the $100 was for. I made a mental note to come by and listen to it with some familiar headphones but of course that never happened...

 

Thanks for all the impressions, photos and information! Very exciting to see a Modi Multibit 2 that has unison, that is something I wanted for a long time!

Gonna be trying to get one of those Magni Pietys for sure, sounds like the deal of the century.

 

Lyr+ is intriguing. I'm sort of expecting to be disappointed, because can you really have two topologies co-exist and still be great? I'm wondering if its design will result in a mediocre tube amp smushed with a mediocre SS amp, with the novelty being that it's all in one chassis. Or maybe it will be a good tube amp combined with a shitty SS amp. Anyway, I'm interested on seeing how this thing plays out and if it turns out both tube and SS are great, I'll get one.

Kudos to @schiit for constantly pushing the envelope and releasing all this whacky shit that nobody else has the balls to try.

 

For me, it's not even that I think the two together would cause an audible/technical compromise, I'm sure it's an amazing technical achievement that Schiit has executed well. Yet, I don't entirely see the point.

If I want a tube amp, I'll buy a tube amp. If I want a SS amp, I'll buy a SS amp. The argument could be made that someone buying a Lyr+ can get both, but we aaaaaaall know that for most people in this hobby, they will get a Lyr, then still buy a tube and SS amp.

Still, if it sells, good for Schiit.

 

Here's a blurb about Lyr+ vs Lyr3 from Jason:

"There is a performance and sound difference, for several reasons:

1. Revised Continuity output stage with new-generation power transistors and optimized, more constant bias.
2. Relay attenuator instead of potentiometer.
3. Thanks to microprocessor management, we can eliminate the feedback capacitor. The old Lyr 3 required this, otherwise gain switching would be a big problem. The Lyr+ monitors operational parameters and only connects when everything is OK.

That said, Lyr 3 is no slouch! We'll have LISST available for purchase individually soon. Give us a couple of weeks to ramp up production."

source: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...most-improbable-start-up.701900/post-17066950

 

Oh absolutely, Lyr+ is still unequivocally an upgrade. But it seems like a lot of that could be achieved without it being a tube amp that can work without tubes. I just suspect that will be something people play with a few times, and then still buy a 'proper' tube amp or SS amp. Not saying that's bad, just that I personally can't see the appeal for my needs.

 

It's the same topology--there aren't two topologies--they don't co-exist. That's the whole point of Lyr+.

It's not a solid-state amp swapped for a tube amp. It's a tube amp, that has internal depletion mode MOSFETs that swap out for the tube. Same topology. Same distortion profile. Want to know the real difference between a tube and a MOSFET? This will tell you.

(And both sound great, IMO.)

There's a TON of tube nervosa out there right now. People are still panic buying tubes. People are also sitting on their wallets with respect to tube gear. Plus, even before the current craziness, we weren't able to get enough 6SN7s to support full Freya+ production. Plus, the reality is, most sane humans don't want to deal with tubes, period--rolling, good days, bad days, degradation over time, RF pickup...there's a ton of real-world stuff that make tubes nice to try, but not so great to live with (sorry, tube aficionados, I have a Lyr 3 on my desk, I have a Folkvangr, but let's be honest, OK?)

So, Lyr+ is either:

1. A great solid state amp...that also allows you to experiment with tubes.
2. A great tube amp...that always has a backup plan for a bad tube day.

Either way, no nervosa.

That said, we'll see how it does. The cynical side of me says, "Shoulda priced it much higher." But I try not to listen to my cynical side.

Bonus answer on the $100 tube--this is to cover us in case only the exotics are available. If we get enough normal tubes, they'll be priced more normally (that is, a bit more than an equivalent tested-and matched tube from a tube retailer). But LOL at the $15 tube--those days are loooooonggg gone. Look at tube prices, availability, and purchase restrictions at the retailers these days.

 

Entirely understandable.

Thankfully, I don't have that nervosa. But I guess more importantly, I don't have to deal with that nervosa in other people!

 

Topology was the wrong word - not sure what the correct word is there. The point I was trying to make is that usually these hybrid, 2-in-1 type of products, whether we're talking amps or anything else, have inherent compromises to facilitate the hybridness. Hopefully Lyr+ will be an exception.

This appeals to me a lot. I have a tube amp but have swapped tubes in it maybe twice. I also have a Jotunheim 2 that I fire up when I know I'm only going to listen for 30-45 minutes. And a Saga S for my Aegir, partially for the remote control.. Lyr+ would simplify my setup a lot.

 

Ugh...you're KILLING ME! lol

 

To my ears Lyr 3 is the kind of amp you can plug anything in and it will at least sound decent. And in my experience with most notable being Clear og, HD650K and LCD-XC good to great.