Lyr 3 Discussion Thread

Hi there, so I am (finally) looking into upgrading my desktop amp/dac section (currently an original modi and a magni 2 uber). My current headphones/IEMs include: Empire Ears Legend X, Fostex TH-X00, and a Beyerdynamic DT880 600ohm (also considering a Fostex TH-900 mk2 as a future purchase), and I am wondering if anyone can speak to any synergies between the lyr 3 and the headphones I currently have.

Furthermore, I am also wondering what improvements a lyr 3 (with multibit dac module) would have over my current setup. I am also considering a Chord Mojo (I mostly listen at home so portability isn't a huge plus for me, but is not a bad feature to have, especially with the Legend X), so any input on the Lyr 3 vs the Mojo are also welcome (as are any other general recommendations...considering options up to $1000usd, but would prefer to stick in the $500-$700 range if possible).

 

Ignore any AIOs for primary uses. Lyr3 is truly nice amp for its price range imo. Didn't test but it will work great for DT880 recalling my memory. It favors bright, forwarding and/or sharp sounding headphones.

How about the combination of Lyr 3 (amp-only) and Modi 3? To me modi 3 dac is better (regarding clarity, staging, detail, transience) than mojo except portable purposes. Probably the best dac under $300.

 

Kind of damning the modi with faint praise.

The Mojo was good, back in the olden days of yore, when everything else sucked, but it's now outclassed by nearly everything, and iFi has the Mojo beat if you need that portable shindig.

Is the EE Legend an iem? I don't really use IEMs so I don't recall how the Lyr does with them.

 

If it was just IEMs and for portable use, may be the mojo. But for home use with high-Z dynamic cans, a desktop amp without a doubt. Lyr 3 plays nice with IEMs too.

 

I have that exact combination (Modi 3+Lyr 3), and it is amazing! In fact, I sold my Bifrost Multibit and replaced it with the Modi 3, and I honestly did not feel it was a downgrade. On the other hand, I could hear a clear improvement going from the Magni 3 to the Lyr 3, mainly in the timbre which was a bit more realistic, slightly more open soundstage and that magic euphony that comes with tube amps.

Personally, I would always choose a stand-alone DAC rather than a built-in DAC card, mainly because I use optical and usb. I am hoping that Schiit will come up with some other interesting expansion cards for the Lyr 3. Heck, even a simple second set of RCA inputs would be cool.

 

Appreciating the replies! Lyr 3 as a base amp is sounding like a solid option. Regarding the (twice!) recommended modi 3 option for a DAC pairing, is the modi 3 a noticeable upgrade over the original modi 1 (which I currently have), or would it be best just to keep using the modi 1 and maybe save for something like a Gungnir Multibit? Modi 3 is definitely cheap, but after shipping and conversion to CAD, the price isn't inconsequential lol.

 

The answer to your first question is an overwhelming YES! The Modi 3 is a pretty significant upgrade over the original Modi. While I did not have the Modi 1, I owned the Modi 2, and it was a very significant upgrade when I went to the Modi 2 Uber and then to the Bifrost Multibit. And as I mentioned before, going from the Bifrost to the Modi 3, I did not notice a deterioration in sound quality. In fact, the only major difference I noticed was the lower noise floor on the Modi 3 when I turn my amp all the way up, but that is purely academic as no one listens to their headphones at that extreme volume level.

 

I recommend the rule of "one at a time". While modi 3 is imo way better than 1 or 2 (2 uber may work for some better though), like you said saving for the next upgrade (must be >$1 realm) is also something to consider. Not to mention everybody has a different taste.

Try Lyr 3 with Modi 1 first. Then make decisions based on what you feel.

 

I went from an all tube amp (300B from ampsandsound) to the Lyr 3, because it was more versatile and quieter for a wider variety of headphones. It's really solid.

 

I would with this approach agree in general, the only issue being that the OP is from Canada and we pay an arm and a leg in shipping costs. Ordering two separate times incurs an additional $50-60 CDN, which is almost a half of what the Modi 3 costs. That is why I would suggest ordering both the Lyr 3 and The Modi 3 at the same time, if buying directly from Schiit. The odds of him not being satisfied with the Modi 3 in comparison to his Modi 1 are very minimal.

 

Even taking this into account, one at a time, you really won't know if either the Lyr 3 or the Modi 3 is going to be to their liking, might as well limit it to one mistake instead of two.

I personally liked the Lyr 3 when I heard it, but Modi 3 I would say I enjoy (it's still a great DAC but not for me).

 

Ended up ordering both the Lyr 3 and Modi 3. Will be a while before I make a big dac upgrade, so the potential for a marginal-noticeable increase in system performance, and matching aesthetics (given the original modi had the matted chassis) seemed worth it for me. 24/192 support on the modi 3 (vs original only doing 24/96) will be helpful for some files as well. Excited to see how it all sounds when it arrives!

 

I have a couple of question for you guys that will help satisfy my curiosity. Keep in mind, I do not have an expansion module installed in my Lyr 3 and I stumbled across these things accidentally. They are not functional issues but I am simply wondering if this is normal behaviour for this amp.

1, Theoretically, the Lyr 3 should be silent when you flip the input selection switch up if you do not have the expansion module installed. However, if I turn up the volume all the way on my Lyr 3 in high gain mode, I can actually hear the other channel playing, albeit very silently. This only happens if I use sensitive IEMs. I was just wondering if this is because there is no module installed and whether there would be some channel cross-contamination if I actually had an expansion module installed. This is really more of an academic issue because it is not a problem while listening at normal volume levels.

2. Secondly, after about 25 minutes of warm-up time using the same setup described above, a low volume high-pitched whine appears only in the left channel. It is only present there in the when selecting expansion module mode, not in the RCA analogue input mode. The level of this whine diminishes when volume is turned down. It does not appear for the first 25 minutes of warm-up time.

3. Again, only when the expansion module input is selected and the volume is turned up, touching either the gain or input selector switches produces an audible hum. This does not happen in the analogue RCA input mode regardless of the volume level. I have tested the amp and it is fully grounded.

Keep in mind that any of these quirks appear only when the input switch is in the "module input" mode, and that I do not have a module card installed. It should theoretically be 100% quiet, but it is not. It appears that this input is picking up some kind of interference that is related to grounding and/or thermal expansion. It is not at all a functional issue as the RCA analogue mode is perfectly fine, but I wanted to see what other people's experiences have been. I also wanted to know whether these issues would disappear if I actually had an expansion module card installed.

 

No, it is not theoretically expected to be quiet. When the switch has been set to an unused position, there is no low impedance termination on the signal path in that switch position. It is an antenna just begging to pick up stray interference.

 

In theory you would need mumetal to shield any stray electromagnetic fields, horribly expensive. If you turn up the volume to the max it's kind of expected to hear the other channel unless special care has been taken. No need to worry, nothing's broken.

 

Thank you guys for setting my mind at ease! I also heard back from the Schiit support (within 30 minutes!) and they basically said the same thing.

 

Lyr 3 and Modi 3 arrived today. Very happy with the pair so far. Very clear upgrade for the DT880s from the magni 2 + modi 1 (no surprise), and am liking what they are doing for the TH-X00. Need more time with them on the Legend-X.

 

A coworker handed these vintage 6SN7s my way. Anything special here that I should try first?

 

If that westinghouse is one of the D getter ones people on seem to like them quite a bit in the lyr 3... i haven't heard one though.

 

Definitely not a D getter. The one in the pic has side flashing. I can attest that the D getter (real one) is an outstanding match with the Lyr 3. Actually, I'm gonna be selling it to fund a new DAC purchase, so PM me if you're interested in a near mint Lyr3 with 8 tubes or so.....including the coveted D getter and a Northern Electric (TJ Full music?) 6sn7 (which I think bests them all).