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Hold down the gain button on the front for two secs and it’ll switch between tube and mosfet modes. Electro harmonix tube was a huge upgrade for me. Less muddy more clarity and air then the shipping tube but still just enough tubiness for a pleasant listening experience.
When I got my SVS Ultra Bookshelves, I got that smile, and still have it. I now have my MT-604 with Soviet Military 6J1P-EV tubes, and my smile just got wider , with many thanks to you and Neil Blanchard. Thank you for your time and effort for this review.
@Rob Wolf , I am sure you will love your Ultras as is, but powering the power amp through the MT-604 just adds to the overall encompassing sound field. I discovered a whole new way of listening with the Ultras that I have never heard in 64 years of listening to music. But I have just fallen down the tube rolling rabbit hole, which is another story altogether. 😂
That’s a very good rabbit hole to fall into, my friend! Btw, I’m also running Voskhod tubes in my mt-604 and love it. It’s such a bummer to me on the headphone side of things that there isn’t a single ended output as well. There are certain headphones (like my Grado hemps) that I’d love to hear on that setup compared with my other solid state gear but can’t as they’re presently hard wired for single ended only. But beggars can’t be choosers, and at $170 for the amp, I’d say that’s an entirely little nitpick with an otherwise well-built good sounding unit.
@@davidcoons89 , thank you so much for your reply and input. I'm still awaiting my second pair of Voskhods before testing the sound with those. I was also told the Siemens were a good tube to try too, and so it continues. 🤪. Take care my friend and enjoy your sound as best you can.
been a fan of Schiit Audio ever since I took a gamble on buying the 1st gen Modi/Magni combo about 7 years ago to drive all of my headphones regardless of impedance. I was blown away. I could not get past how accurate and how much power could come from a $99 headphone amp. Of course the DAC is amazing. Still using the Magni, unfortunately my Modi quit working but it was after the 5 year warranty expired but it ran 24/7 for years. Worth it.
I get what you saying and you right, but we are talking about a 100 dollar product. What did your NAD Cost back then? I’m sure it was more then 100 bucks.
I think that the quality of products in hi-fi is better today. Boards are fiberglass, years ago most were phenolic, connectors and jacks were often sheet or press metal, today many on even lost cost gear are machined, etc. But it could be that modern designs generate more heat, or are stressed more often. Look at rubber grip coatings, many are turning into glue. A lack of long term testing of materials, insulation, and lax controls for Q&A mean that paints, coatings, adhesives aren't lasting decades, but years. Strange with computers leading to closely led tolerances even for cheap parts, yet TVs fail in 4-5 years according to studies, etc. I have thirty years old gear, NAD, Proton, Dynaco, etc., That wasn't built with top shelf components but still work, while I have new gear that fails, built with much higher quality components. Go figure
I bought my first DAC about 4 years ago, the Modi 3. I could not believe the improvement in sound. I had thought the muddy sound I had been getting was because of my cheap headphone amps. It wasn't. I then upgraded my amp to the Lyr 3 and continuing down the rabbit hole. I'm getting a LISST tube for it to find out what sonic differences there are and then will likely try some regular tube rolling. Then it's time to upgrade my headphones.....
In reference to the tube cover and kids, I had to disassemble my subwoofer the other day because there was a strange rattle to the bass. Inside I found several toys they had stuffed in the hole. Now I keep the sub plugged except when in use. 🙂
I am pretty sure that you can find a tube that does give it the bass punch. And a stepped attenuator should not be overlooked - excellent channel balance, and should be silent on the headphones.
Just got my LYR++ and it was an unexpected game changer for me. I tried a variety of my headphones on both analog in from my Modius dac and optical in from my marantz cdp. I liked the stock tube, and I put in the recommended Tung Sol 6sn7GTB. (Because...internet peer pressure). Biggest surprise: Meze 99c. On my Magni 3 and heresy amps my Meze 99 classics were very good. On this amp? They scaled up to beyond what the other amps could do. So yes, the LYR _++ is a BIG upgrade from the magni3 and heresy. All the detail, but FAR more musicality and space now. The low bass (one of the reasons I have the Meze) was phenomenal! This is a better sounding product with more headphones than either the darkvoice or woo wa6. IF you are on the fence, get one. It is THAT good. I like it better than the OTL Jotunheim and asgard too on all my headphones. OH great, now I had to order a bifrost 2/64 instead of my modius maximus.
Dang it Randy! You're reviews, amongst other reasons, are going to force me into getting a second job. 😁 Seriously, I'm so glad that you getting to have fun doing all of your work here.
yes. but, I don't want to be that guy, a $599 for amp is not really cheap anymore for channel named like this. just saying. or am I missing something here?
I just picked one of these up used. It's my first step into tubes after more than a decade of SS at many price points. I've got to say I'm enjoying the hell out of it and it's easily my favorite Schiit product that I own.
This seems like right up my alley to pair with Hifimax XS and Linton speakers. Using the SYS right now, this may be my next upgrade, time to start saving up.
IMHO, Schiit should make an SE input extender switch with ~six inputs (in the same format case as the 'ius' range?) and remote control, to accompany their preamp capable units like the Lyr+.
Another fine review. I was just about to get a Lyr+ when I realized I could have a Freya N for the same price. But then I still needed a headphone amp, so I added a Vali2++. I'm new at this and I'm probably doing it all wrong, but right now my system comprises a WiiM Pro with its DAC bypassed going into a Modi Multibit2. The Modi and a Mani2 go through a SYS into a Loki Mini+, and then to the Freya N. The Freya feeds the Vali and an Aiyima A08 Pro, and also a Fosi TB10D in a different room. And several of those choices were based on your recommendations. So thanks again. 👍
@@davidcoons89 It's great for quick-and-dirty fixes, but its usefulness is pretty limited by it only having four bands. It's better than having no equalizer at all, but I wish I'd gotten a Lokius.
I am a Schitt fan, 3 DACs that stay on constantly, and the Lyr2. The power toggle is still on the back sucks for me. That's one of the reasons I don't use the Lyr2 anymore. The power toggle on the back in my new rack is a no-go. So what I am going to do is try to put a power switch on the front of the Lyr2, if that works out the Lyr+ is next on my list. If anyone has already made that mod please let me know. Thank Randy for the great review.
welcome to the tube world! by swapping the modern junk tube to something decent (vintage)you can get a better tone, but since they used a common designation the 6sn7 it's quite expensive. i recommend trying the greatest hits mullard(smooth) and rca(warm), if you want more clarity GE. enjoy
@@jimfarrell4635 amperex brimar siemens and rca will beat it too. old tung sol's will wipe the floor with it. all the russian modern tubes are made in the same factory i call them all sovteks and they will always lose to vintage.
Sylvania 6SN7: The Sylvania 6SN7 that are the Schiit are the ones with the triangle-shaped cross sections on the plates inside the tube. The plate is the large, dark grey or black structure inside the tube. The 6SN7 being a twin triode, has 2 plate structures. The Sylvania 6SN7 triangle plate tubes were made in the 1940’s and early 1950’s. Later Sylvania 6SN7’s have more traditionally shaped plates with a rectangular cross section. I wish I could send you pictures. BTW, don’t be afraid to try used tubes if you find a brand you would like to try. Also, even though the 6SN7 is billed as a twin triode, meaning both sections perform identically, this isn’t always the case. You may find a very slight channel imbalance with different tubes if the 2 triode sections in the tube aren’t precisely matched.
Something to possibly replace / upgrade my Little Dot Mk III with by the sound of it 🤔 Used as a headphone into BeyerDynamics DT1990 and pre-amp into Aiyima A07 with Mean Well 48V 9.5A PSU (amp and PSU being modded into a chassi atm) playing through Q Acoustics 3030i. Great review Randy, you got me hooked! 🤘😆 Love the fact to be able to switch from tube and solid state.
Electro-Harmonix has Sovtek 6SN7s in stock for a nice price. They me get you where you want to be if you cannot find a reasonable Sylvania NOS. Happy listening 🤘
Very positive pitch! I'm going to keep an eye on this, while scratching this damn itch. Hell, I still haven't got around to rolling the sparkos discrete op-amps into my Aiyima A07. I already know from it's out of the box sound w/32 watt supplied pwr. supply, and that's against all my others with years of sampling genre/designs from tubes to now. loved it all mostly and the A07... it's a keeper. Special note, I ditched the ac to dc route. I now power my class d, tri path and the likes with car batteries :). Zero noise. Thanks for the great reviews and I still love the original intro and my coffee. It the hook that caught me.
The remote control for the stepped attenuator pushes the value through the roof. It sold my Freya S and Asgard 3 and consolidated down to the Lyr+ to serve as preamp and headphone duties. Reduced some cabling clutter too. Could do without the tube though - I don't think it brings any objective difference to be honest. I just run it in SS so I can leave it on full-time. I think this is Schiit's best offering in the entire lineup.
I was considering the Saga + do go with my power amp. Do you feel anything was lost going to the Lyr from the Freya. I like the headphone option. Now they introduced the Kara preamp / Headphone.
Love the power toggle, But I would relocate it to the front, Its such a weird location on the back, Imagine having it in a cabinet and you would have to reach around to try to turn it on/off how awkward would that be?
@@zounds13 I just bought a new boat motor so I'm thinking next Xmas I get a set of Tyrs. I have large speakers that love a lot of power. I am actually using a Crown xli2500 500wpc right now, I never have to worry about power, sounds great but I think the Schiit would maybe give me a little better sound.
@@zounds13 I have been working on it for a while. I am also old, 52, so I have finally got my s*** together and can usually afford a nice purchase for myself once a year. My wife gets the rest. lol My main system is an RME ADI-2 dac, Schiit Freya+Noval, Crown xli2500 amp and several sets of speakers. My favorites are my Cerwin-Vega SL-15 because they just freakin jam. I also have an Onkyo txrz820 AVR in the loop with surround and center speakers. Like I said, it's taken years to get here one upgrade at a time. I just don't like AVR sound for music, too filterd. I went the separates route a long time ago and still feel it's the best way to go, though expensive. What is crazy is I have a few grand invested and in audio circles it's still considered a budget system.
I know that feeling Randy!! I was able to grab a Schiit Freya N on closeout before they sold out and it sounds amazing! It's astonishingly good for the price IMHO. I might have to check this one out. I wonder if it can run a single LISST solid state tube?
Doesn't it make sense to test this with some very good staging speakers in addition to headphones ? Would that show some good comparison ? Maybe the ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0 UB52 ?
using the Schit Lyr+ as pre-amp, towards a Willsenton R8 tube amp. The Tung sol 6sn7 does open the soundstage extra like in your review and the solid stage is more detailed and has more bass, but then lacks the soundstage and open mids. I tube rolked to a Psavane Cossor 6sn7 tube, you will then get the bass, detailed mid, but more open mid and a little more airy then the solid stage. In the end i liked the open sound stage better with original Tung sol, for me a more lively, wider soundstage. still looking for a Sylvania 6sn7
Randy...it's a psychological hold over from your time in the military 😂. When looking down on the tube and holes it's like a Sci-fi Microwave Antenna. 😂
man I have been looking at the schiit gear for awhile. I have heard there magni modi combo and loved it. but i assume i am a oddball cause i love my grado sr80e since i got them (also I got to take a tour of there factory and seen mine assembled ). also love your content. I always love music and have the audiophile label since its more of people that analyze music rather then enjoy it
I just bought it for my Arya and I really love the sound of it, it's delightful, but I have a problem though: it's supposed to be 9.0 watts (around 6 W at the Arya impedance) and able to drive any headphones, but there is no way this amp is 9W. My previous amp was the Hifiman EF400 (4.4 W) and I never pushed it more than 40%, with the Lyr I'm at least at 75% all the time, even in high gain mode...
Talking about people who have more than 1 or2 inputs' what do you think about PJ MIROLAI stereo pre-amp 4 RCA inputs it is a tube pre-amp. $79.00 e-bay
Content suggestion: I wouldn't mind seeing a review of media players? Forgive me if you already have done so. I'm still on the 1st generation logitech slimdevice because it still works and because of its sound. I don't like not having something that will do newer streaming services and the server\client set up a Slimdevice requires. I would like to see someone do reviews of sub $100 and the $100 to $200 category. Thanks in advance!
For Media Players - it's not really ideal to spend a lot of money on one unless you have some super hifi setup. As in reality you are bypassing the DAC/ AMP anyway into a stack. From what I've seen most people use tablets, ipods or some self made Raspberry Pi solution. You can use an app like Hibi's Player to control one device from another. If you really want to get a seperate device - you can get a DAP with pre-outputs, which can double as an on the go device. But fair enough - there are issues with that if you are streaming as the OS would get outdated in a few years.
I don't know if I'm alone in this, but the Lyr+ has a feature that is crucial for me and I don't think it got mentioned. It has a button to switch from the preamp outs to the headphone outs, so no need to plug and unplug my headphones at my desk setup
There's a related issue that isn't discussed. Unfortunately, engaging the pre out switch doesn't switch off the hp output. So you risk overdriving your headphones if you leave them plugged in, depending on how efficient your speakers are, and how loud you listen.
@@davido4872 ah. Too bad. Thanks for letting me know. I wish this feature wasn’t so hard to find. It makes a desktop, work from home setup so nice. I’ve really only found the Drop THX AAA one that does it.
Randy, I like this baby, how is it sound wise compared to the Freya S? I love my Freya S. The S has to be the most underrated preamp out there for the money. It sounds much better than my Freya tube. Any thoughts? Would really appreciate! ;-)
Nice watch! Been looking at a milspec vintage sub with the domed sapphire glass...maybe a San Martin or similar. Not that I need another watch...but they really do look great.
Since they first showed up on Amazon, I’ve always wondered if their Rockville integrated tube amps/receivers are at all worthwhile... For $170 (for the sim woodgrain model or the blue LED one), or $150 for the “plain” model, they seem “too cheap to be good.” With Schitts like these, though-and binging your videos from time to time, over the past couple months-I’ve known fo awhile that “too cheap to be good” isn’t really a thing - and even if Amazon dumped all the Schitts, I’d be more than happily to drop in a Duok or two in my setup! Given some of my “classic” components, though, the woodgrain Rockville would fit so nicely - at least in terms of their visual aesthetic. Without the tubes, it reminds me of my old, mid-‘70s Gerard receiver that my dad gave me when I was a kid, when he was upgrading and gonna throw it away... Among them, though, one of those Rockvilles might be perfect - but I don’t really trust Amazon reviews, as a audiopile. I haven’t seen a review of them, on your site, but so if you could please do (or point me toward) one, that’d be awesome - and greatly appreciated! It might be heartbreaking, but at least I’d know from someone I trust more than anyone I can think of - but to be fair, I did just prep myself pretty good, to listen to some Roxy Music, awhile... Always wonderful videos. Many thanks for those, even if you don’t take requests! Cheers, Carson
As the cheapaudioman slowly gets better stuff... ..he hears it sounds better.. ..he realises he wants more expensive gear... ..he saves up for really expensive gear..
I've owned 2 Lyrs and loved both along with Schiit in general. It's a great sound for the price point. I'm not sure I would be super excited to spend $2k on the Folkvangr but the Lyr + is a great value.
If SOME (not all) of the many digital tracks someone might be listening to are a tad strident, being able to apply some of that juicy analog schmoozing that tube circuits are famous for, this would be the bee's knees. Choice is a good thing.
I would like for you to have a look at the Stax Earspeakers, like the SR-L500 MKII. You just have to be brave to put something on your head with that much current and resistance. But people told me that they are unreal in terms of soundstaging.
@@TheDanEdwards Sure and when I go to a museum I deliberately wear the wrong prescription glasses so that the paintings look warmer. Relativity does not entail that there a best and correct way for the senses to engage with the world.
@@JamesJoyce12 It's almost like you don't know that galleries and museums curate their lighting choices. And no, SR and GR have nothing to do with art appreciation.
Thanks for the shout out to a great home grown headphone manufacturer and the ETA Mini Semi-Closed. I, like you am not ready for a tube power am but like the option that the Lry+ gives to have tube pre-amp. I am currently boycotting all Russian made product therefore the Tung Sol 6SN7gtb is not my 1st choice. I plan to purchase the EH Gold but am also considering the the Ultrasone PRO 780i or the Sylvania 6SN 7GTB as and am wondering if anyone here has any recommendations? I primarily chose this amp over Singxer SA-1 due to the more ‘real’ higher power output that is said to be 5 watts @ 50ohm so I can pair it with my Hifiman HE6 SE. I really like this pairing but with the lower ‘high’ gain and linear volume control it has me set the Lyr+ to 3 o’ clock position to get decent volumes with this pairing. I was wondering if you or anyone could recommend a comparable single ended DAC…. I understand that the Bifrost 2/64 is better sounding as balanced.
So it's my understanding your video is telling me that this gear is the schiit! So does that mean I have to buy more Schiit in order to have a complete schiit? Or is it possible that I can buy one piece of schiit and add it to my own schiit. Or then I might have too much schiit? Okay I'll show myself out now 😂
@7:00 tubes take a while to settle and sound their best. If it's a NOS it has probably been on a shelf for 50 years. I would be interested to see if they don't sound better after some hours of play.
Hey randy, Cool video! I like the amp! I had a quick question... Have you tested USB Audio Interfaces like the Focusrite Scarlett? That's how I get audio out of my computer. I need it to get audio into my computer anyway. Wondering how they compare as a DAC. Thanks!
S0 using the lyr woith tube for headphone you get a nice warm sound like your surrounded;] By the music. Do you have the same effect if used as a pre amp and played through your integrated amp and speakers ? Same warm sound and soundstage etc.
Would you recommend this solely as a pre-amp? I just rebuilt my grandfather's orginal McIntosh MC275 and was thinking of also getting the Geshelli Labs DAC for a 2 channel system. I just need a pre-amp with a remote to control the volume, so this looks like it might be a good fit.
Add the Bose Sound link Mini 2 to your audio collection. It's great enough to earn respect from me. The only downside about this speaker is that its rolloff frequency is 11khz on the upper end, and 80hz on the lower end. But I think that is for the overall design balance.
Randy, at about 4:25 you start talking about the remote and moan and groan about not being able to switch between MOSFET and tube on the unit itself. i call BS: from Lyr+ faqs: "Do I have to pull the tube out to switch modes? No. If you have a tube installed, you can switch between tube and solid state modes via the remote. You can also press and hold the gain switch for 4 seconds, and when you release the button, it will switch modes. With no tube installed, Lyr+ only allows you to use solid state, of course." unfortunately, Schitt has missed the opportunity to include this tidbit in the owners manual. shame on them! my upgrade path is: BIFROST TRUE MULTIBIT™ AUTONOMY™ DAC WITH UNISON USB™, LOKIUS 6-BAND BALANCED TONE CONTROL (which will also allow switching between), LYR FUSION ARCHITECTURE™ HEADPHONE AMP AND PREAMP (tube amp) and JOTUNHEIM MODULAR NEXUS™ AND CONTINUITY S™ BALANCED HEADPHONE AMP AND PREAMP (so;id state, no add-in cards.) i'm thinking Mike & co should fix the owner's manual! cheers!
here is my $300 question to you, sir : can I use my DAC to feed this for earphone listening and use the RCA outputs to feed an integrated amplifier for home stereo listening?
Does your integrated amp have a main in/ av bypass? The preamp output is variable so ideally you’d want to bypass the preamp section of your integrated amp.
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Sir did you try it as a preamp?Would you recommend it as a preamp?
Think you'll ever review an Outlaw Audio RR Receiver? Such a value...
Hold down the gain button on the front for two secs and it’ll switch between tube and mosfet modes. Electro harmonix tube was a huge upgrade for me. Less muddy more clarity and air then the shipping tube but still just enough tubiness for a pleasant listening experience.
One of the best things about adding DACs or tube buffer amps to vintage gear is being able to use the switched outlet and leaving the power switch on.
When I got my SVS Ultra Bookshelves, I got that smile, and still have it. I now have my MT-604 with Soviet Military 6J1P-EV tubes, and my smile just got wider , with many thanks to you and Neil Blanchard. Thank you for your time and effort for this review.
Not what I needed to read as I’m considering pulling the trigger on some SVS Ultras! :)
@Rob Wolf , I am sure you will love your Ultras as is, but powering the power amp through the MT-604 just adds to the overall encompassing sound field. I discovered a whole new way of listening with the Ultras that I have never heard in 64 years of listening to music. But I have just fallen down the tube rolling rabbit hole, which is another story altogether. 😂
That’s a very good rabbit hole to fall into, my friend! Btw, I’m also running Voskhod tubes in my mt-604 and love it. It’s such a bummer to me on the headphone side of things that there isn’t a single ended output as well. There are certain headphones (like my Grado hemps) that I’d love to hear on that setup compared with my other solid state gear but can’t as they’re presently hard wired for single ended only. But beggars can’t be choosers, and at $170 for the amp, I’d say that’s an entirely little nitpick with an otherwise well-built good sounding unit.
@@davidcoons89 , thank you so much for your reply and input. I'm still awaiting my second pair of Voskhods before testing the sound with those. I was also told the Siemens were a good tube to try too, and so it continues. 🤪. Take care my friend and enjoy your sound as best you can.
What’s the sound like on those?
been a fan of Schiit Audio ever since I took a gamble on buying the 1st gen Modi/Magni combo about 7 years ago to drive all of my headphones regardless of impedance. I was blown away. I could not get past how accurate and how much power could come from a $99 headphone amp. Of course the DAC is amazing. Still using the Magni, unfortunately my Modi quit working but it was after the 5 year warranty expired but it ran 24/7 for years. Worth it.
I get what you saying and you right, but we are talking about a 100 dollar product. What did your NAD Cost back then? I’m sure it was more then 100 bucks.
I think that the quality of products in hi-fi is better today. Boards are fiberglass, years ago most were phenolic, connectors and jacks were often sheet or press metal, today many on even lost cost gear are machined, etc. But it could be that modern designs generate more heat, or are stressed more often. Look at rubber grip coatings, many are turning into glue. A lack of long term testing of materials, insulation, and lax controls for Q&A mean that paints, coatings, adhesives aren't lasting decades, but years. Strange with computers leading to closely led tolerances even for cheap parts, yet TVs fail in 4-5 years according to studies, etc. I have thirty years old gear, NAD, Proton, Dynaco, etc., That wasn't built with top shelf components but still work, while I have new gear that fails, built with much higher quality components. Go figure
I bought my first DAC about 4 years ago, the Modi 3. I could not believe the improvement in sound. I had thought the muddy sound I had been getting was because of my cheap headphone amps. It wasn't. I then upgraded my amp to the Lyr 3 and continuing down the rabbit hole. I'm getting a LISST tube for it to find out what sonic differences there are and then will likely try some regular tube rolling. Then it's time to upgrade my headphones.....
I'm still using my 1st gen stack, too, it's been, what, 10 years at least
In reference to the tube cover and kids, I had to disassemble my subwoofer the other day because there was a strange rattle to the bass. Inside I found several toys they had stuffed in the hole. Now I keep the sub plugged except when in use. 🙂
Yes received a gershelli DAC and such quality and amazing staff . That’s my new present
I am pretty sure that you can find a tube that does give it the bass punch. And a stepped attenuator should not be overlooked - excellent channel balance, and should be silent on the headphones.
Sorry I miss the review using this as a preamp with amp into speakers.
Just got my LYR++ and it was an unexpected game changer for me. I tried a variety of my headphones on both analog in from my Modius dac and optical in from my marantz cdp. I liked the stock tube, and I put in the recommended Tung Sol 6sn7GTB. (Because...internet peer pressure). Biggest surprise: Meze 99c. On my Magni 3 and heresy amps my Meze 99 classics were very good. On this amp? They scaled up to beyond what the other amps could do. So yes, the LYR _++ is a BIG upgrade from the magni3 and heresy. All the detail, but FAR more musicality and space now. The low bass (one of the reasons I have the Meze) was phenomenal! This is a better sounding product with more headphones than either the darkvoice or woo wa6.
IF you are on the fence, get one. It is THAT good. I like it better than the OTL Jotunheim and asgard too on all my headphones.
OH great, now I had to order a bifrost 2/64 instead of my modius maximus.
Dang it Randy! You're reviews, amongst other reasons, are going to force me into getting a second job. 😁
Seriously, I'm so glad that you getting to have fun doing all of your work here.
yes. but, I don't want to be that guy, a $599 for amp is not really cheap anymore for channel named like this. just saying. or am I missing something here?
I just picked one of these up used. It's my first step into tubes after more than a decade of SS at many price points. I've got to say I'm enjoying the hell out of it and it's easily my favorite Schiit product that I own.
This seems like right up my alley to pair with Hifimax XS and Linton speakers. Using the SYS right now, this may be my next upgrade, time to start saving up.
Time to start saving $'s for one. Love your Schiity reviews, keep up the great work.
I used NOS Sylvania tubes in my Freya + and they transformed it. Much better than the run of the mill Russian tubes.
IMHO, Schiit should make an SE input extender switch with ~six inputs (in the same format case as the 'ius' range?) and remote control, to accompany their preamp capable units like the Lyr+.
Another fine review. I was just about to get a Lyr+ when I realized I could have a Freya N for the same price. But then I still needed a headphone amp, so I added a Vali2++.
I'm new at this and I'm probably doing it all wrong, but right now my system comprises a WiiM Pro with its DAC bypassed going into a Modi Multibit2. The Modi and a Mani2 go through a SYS into a Loki Mini+, and then to the Freya N. The Freya feeds the Vali and an Aiyima A08 Pro, and also a Fosi TB10D in a different room.
And several of those choices were based on your recommendations. So thanks again. 👍
How you been liking the Loki mini +?
@@davidcoons89 It's great for quick-and-dirty fixes, but its usefulness is pretty limited by it only having four bands. It's better than having no equalizer at all, but I wish I'd gotten a Lokius.
@@zounds13 thanks for the feedback bud! I’ve been looking at the Lokius a ton. You gonna grab one eventually?
@@davidcoons89 NP. Yeah, I'm gonna have to.
Long pressing the gain switch toggles tube/mosfet (don't need the remote).
I am a Schitt fan, 3 DACs that stay on constantly, and the Lyr2. The power toggle is still on the back sucks for me. That's one of the reasons I don't use the Lyr2 anymore. The power toggle on the back in my new rack is a no-go. So what I am going to do is try to put a power switch on the front of the Lyr2, if that works out the Lyr+ is next on my list. If anyone has already made that mod please let me know. Thank Randy for the great review.
welcome to the tube world! by swapping the modern junk tube to something decent (vintage)you can get a better tone, but since they used a common designation the 6sn7 it's quite expensive. i recommend trying the greatest hits mullard(smooth) and rca(warm), if you want more clarity GE. enjoy
I think it's a bit unfair to describe Tung-sol tubes as junk but I agree that a good NOS Mullard will beat it.
@@jimfarrell4635 amperex brimar siemens and rca will beat it too. old tung sol's will wipe the floor with it. all the russian modern tubes are made in the same factory i call them all sovteks and they will always lose to vintage.
Sylvania 6SN7: The Sylvania 6SN7 that are the Schiit are the ones with the triangle-shaped cross sections on the plates inside the tube. The plate is the large, dark grey or black structure inside the tube. The 6SN7 being a twin triode, has 2 plate structures. The Sylvania 6SN7 triangle plate tubes were made in the 1940’s and early 1950’s. Later Sylvania 6SN7’s have more traditionally shaped plates with a rectangular cross section. I wish I could send you pictures. BTW, don’t be afraid to try used tubes if you find a brand you would like to try. Also, even though the 6SN7 is billed as a twin triode, meaning both sections perform identically, this isn’t always the case. You may find a very slight channel imbalance with different tubes if the 2 triode sections in the tube aren’t precisely matched.
Where can I find one?
welcome to the world of tubes!! long time guitarist here, have fun with them!
Something to possibly replace / upgrade my Little Dot Mk III with by the sound of it 🤔
Used as a headphone into BeyerDynamics DT1990 and pre-amp into Aiyima A07 with Mean Well 48V 9.5A PSU (amp and PSU being modded into a chassi atm) playing through Q Acoustics 3030i.
Great review Randy, you got me hooked! 🤘😆
Love the fact to be able to switch from tube and solid state.
You need to start tube rolling. RCA tubes would have good low end.
Just ordered my Binge Listen Mug! Happy to support the channel 👍
Electro-Harmonix has Sovtek 6SN7s in stock for a nice price. They me get you where you want to be if you cannot find a reasonable Sylvania NOS. Happy listening 🤘
I saw your twin in Denver, CO at the Springsteen concert this past Thursday. Love you reviews.
Very positive pitch! I'm going to keep an eye on this, while scratching this damn itch. Hell, I still haven't got around to rolling the sparkos discrete op-amps into my Aiyima A07. I already know from it's out of the box sound w/32 watt supplied pwr. supply, and that's against all my others with years of sampling genre/designs from tubes to now. loved it all mostly and the A07... it's a keeper. Special note, I ditched the ac to dc route. I now power my class d, tri path and the likes with car batteries :). Zero noise. Thanks for the great reviews and I still love the original intro and my coffee. It the hook that caught me.
This review has finally convinced me to give tubes a chance.
The remote control for the stepped attenuator pushes the value through the roof. It sold my Freya S and Asgard 3 and consolidated down to the Lyr+ to serve as preamp and headphone duties. Reduced some cabling clutter too. Could do without the tube though - I don't think it brings any objective difference to be honest. I just run it in SS so I can leave it on full-time. I think this is Schiit's best offering in the entire lineup.
I was considering the Saga + do go with my power amp. Do you feel anything was lost going to the Lyr from the Freya. I like the headphone option. Now they introduced the Kara preamp / Headphone.
Love the power toggle, But I would relocate it to the front, Its such a weird location on the back, Imagine having it in a cabinet and you would have to reach around to try to turn it on/off how awkward would that be?
I have the freya+N, love it. I am thinking about purchasing a set of their amps in the future.
Me too. I think I'm going to have to get at least one Vidar2.
@@zounds13 I just bought a new boat motor so I'm thinking next Xmas I get a set of Tyrs. I have large speakers that love a lot of power. I am actually using a Crown xli2500 500wpc right now, I never have to worry about power, sounds great but I think the Schiit would maybe give me a little better sound.
@@ericnortan9012 your stereo budget is a lot bigger than mine LOL. Sounds like an awesome system though.
@@zounds13 I have been working on it for a while. I am also old, 52, so I have finally got my s*** together and can usually afford a nice purchase for myself once a year. My wife gets the rest. lol
My main system is an RME ADI-2 dac, Schiit Freya+Noval, Crown xli2500 amp and several sets of speakers. My favorites are my Cerwin-Vega SL-15 because they just freakin jam. I also have an Onkyo txrz820 AVR in the loop with surround and center speakers. Like I said, it's taken years to get here one upgrade at a time. I just don't like AVR sound for music, too filterd. I went the separates route a long time ago and still feel it's the best way to go, though expensive. What is crazy is I have a few grand invested and in audio circles it's still considered a budget system.
When I first watched you early on I thought you would fall down the audio rabbit hole. How can one not. 😅.
I know that feeling Randy!! I was able to grab a Schiit Freya N on closeout before they sold out and it sounds amazing! It's astonishingly good for the price IMHO. I might have to check this one out. I wonder if it can run a single LISST solid state tube?
I got a Freya N too and I'm loving it.
Doesn't it make sense to test this with some very good staging speakers in addition to headphones ? Would that show some good comparison ? Maybe the ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0 UB52 ?
Fantastic Review. Can't wait to see a Product update when tube rolled.
first impressions that looks so good, hate when they make tube amps look like retro stuff or right from ali express.. this is great looking
Before I knew it my Sundays were starting with a cup of coffee and the latest video from cheap audio man lol
Glowing review...I would love to hear this as a preamp.
Would be a great pairing with one of Schiit's EQ's.
Great video, reasonable advices, pulled the trigger. Now I have to resist switcheroo temptations for the next five years (tube rolling is fair).
Almost forgot to "hit" the like button. Thanks for the reminder! Great videos :-) I've learned a ton. Thanks for the hard work!
using the Schit Lyr+ as pre-amp, towards a Willsenton R8 tube amp. The Tung sol 6sn7 does open the soundstage extra like in your review and the solid stage is more detailed and has more bass, but then lacks the soundstage and open mids. I tube rolked to a Psavane Cossor 6sn7 tube, you will then get the bass, detailed mid, but more open mid and a little more airy then the solid stage. In the end i liked the open sound stage better with original Tung sol, for me a more lively, wider soundstage. still looking for a Sylvania 6sn7
Randy...it's a psychological hold over from your time in the military 😂. When looking down on the tube and holes it's like a Sci-fi Microwave Antenna. 😂
Randy you're a genius, I was just looking at this amp.
For better low end you seek I'd recommend Tung Sol VT231 black glass or my fav. Ken Rad VT231 black glass. Love your reviews BTW!
Definitely loved the Lyr+ its like a super preamp headphone amp killer deal!
man I have been looking at the schiit gear for awhile. I have heard there magni modi combo and loved it. but i assume i am a oddball cause i love my grado sr80e since i got them (also I got to take a tour of there factory and seen mine assembled ). also love your content. I always love music and have the audiophile label since its more of people that analyze music rather then enjoy it
I love my Grado 80e set too. I recently got the Vali and it's a match made in heaven.
I love my Schiit. I have a Loki EQ and a Modi+ DAC.
The power button needs to be on the front, or at least allow the unit to be powered on with the remote.
A grape uncrustable! 🤣🤣🤣 Oddly specific.
I just bought it for my Arya and I really love the sound of it, it's delightful, but I have a problem though: it's supposed to be 9.0 watts (around 6 W at the Arya impedance) and able to drive any headphones, but there is no way this amp is 9W. My previous amp was the Hifiman EF400 (4.4 W) and I never pushed it more than 40%, with the Lyr I'm at least at 75% all the time, even in high gain mode...
Glad you liked it. You could just leave it on and turn the tube off on remote when not in use. No need to flip switch on back. Is that correct?
Talking about people who have more than 1 or2 inputs' what do you think about PJ MIROLAI stereo pre-amp 4 RCA inputs it is a tube pre-amp. $79.00 e-bay
Content suggestion: I wouldn't mind seeing a review of media players? Forgive me if you already have done so. I'm still on the 1st generation logitech slimdevice because it still works and because of its sound. I don't like not having something that will do newer streaming services and the server\client set up a Slimdevice requires. I would like to see someone do reviews of sub $100 and the $100 to $200 category. Thanks in advance!
For Media Players - it's not really ideal to spend a lot of money on one unless you have some super hifi setup. As in reality you are bypassing the DAC/ AMP anyway into a stack. From what I've seen most people use tablets, ipods or some self made Raspberry Pi solution. You can use an app like Hibi's Player to control one device from another. If you really want to get a seperate device - you can get a DAP with pre-outputs, which can double as an on the go device. But fair enough - there are issues with that if you are streaming as the OS would get outdated in a few years.
Valhalla 2 is my headphone amp.. I love it it pairs well for me with the DT1990 Pro and now Focal Radiance
I don't know if I'm alone in this, but the Lyr+ has a feature that is crucial for me and I don't think it got mentioned. It has a button to switch from the preamp outs to the headphone outs, so no need to plug and unplug my headphones at my desk setup
There's a related issue that isn't discussed. Unfortunately, engaging the pre out switch doesn't switch off the hp output. So you risk overdriving your headphones if you leave them plugged in, depending on how efficient your speakers are, and how loud you listen.
@@davido4872 ah. Too bad. Thanks for letting me know. I wish this feature wasn’t so hard to find. It makes a desktop, work from home setup so nice. I’ve really only found the Drop THX AAA one that does it.
Randy, I like this baby, how is it sound wise compared to the Freya S? I love my Freya S. The S has to be the most underrated preamp out there for the money. It sounds much better than my Freya tube. Any thoughts? Would really appreciate! ;-)
Every time your scene change music kicks in I'm expecting Jay-z and Foxy Brown to start collabbing over it like it's '97 again.
Is it as good as preamp with amp and speakers? Thank you!
Nice watch! Been looking at a milspec vintage sub with the domed sapphire glass...maybe a San Martin or similar. Not that I need another watch...but they really do look great.
Hi Randy, thanks for the great review! How does Lyr+ compare to your Akitika preamp?
ETA Modifies Sony headphones. Those were MRD-V6s.
Since they first showed up on Amazon, I’ve always wondered if their Rockville integrated tube amps/receivers are at all worthwhile... For $170 (for the sim woodgrain model or the blue LED one), or $150 for the “plain” model, they seem “too cheap to be good.”
With Schitts like these, though-and binging your videos from time to time, over the past couple months-I’ve known fo awhile that “too cheap to be good” isn’t really a thing - and even if Amazon dumped all the Schitts, I’d be more than happily to drop in a Duok or two in my setup!
Given some of my “classic” components, though, the woodgrain Rockville would fit so nicely - at least in terms of their visual aesthetic. Without the tubes, it reminds me of my old, mid-‘70s Gerard receiver that my dad gave me when I was a kid, when he was upgrading and gonna throw it away... Among them, though, one of those Rockvilles might be perfect - but I don’t really trust Amazon reviews, as a audiopile.
I haven’t seen a review of them, on your site, but so if you could please do (or point me toward) one, that’d be awesome - and greatly appreciated! It might be heartbreaking, but at least I’d know from someone I trust more than anyone I can think of - but to be fair, I did just prep myself pretty good, to listen to some Roxy Music, awhile...
Always wonderful videos. Many thanks for those, even if you don’t take requests!
Cheers, Carson
As the cheapaudioman slowly gets better stuff...
..he hears it sounds better..
..he realises he wants more expensive gear...
..he saves up for really expensive gear..
I have a pair of 50’s Sylvania 6ak5’s in my MT602, they have the most space, they’re my favs
I've owned 2 Lyrs and loved both along with Schiit in general. It's a great sound for the price point. I'm not sure I would be super excited to spend $2k on the Folkvangr but the Lyr + is a great value.
If SOME (not all) of the many digital tracks someone might be listening to are a tad strident, being able to apply some of that juicy analog schmoozing that tube circuits are famous for, this would be the bee's knees. Choice is a good thing.
Looks like it's gonna cannibalize the Saga+ sales. Looks better too.
Different price point
Love the channel and always wonder what watch he's wearing
I would like for you to have a look at the Stax Earspeakers, like the SR-L500 MKII.
You just have to be brave to put something on your head with that much current and resistance. But people told me that they are unreal in terms of soundstaging.
lol... so introducing distortion via a buffer is a good thing - well at least we know what people like
voltage gain, tubes are extremely linear
Maxwell's equations are irrelevant when it comes to what humans seek.
What is the point of listening to music?
@@TheDanEdwards Sure and when I go to a museum I deliberately wear the wrong prescription glasses so that the paintings look warmer. Relativity does not entail that there a best and correct way for the senses to engage with the world.
@@JamesJoyce12 It's almost like you don't know that galleries and museums curate their lighting choices.
And no, SR and GR have nothing to do with art appreciation.
Thanks for the shout out to a great home grown headphone manufacturer and the ETA Mini Semi-Closed.
I, like you am not ready for a tube power am but like the option that the Lry+ gives to have tube pre-amp.
I am currently boycotting all Russian made product therefore the Tung Sol 6SN7gtb is not my 1st choice. I plan to purchase the EH Gold but am also considering the the Ultrasone PRO 780i or the Sylvania 6SN 7GTB as and am wondering if anyone here has any recommendations?
I primarily chose this amp over Singxer SA-1 due to the more ‘real’ higher power output that is said to be 5 watts @ 50ohm so I can pair it with my Hifiman HE6 SE. I really like this pairing but with the lower ‘high’ gain and linear volume control it has me set the Lyr+ to 3 o’ clock position to get decent volumes with this pairing.
I was wondering if you or anyone could recommend a comparable single ended DAC…. I understand that the Bifrost 2/64 is better sounding as balanced.
ETA headphones are very underrated
So it's my understanding your video is telling me that this gear is the schiit!
So does that mean I have to buy more
Schiit in order to have a complete schiit?
Or is it possible that I can buy one piece of schiit and add it to my own schiit.
Or then I might have too much schiit?
Okay I'll show myself out now 😂
Did you test it on speakers as a pre amp? I can’t find any videos of people doing this test 😢
Try the drop 6xx on this unit, may change your mind on them in tube mode.
@7:00 tubes take a while to settle and sound their best. If it's a NOS it has probably been on a shelf for 50 years. I would be interested to see if they don't sound better after some hours of play.
it's a modern tung sol made in russia. a proper 6sn7 nos cost half the unit price.
@@yaniv-nos-tubes I figured it would be expensive. I think I still mentally live a decade or so ago when tube prices were high but not crazy crazy.
That's some good Schiit!
Hey randy, Cool video! I like the amp!
I had a quick question... Have you tested USB Audio Interfaces like the Focusrite Scarlett? That's how I get audio out of my computer. I need it to get audio into my computer anyway. Wondering how they compare as a DAC.
Thanks!
S0 using the lyr woith tube for headphone you get a nice warm sound like your surrounded;] By the music. Do you have the same effect if used as a pre amp and played through your integrated amp and speakers ? Same warm sound and soundstage etc.
That unit is badass
Could you comment on your experience tube rolling with the Lyr?
Would you recommend this solely as a pre-amp? I just rebuilt my grandfather's orginal McIntosh MC275 and was thinking of also getting the Geshelli Labs DAC for a 2 channel system. I just need a pre-amp with a remote to control the volume, so this looks like it might be a good fit.
Who doesn't like some great Schiit
Ever thought about using your room subs and wearing your headphones?
Damn you - that review is just going to make me more broke... Nicely done!
Gerard, you will be helping the economy, so thanks!
do you recommend the valhalla 2, vali or lyr? :)
Yeah the Willsenton R8
A dac with pre out would be way cooler…
Ooohhh, Must Try😮😮
Add the Bose Sound link Mini 2 to your audio collection. It's great enough to earn respect from me.
The only downside about this speaker is that its rolloff frequency is 11khz on the upper end, and 80hz on the lower end. But I think that is for the overall design balance.
Have you tried the xduoo mt-604? A comparison with similar would be cool. Is this hybrid in tube mode?
Just curious, but why do you pronounce it "Schkitt" rather than "Schiit?"
Randy, at about 4:25 you start talking about the remote and moan and groan about not being able to switch between MOSFET and tube on the unit itself.
i call BS: from Lyr+ faqs:
"Do I have to pull the tube out to switch modes?
No. If you have a tube installed, you can switch between tube and solid state modes via the remote. You can also press and hold the gain switch for 4 seconds, and when you release the button, it will switch modes. With no tube installed, Lyr+ only allows you to use solid state, of course."
unfortunately, Schitt has missed the opportunity to include this tidbit in the owners manual. shame on them!
my upgrade path is: BIFROST TRUE MULTIBIT™ AUTONOMY™ DAC WITH UNISON USB™, LOKIUS 6-BAND BALANCED TONE CONTROL (which will also allow switching between), LYR
FUSION ARCHITECTURE™ HEADPHONE AMP AND PREAMP (tube amp) and JOTUNHEIM MODULAR NEXUS™ AND CONTINUITY S™ BALANCED HEADPHONE AMP AND PREAMP (so;id state, no add-in cards.)
i'm thinking Mike & co should fix the owner's manual!
cheers!
In the saga preamp, the sylvania gtb sounded best to me.
Would have loved to find out how it is as a pre amp, as for headphones I have gone Bluetooth and am not looking back.
Why is the tube glowing while it's in your hand? Am I seeing that wrong?
I hit "Like" because I actually Like your videos. Also, I made this comment to assuage the algorithm fairies.
here is my $300 question to you, sir : can I use my DAC to feed this for earphone listening and use the RCA outputs to feed an integrated amplifier for home stereo listening?
Does your integrated amp have a main in/ av bypass? The preamp output is variable so ideally you’d want to bypass the preamp section of your integrated amp.