Comments on the 2022 Schiit LISST solid-state “tube” in the Lyr 3
I acquired Schiit’s reintroduced LISST and have been running it in my Lyr 3 for the last couple days.
Testing with the Sennheiser HD 6XX and HD 800S
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The Lyr 3 isn’t a technical amp but the LISST produces the most technical sound I’ve heard from it. The tone is roughly neutral and reflective of the DAC and headphones. Nothing stands out to my ears.
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The LISST gives the very gentle Lyr 3 a slightly harder attack, sharper edges, and more definition, but it remains milder than typical solid state amps. The LISST has a respectably wide soundstage – this contrasts with the narrowness of some true tubes.
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The LISST has a pleasant resonant/harmonic timbre that’s not overpowering and that works with many genres. My thoughts went to spatialized audio, where digital processing simulates surround sound from two speakers. However, the LISST/Lyr 3 sounds natural rather than artificial.
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A LISST contains a couple MOSFETs and gets fairly hot when the Lyr 3 warms up (30 minutes). I can touch and hold the casing but just barely. Regular tubes run slightly hotter, and I also hesitate to touch them because they are glass.
Summary: I’m enjoying the LISST/Lyr 3 combo and am more likely to use this setup than several of my soft, rounded, gentle, and gooey tubes (not to mention the worn or temperamental tubes). The Lyr 3 benefits from definition and bite, and my Lyr had been collecting dust for quite a while.
Appendix: Schiit very firmly warns against using the LISST in non-Schiit amps but I plan try it eventually.