Schiit Audio - Lyr 3 - Official Thread

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

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Have you run premium tube 5692 in the Lyr3? Wonder if that gets closer to the LISST.

Does the LISST cool as fast as a glass vacuum tube? That always amazed me how fast heated vacuum tubes cooled after being deactivated.

Thanks for the great summary.

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I have no 5692s. I have about a dozen 6SN7s, to include some of the most frequently recommended models. To my ears, the vintage black glass Ken-Rad is the most solid state-like 6SN7 that I own.

I think the LISST’s outer shell is thin pressed aluminum. As the Lyr 3 is made from aluminum too and as the entire amp gets quite hot in use, I don’t perceive any differences from glass in cooling.

Thanks for the nice words.

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Maybe I’m the only one who requested to get a Lyr+ notification, but never got one. Regardless the Lyr+ is now listed in the web store shipping in 1-3 days.

I have one on the way!

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same here, I also never got notified

love to hear what you think of it later :+1:

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I’m curious why you want the Lyr+. What do you believe is superior to the Lyr3?

The biggest advantage over the Lyr 3 is that the Lyr+ is available. I don’t own a Lyr 3.

The new features of the Lyr+ also appeal to me. Because I’m a tube noob, I intend to use it in both tube and solid state modes.

Will it sound better in tube mode than the Lyr3? Maybe but as long as it doesn’t sound worse, I’m in.

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Sorry for the question, I thought you had the Lyr3 and were “upgrading”.

Thanks for the answer. I hope you enjoy.

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I’m comparing the Lyr 3 / LISST to the RebelAmp with the HD 800 S.

The RebelAmp has more extended treble and is a bit cleaner/less resonant than the Lyr 3, but they are about 95% similar. This is expected for two strong Class A solid state amps that differ by a couple MOSFETs. The Lyr is slightly more laid back while the RebelAmp is a bit more precise and versatile.

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Ok I posted initial impressions over on the Lyr+ thread. I intended it to be brief. :flushed:

I’ve just received my LISST after an extra week’s delay due to some “issues” that Schiit was having. I’ve put the Treasure Globe aside for now, and my initial impressions are good. The Lyr3 with LISST is … different. I didn’t have bad soundstage with the Treasure Globe, which was the only tube in the limited number I tried that was clearly better than the RCA 5692 or my now defunct “bad boy”. And those were very very slightly better than the stock tube.

As expected, there is not an OMG, hit you over he head change. The Lyr3 seems a bit more alert. Slightly more crisp. With the 6xx, there is no trace of Sennheiser veil. My Lyr3 is definitely running cooler, and after 15-20 minutes the LISST can easily be touched. Perhaps this can vary a bit depending on placement of the amp and ventilation.

I agree with your original post, regarding more technicality in the sound. Recently I have been listening to the FiiO K9 Pro ESS version with a THX AAA 788+ amplification stage. While I listen to the Lyr 3 attached to the Bifrost 2/64 I know that I’m not going to have a perfect comparison, but I think it is apples to apples, albeit Honeycrisp to Granny Smith. The FiiO - on the one hand has both a crisp, but less dimensional DAC, and a technical, but slightly toned-down amp. The Bifrost 2/64 is very detailed - but I listen to it more through the STAX amp, I think the LISST gives the Lyr 3 a definitely more solid state sound than the STAX and more than it was with the tubes.

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Help me choose one of these tubes for Lyr 3 please.

I decided to hook up my Lyr 3 for a bit, and let it sub for Valhalla 2 for fun.

I have 3 tubes to choose from:

  1. Electro Harmonix 6SN7 standard, from Upscale Audio. It’s a “Kevin’s Stash” which means (supposedly) the best of the bunch, very closely matched, auditioned by the man himself. It’s also been sprinkled with fairy dust and sneezed on by unicorns…

  2. Electro Harmonix 6SN7EH, “gold pins” with red base. Tested and matched, from PCX (Parts Connection, Toronto).

  3. JJ 6SN7 stock tube.

I’ve used all 3, and they are fully burned in. None of them sound “bad” to me, they are all pretty neutral seeming. I’ve never really compared them directly, i.e. start with 1, power down, cool down, swap, warm up again. seems like a fair amount of hassle and then you’re really comparing from memory.

If any of you has any thoughts or strong preferences I’d appreciate your thoughts.

And don’t tell me to get a Treasure Globe please! :smile:
(btw Vic, where did you get yours?)

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I think you should use the stock tube since they all seem pretty neutral to you.

You could lease my Treasure Globe. :wink: Winter is here and I’m using the Folkvangr to keep my cubicle warm.

I bought it secondhand from @jthvac.

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And don’t tell me to get a Treasure Globe please! :smile:
(btw Vic, where did you get yours?)

Ok, I will. Get a treasure globe! One of my all time favorites :wink:

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I’ve tried about a dozen tubes in my Lyr 3. This includes the factory modern Tung-Sol and a wide variety of vintage tubes (see my old summary description here). I also own Schiit’s LISST, their solid-state tube substitute.

My gut tells me your three options will indeed sound about the same. In my experience changes to the physical construction of the tubes, to include glass tube length, plate differences, and internal build variations, deliver the most obvious sound differences. This gives vintage models uniqueness if not superiority, as I alternatively love, feel “meh,” or truly hate some of my vintage “big name” tubes.

Some examples from memory, and can dig up more notes if you want them:

  • The LISST falls in between tubes and the solid state sound – it has the best staging and technicalities of all, but is still laid-back and harmonics-friendly and not unlike my true glass tubes.
  • The Schiit bundled Tung-Sol is pretty neutral. It’s okay but kind of boring…perhaps akin to your 3 tubes.
  • A vintage Ken-Rad black glass is my most technical true tube. It’s a bit softer and rounder but still pretty technical.
  • Vintage Fotons are common, inexpensive, and stereotypically “tubey” – loads of creamy harmonics, thick, and very gentle.

Etc.

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The LSSST is a good thing to get in any case. Like @generic I have a few choices. The LSSST gets a lot of time as does the Treasure Globe. I also like a vintage RCA red base.

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Thanks David, and @generic, that’s helpful!

Maybe I’ll add a LISST to the mix, I’ve considered it before.

I’ll flip a coin to choose an EH for now! :smile:

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To my ears, Lyr is more “precise” than Valhalla, but Valhalla delivers sound with more “ease”. No matter the sound, Valhalla has more than enough room for it to breathe. With Lyr the sound might hit the ceiling, but it never exceeds the capacity available for sound - the sound is just a little sharper than it is on Valhalla.

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You know after thinking it over, I decided to leave Valhalla 2 in place.

For my use case, all it is used for is to drive my ZMFs. It is a baby tube amp, but it sounds pretty heavenly with Atrium, Verite (especially), and Aeolus. It is perfectly suited for them, and has more than enough punch for them. It’s a fun contrast with Burson Soloist GT. :smile:

I should sell my Lyr 3, since I’m not really using it…

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I think that’s an excellent decision. I suspect I too will keep Valhalla even after my DNA arrives. Like you said, it’s a “baby tube amp” but it really does have remarkable synergy with Verite.

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