Lyr 3. Absolutely…would type more…on my phone away from house until tomorrow…bh crack…I have not good with clears…the lyr 3 being g a hybrid won’t detract the sound from the clears…great amp…one tube…lots of affordable tubes to play with…
Alex
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I was seconds away from buying a Jot, because I didn’t want to mess with “fiddly tubeness”, but I thought I’d have a quick look at this Lyr thread and after reading the incredible enthusiastic posts from @lost33 and @BuffaloWing , I changed my order and got a Lyr 3, along with Bifrost 2. I love both of them (the Shiit products, not the people, who I’m sure are very nice) because they’re clean, detailed and musical and have a lot more control than my Oppo HA-2. As a tube newbie, I was expecting to hear some “tube magic” in the sound, but to be honest, the Ly3 sounds like a great SS amp to me. I don’t have any TOTL headphones yet, but even my easy to drive Shure 535 IEMs sound better, with more sound stage and more “body”.
There turned out to be no “fiddly tubeness”. There’s just one tube and it was easy to insert, and then there’s nothing to do, other than absentmindedly gaze at it every now and then, because I’ve now discovered tubes are pretty cool to look at. I have no other experience with tubes, so I don’t know where the stock JJ tube stands compared to everything else. But since I now have a 2-3 month wait for my ZMF Verite Opens to arrive, I have already reread this thread for tube advice, and have started googling “best budget tube for Lyr 3”, which I know will turn into “best tube for Lyr 3” (dropping “budget”) at some point. After all, there’s just one tube, so what’s the harm in tinkering? 
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One of the better tubes I’ve heard for the Lyr 3: https://www.ebay.com/itm/333631975396
Westinghouse reliatron D getter 6sn7gtb. Prices have come back down for these too, which is nice.
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Well u made a great choice and imo no need to spend more bucks on this part if the chain. Save for really great headphones…and the good news is what u have will work very well with most anything else out there…
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@ ProfFalkin I’m a little nervous about buying from ebay, especially when I have zero knowledge of tubes. I see that the seller says the tube was “Tested 123/123 on Eico tester” but is that all I should look for? Are there any online stores that you recommend? I’m assuming they would be a little pricier, but I’d be paying for their knowledge and reliability.
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There are 2 places I will buy tubes from who’s reputation I know is solid, and from whom I have never had an issue.
Upscale audio and Brent Jessee. Upscale has cryo treated voodoo crap they are happy to upsell you on, but I know their testing and quality are top notch.
Brent Jessee is a lot less “commercial” than Upscale, but his high end tubes are the best. Returns are no issue, as is his support. He is the first place I look for top end tubes.
As for the eBay vendors, some have their own storefronts on the web, but also sell through eBay. VivaTubes, for example. Generally, those are fairly safe to buy inexpensive tubes from.
I would never buy a $300 Sylvania BadBoy from eBay, because 99.9% of those are not bad boys.
I linked to that tube so that people could see what tube it was that I recommended. I’m not recommending people buy the tube from that seller. If you do, whatever risk there may be in doing so is on you.
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Just wanted to say that the Lyr 3 does indeed sound like a good ss amp. Tube rolling in this amp is not like rolling tubes in other tube amps .
Some will state there are certain tubes that are better than the stock tubes for several reasons. But for me going thru several of these …its amoot point.
The lyr3 is just superb the way it is delivered.
Alex
Note I have bought from upscale as well.
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I tried scheduling a demo at Upscale, but they’re closed during the lockdown. I sent an email to their headphone guru, Evan, regarding their Feliks amps.
Which tube do you have? Probably should get 100 hours or so on it before you decide to switch. I just put in my 4th experiment in tubes with my Lyr 3, and would be happy to send you some tubes to try.
See what’s in the box for the tube I tried a couple of days ago and will keep using as it did make a clear modest improvement.
I think the TungSol that Schiit offered as an upgrade is a very good budget tube. Message me if you want to try. I’m assuming you are in the US as I don’t want to spend or risk international shipping.
I’m not trying to sell the tubes but am open to parting with a couple of them.
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Thanks @pennstac, that’s incredibly nice of you. I have the stock JJ tube. There wasn’t an option for an upgrade tube when I bought it. I’ve had the Lyr about a week and a half (maybe 40-50 hours of playing?) and I think it sounds great, so I’m not necessarily looking to replace the JJ. But the curious audiophile in me wants to know how big a difference there might be, so I may take you up on your offer in a week or two, once I learn how to PM! 
. And yes, I am in the US, in the Chicago area.
And then the carefree Covid spending spree part of me just saw this and I have an absolute craving:
http://psvanetube.com/wordpress/store/products/treasure-globe-6sn7-se-pair-gf-limited-special-edition/
Has anyone tried the Treasure Globe 6SN7-SE? Will something that big even fit in the Lyr? I’ve heard good things about Psvane tubes on this forum. That would look amazing, especially when my ZMF Verites arrive in 3 months. LOL, I really am an audiophile, but it doesn’t hurt to have something that both looks and sounds great. Anyway, to get back to your original point, I really need to walk before I run (or maybe the better analogy is that I should take a driving lesson before I try to drive a Ferrari) and start dabbling in budget tubes first.
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Hi @PaisleyUnderground if you wish to PM someone just click on their icon and hit the message button in the info box that appears.
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That’s exactly what I just installed. It just barely fits.
Early in this thread I talk about the RCA Red Base NOS 5692, which I want to keep for nostalgia reasons, but I can let you try. Schiit Audio - Lyr 3 - Official Thread - #12 by pennstac @Wes_S is the tube guru here that pointed out a rebranded (Philco) Sylvania Bad Boy, which I have been using until I installed the Treasure Globe. Differences were subtle, but there.
Let me know if/when you want to explore the rabbit hole.
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@lost33, how is the Lyr in comparison to the Tuba?
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Now thats a very good question…if you read my review…I stated that the clears were the best ever with the Tuba.
When I wrote the impressions on the Tuba I didnt have the Lyr 3 in house if I recollect…I went back and re-re-read what I posted.
So I am home froma 2 day mini- get away from all the “crap” going on in the world… 
Listening with the Clears with the Lyr 3 right now and the Tuba is warming up and I will get back to an answer to this qustion later after doing some more critical listeming…
Alex
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Thank you, kind Sir! 
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Ok…
The Tuba wins out over the Lyr 3 with the Clears…by a hair…but a good solid hair.
Remember the power output with the Tuba is less than what the mighty Lyr 3 can out…this may be of an issue with all the types of cans out there and you might have.
If we are talking about only the Focal Clears, the Tuba wins out in overall clarity and soundstage. As great as the Lyr 3 is, the Tuba takes it up a nice solif notch here.
The Lyr 3 is often referred to as a good SS amp but even though that is true to some extent…its still a tuba amp, powerful but it still has a bit of that “tubey” influence…while the TUBA is really even mor like a SS amp IMO…very crisp, clean, no distortion and with a set of cans like the Focal Clears its like a sonic “light sabre”…
You may find a tube for the Lyr 3 that would push it more towards the Tuba, but I dont think it will really get there 100%.
If you look at the Tuba’s schematic which Jim has published online, you can see that this amp is running wide “open”…pretty simple…garbage in garbage out mentality…
Put is a nice set of EL84’s in the Tuba its close to perfect as it can get, the only thing better IMO is the ECP Audio T4 for $2K and possibly the Pendant…really higher cost amps…outside of the Lyr 3 and the Tuba for cost/perf for sure.
The Tuba is very special as well as the Lyr3…looking at power hungry cans, the Tuba will let you down somewhat…ie inefficient planars etc…
The soundstage with the Lyr3, may be more of you preference. Ben Harper is like IN your head…I mean IN YOUR HEAD good…whereas with the Tuba its spread out just a tad more…
I would rate them both in the 8.5 to 9 level out of 10…yup both that good…I would adviseyou to have both to audition to…side by side…for me I had and have that chance and could not part with either.
A 10 amp would be an ECP T4 or a Pendant IMO…maybe a Phonitor, but I havent listened with one, yet!
So there ya have it, the TUBA edges out the Lyr3 by a bit…mainly from the more wide soundstage and laser clarity overall…
Alex
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Thanks, Alex.
I really appreciate the thorough response. Now I find myself looking at the T4 thread more so. 
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If you buy a T4, its all over!!..Just enjoy the music!! ha!!
Still going back and forth here with the Lyr and Tuba…both still great amps…
If I get a winning lottery ticket a T4 will be coming this way!!
10/10 with the Tuba…
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Ebay tube vendors are usually OK. Look for sellers who move a lot of tubes. I have a tube tester, and always check them upon receipt. Most seller readings are accurate. I’ve also bought a couple things from Kevin at Upscale. He has good tubes, but be prepared to pay for them. My best source (esrcvacuumtubes) owner just passed away. He had great tubes at great prices. His web site has been disabled.
As @pennstac stated, that red base 5692 is a great tube. Worthy of paying a little extra for.
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I want to clarify something, when I state the Lyr 3 is a tad better than the Jot, its by a relatively small margin…
With some headphones to me its noticeable, ie the Focal Clears…
But with HEDD’s and using high gain and a balanced cable with the JOT, its absolutely spectacular better than the Lyr 3 on this pairing…really super nice…
Alex
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