• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Review and Measurements of Schiit LYR 2 Amplifier

bravomail

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Oct 19, 2018
Messages
817
Likes
461
Thx for review, Amir! If anything, headphone manufacturers should flock to Schiit and ask it to do more devices like Lyr 3, to increase headphone sales! :) :D
 

Dana reed

Active Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2018
Messages
244
Likes
245
Where did you get those tubes? After I get this amp back from Amir, I may try some tube rolling.

Sadly, I don't have any other tubes for this amp (yet). I have been using it exclusively with LISST after I found that I subjectively preferred their sound. Curious to see that Schiit have now discontinued them, I wonder why?
I got the tubes here, and sprung the extra few bucks for a matched set
https://www.tubedepot.com/t/brands/genalex

They discontinued the LISST at the end of last year because they didn’t sell well and were a pain to assemble. Oh well, I have a pair of them for this amp and also four of them for my Freya preamp. They should last for a while being SS.
 

Jimster480

Major Contributor
Joined
Jan 26, 2018
Messages
2,880
Likes
2,032
Location
Tampa Bay
The measurements are "okay" but honestly the price is too high.... and as some others have said; this unit has been reported to kill headphones.
Better to stay away from something that could possibly kill headphones (or your hearing) if there is a problem...
 

garbulky

Major Contributor
Joined
Feb 14, 2018
Messages
1,510
Likes
827
It was grounded. I assume output impedance is independent of input gain.
I'm just curious how they are managing the low gain. If it is by means of a resistor the output impedance might be particularly high in low gain mode.
 

solderdude

Grand Contributor
Joined
Jul 21, 2018
Messages
15,891
Likes
35,912
Location
The Neitherlands
In case of the Lyr2 (which is a hybrid) the output impedance is low in both gain settings.
It is below 0.3 Ohm in both gain settings.
Output Impedance: 0.3 ohms, high gain (worst case)

With the Valhalla 2 the gain settings do affect the output impedance directly, more feedback = lower gain = lower output impedance in this particular case (single ended tube output)
Output Impedance: 14 ohms (high gain), 3.5 ohms (low gain)
 

Electrohm

Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2019
Messages
27
Likes
31
Weird...
I have a Lyr 2 and it sounds super clean yet powerful to me...

I would have guessed that it measures way better than this in the Sinad department
 

Dana reed

Active Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2018
Messages
244
Likes
245
Weird...
I have a Lyr 2 and it sounds super clean yet powerful to me...

I would have guessed that it measures way better than this in the Sinad department
From listening you probably would never notice a 2nd harmonic at -90 dB. The only headphones I don't use with this thing are IEMs, since I can hear the noise floor with those. But who knows why I'd even try using IEMs on something that can put several watts into them? It rocks out with a pair of Beyer T1s.
 

Cosmik

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 24, 2016
Messages
3,075
Likes
2,180
Location
UK
It is possible though that DC could appear on the output (resulting in a loud and sharp 'tick' when the relay kicks in) that could destroy headphones.
Add to that TH-X00 drivers are 25 Ohm and the Lyr-3 can deliver peaks in excess of 8W in it (when something bad happens)
I find this sort of thing incredible. Someone could easily plug in-ear headphones into this thing, and whether or not it was the amp that went wrong or what was feeding it, the idea that something non-'medical grade' and potentially >8W is connected to something right in your ears seems... foolhardy. If the noise doesn't get you, the flames will. Maybe headphones are inherently fused..? Do we know that? Do we know that 'boutique' headphone companies know that they should be fused..? I doubt it. Why do people trust the design skills of these people at all, given their track record?
 

Electrohm

Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2019
Messages
27
Likes
31
From listening you probably would never notice a 2nd harmonic at -90 dB. The only headphones I don't use with this thing are IEMs, since I can hear the noise floor with those. But who knows why I'd even try using IEMs on something that can put several watts into them? It rocks out with a pair of Beyer T1s.

well not that you put it like that...
Second harmonic at -90db doesn't sound bad at all.
The graphs just make it look allot worse
But I'm more used to looking at the DAC graphs which usually looks allot less messy for a good porduct
 

Electrohm

Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2019
Messages
27
Likes
31
I find this sort of thing incredible. Someone could easily plug in-ear headphones into this thing, and whether or not it was the amp that went wrong or what was feeding it, the idea that something non-'medical grade' and potentially >8W is connected to something right in your ears seems... foolhardy. If the noise doesn't get you, the flames will. Maybe headphones are inherently fused..? Do we know that? Do we know that 'boutique' headphone companies know that they should be fused..? I doubt it. Why do people trust the design skills of these people at all, given their track record?
The excess power is so you can be sure whatever power hungry headphone you plug into it it will power it properly
Especially low sensitivity, low impedance Planars.
Those need immense power to sound as good as they can.
 

Dana reed

Active Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2018
Messages
244
Likes
245
Indeed, it also works really well with my HE560, and even Aeons. Though I think I like the Aeons better with the THX789 or Jotunheim
 

solderdude

Grand Contributor
Joined
Jul 21, 2018
Messages
15,891
Likes
35,912
Location
The Neitherlands
I find this sort of thing incredible. Someone could easily plug in-ear headphones into this thing, and whether or not it was the amp that went wrong or what was feeding it, the idea that something non-'medical grade' and potentially >8W is connected to something right in your ears seems... foolhardy.

Yet many people all around the world plug their headphones in these type of amps expecting to hear beautiful music.
Chances that your amp fails in a way that one of the supply rails voltages (in case of an error and certainly with amps using global feedback) is very small but not imaginary. A very simple DC protection circuit would not prevent the amp to go faulty but at least protect your headphone.

If the noise doesn't get you, the flames will.

In the above case one would hear a short loud 'tick', no fire and most likely not even smoke. Just a driver that doesn't work any more.

Maybe headphones are inherently fused..? Do we know that? Do we know that 'boutique' headphone companies know that they should be fused..? I doubt it.

I know of no headphones with fuses. It is not needed either as the voicecoil wires are so thin these burn out quickly. Only some high power rated headphones >1W are likely to let out some magic smoke. My old Beyer DT990 had (I removed it) over voltage protection which only works correctly when the source impedance is high or the current is limited. This consisted of 2x 12V diodes (1.3W) in anti-series.

Why do people trust the design skills of these people at all, given their track record?

That is indeed a good question. I guess the many many positive reviews, high power ratings and relatively low costs and/or wanting to buy US made gear could be deciding factors. Outside of ASR most folks tend to like Schiit stuff.
 

Cosmik

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 24, 2016
Messages
3,075
Likes
2,180
Location
UK
I know of no headphones with fuses. It is not needed either as the voicecoil wires are so thin these burn out quickly.
That was what I was thinking of when I said 'inherently fused' - but is it guaranteed? Guaranteed not to generate a large amount of gas, toxic fumes as it burns out? In your ear.
 

Jimster480

Major Contributor
Joined
Jan 26, 2018
Messages
2,880
Likes
2,032
Location
Tampa Bay
The excess power is so you can be sure whatever power hungry headphone you plug into it it will power it properly
Especially low sensitivity, low impedance Planars.
Those need immense power to sound as good as they can.
This would be the opposite for tube amps.
Typically tubes fail at delivering current into low impedance.
 

solderdude

Grand Contributor
Joined
Jul 21, 2018
Messages
15,891
Likes
35,912
Location
The Neitherlands
That was what I was thinking of when I said 'inherently fused' - but is it guaranteed? Guaranteed not to generate a large amount of gas, toxic fumes as it burns out? In your ear.

In this case you would be referring to IEMs which usually have a power rating of just 10 to 20mW or so.
The wires inside are so incredibly small they would burn out immediately. Too short of a time to burn plastics etc.
Besides... I think no one in their right mind would connect a low imp. IEM to a LYR.

The few drivers I managed to destroy all went silent unnoticed. They just stop playing. No other signs anywhere.
Its not like woofers connected to mains which can be quite spectacular.
 

solderdude

Grand Contributor
Joined
Jul 21, 2018
Messages
15,891
Likes
35,912
Location
The Neitherlands
Especially low sensitivity, low impedance Planars.
Those need immense power to sound as good as they can.

What would one call immense power ?
 
Top Bottom