Lyra Delos review after a couple of weeks with it.

100 ohms / 57 db SE with my CODA phono pre.
Easy setup with my Moerch (using 1.76 g).
Sounds great with all types of tuneage. I use a passive pre and just really impressed with the detail, space, and FR the Delos presents. Like finding a great car tire...i hope they're still making this puppy when it comes time to replace (likely a long time with Lyra's quality).
Have fun - let us know what you discover.

 

I too liked mine at 100 ohms and 58 dBs of gain (1.74g VTF).

 

I have mine at 220 ohms and 60db. Will drop it down to 100 ohm and see what happens

 

I've been reading a bit in the Lyra Delos manual. For me this is all a bit confusing, to tell you the truth. Anyway, the manual says something about the total capacitance between the Delos and the phone stage, comprised mostly of the capacitance of the tone arm cable, dictates the loading one should use. I have a Michell Technoarm A, but I can't find the capacitance number for that one anywhere. But the Lyra Delos manual goes on to say that a standard tone arm cable of one meter usually have 100pf, and a low capacitance cable 50pf per meter. And the go on to suggest what load to use for those numbers. And for one meter normal tone arm cable, a loading of 390 ohms is suggested, and for one meter low capacitance tone arm cable, a loading of 510 ohms is suggested. These numbers are way higher than I see anyone here in this forum thread are using. The manual also says one could just use one own ears to decide. But... just curious if I'm missing something... Also, I have to switch of, actually pull out the power cable, on my phono stage and flip a bunch of dips switches to change the loading. Which makes A/B comparions difficult

 

Hi,
Yes the Lyra method is what they call the "mathematical" method, where you are matching the loading to your total cable capacitance, if you know it. You would need to contact your phono cable mfg and find out what capacitance your cable is to use the Lyra method.

My cables are high capacitance so a higher loading like more than 200 ohms is not good sounding to my ears. So I started with about 90 then moved to 100 ohms and finally settled on 121 ohms, I use a Phonomena II preamp so I have variable loading options. I found this setting to be the most pleasing from an openness, high level detail retrieval and sound stage.

When you try a particular loading you should leave it for several days before deciding if you like it or not.

 

I also own the Nova Phonomena, and just put the setting to 121 ohms. The detail improved and the sound is tighter. What db is yours set at?

 

Hi, thanks for your input. I've tried to google my tone arm /phono cable capacitance, but haven't found it yet. So for now I have to trust my ears. I had used 220 ohms for some days when I tried 100 ohms yesterday evening. And... it sounded a bit dull. I didn't know what to expect, but it was like too relaxed and laidback somehow.

I have Michell Technoarm A with its original cabels. And my phono preamp is an ASR Mini Basis MkIII. Which again is connected to my Yamaha A-SA2100 integrated amplifier.

If I understand you correctly I should leave it at 100 ohms for some days before moving up again, but... I moved up to 220 ohms again after a few hours yesterday, and will leave it there for some time. I really haven't had time to check different kind of music at 220 ohms either so I better do that too before experimenting anymore. But 220 ohms is sounding really nice for now.

 

I use the KAB Gain calculator to set that, the Delos is 0.6mV so I have it set at 56dB, KAB says 55dB. When I first got the Delos I was at 59.4dB and when I began to dial everything in (VTF, VTA, Azimuth) following the KAB made sonic sense. The noise floor dropped many floors and the detail improved obviously, sure I have to turn my volume more but that is fine, that's what a volume control is for.
I think with low output MC and preamps, you can make the error of too much gain "just because turning the volume to say 11 o'clock does not make sense". Cartridges (MC) are low output, they do not have the same signal as other source like CD, so you have to be very careful with gain or you introduce a lot of noise/hum.

It really is a lot of trial/error you go thru to find that perfect setup.

 

Yes that is the best practice, let the setting sit for a few days and make sure you understand the sounds you are getting with familiar records. Then you can change the settings but again let it sit for a few days, then take notice of what you hear...or don't hear.

The biggest changes you should notice is soundstage and front to back imaging.....either expanding or reducing. Bass will either get tighter and with better detail or become a bit boomy with no detail, none of these are per say bad, just what your ears prefer.

 

I had mine at 60dB. And with my Yamaha A-S2100 amp at 11 o'clock I had plenty of volume. So I dropped it now to 54dB (there's no 55, or 56). But because it's late in the evening I really can't turn the amp up loud to check when it's loud enough through my speakers. I understand that noise is reduced with the phono preamp at 54. But are there any negative effects when I am doing this? I will test volume level tomorrow of course, but I'm curious what the theory behind this say because I think probably I got plenty of juice left in my Yamaha to run my speakers.

 

You don't want to overload the cartridge or the preamp, its about finding the best signal to noise ratio between cart and preamp. There are many articles written on this subject since it is really an electrical process.
Bottom line is too much gain in anything is never a good thing, you will introduce noise and/or hum........

 

Or compression. I had to build an attenuator to make my Lyra Delos work with a Parasound JC3 and a Plinius 9200 integrated amp. Here's the thread. With too much gain, my system sounded compressed and bright. Not having adjustable gain, a 14 dB attenuator solved the problem.

This was a few years ago. By now I've gone with a Kleos SL very low output cartridge, which has the appropriate gain for the JC3. A different integrated amp also helped.

 

Thanks Gregg.....your thread was excellent read! And I am glad that someone like you identified that your main issue was too much gain. I have been looking at the JC3+ but it is a spendy phono amp, for me right now. I just purchased the Parasound Halo integrated so am in the middle of breaking that monster in! I am looking at the Nova II with battery power supply, just window shopping for now.

I will echo your experience with Lyra and Mr Carr. I too had to send my Delos to him in Japan as I was experiencing some channel level imbalance for some reason, after about 8 months with the cart it began to sound, not that good. Alaisdair from AQ was also excellent in this process......I sent AQ a detailed email of my concerns with the Delos and that email made it to Mr Carr, about 2 months later the Delos came back to me and I am not 100% sure what Mr Carr did but I think same as yours, I got back a bench queen! After about 20 hours it was blissful, much better than the first time, I asked Alaisdair what they did and was told the same as you "it was repaired". Regardless, the Lyra and AQ level of customer service was top notch! I will also say that Richard Schram at Parasound has been excellent in answering my questions on the Halo, he has been more than accessible to me.

As I have read Michael Yee state that he says too much gain in systems is a big problem today.......This cannot be ignored and as an audio user especially analog, you should pay attention to this setting.