My new SET 2A3 amp

Rajiv

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Hi

I received my SET 2A3 amp from Viren(LYRITA AUDIO) yesterday.First of the quality of packing is first class. It is packed to withstand an explosion. I have seen high end equipment costing lakhs with inferior packing.

I spent the better part of last night listening to the amp.Seven hours of straight listening,and never got the urge(not even an inkling) to shut the system of.

One word to describe the sound FANTASTIC.

This is the best I have heard the Altecs. This amp walks all over the Quads,Leaks, Dynacos and Mcintosh.The other amps are good and I held the Quads in high regard when paired with the Altecs ,but this is in another class.

The detail retrieval,imaging and soundstage is terrific.Low level information and background information shows up clearly.

The sound is also three dimensional. Ambient clues of the recording venue which I did not hear with any other amp make recordings spooky real.The bass is tight and full.

I tried different GZ34 valves,but found that the BEL is the perfect match. The Mullard,RCA and Brimar sound very good and a little softer.I prefer the bass with the BEL,which is contrary to my experience with the Leaks and Dynaco amps where the Mullard,and RCA were better than the BEL.

I plan to spend the weekend at home listening to the amp,with the Altecs and Tannoy Golds.I am wondering how much better the sound will get as the amp breaks in.

I would like to mention that it is a pleasure to deal with Viren.He is not worried about the money he truly cares about what he does and his products. I hope his level of service is emulated by other Hi-Fi dealers.(No offence to members who are dealers but some dealers are pretty tardy)


Regards
Rajiv
 
Hi Rajiv,

I too have heard good things about Lyrita's amps. Must audition some time.

IME tubes take 150-200 hours to start sounding their best during which time the sound goes through many changes. It's also incredible how different the same tube from another manufacturer sounds.

What is the rest of your setup?
 
Hi,

Congrats Rajiv on your new purchase ! and most importantly for having faith in an indian product and having it seen delivering the best sound you've heard !!


Please do elaborate about the set-up and the disc's used to audition etc etc for us to better understand the sound ( coz its very sad that we cannot hear it ), Am not that greatly surprised to hear the BEL valves sound better,but must admit that its bit of news that it beat some very competent makes that you've mentioned !!


Regards.
 
Hi

Thanks guys.

Right now the amp is connected to my Altec horn loudspeakers(515B woofer and 288-16G compression driver crossed over at 1200 Hz first order).The sources are a Marantz cd63se,and a LP12/Ittok/ Karma with a Naim phono stage.

Tomorrow I will hook up the 15 inch Tannoy Monitor Golds.

Soundsgreat I have heard products from Lyrita ,Corrson and Audire and will always maintain that these companies make products that are world class.Their products are way better than most imported name brands in their price range . In fact they are better than some super expensive products.

Bel valves are very good and it is one of the best kept secrets in audio.The Bel plant in B'lore was set up with help from Mullard and used their tooling . The BEL small signal valves are the same as the Mullard ,Phillips etc.Mullard was a subsidiary of Phillips.The gz34 valves were made using components from GE . If you look at the base of a BEL gz34 it will have USA moulded on it.The BEL el84 is a superb valve and is far better than any modern el84 .

The Mullard GZ34 is the best of its type but Viren has voiced his amp using the BEL GZ34 so it sounds better in this amp.


Regards
Rajiv
 
Hi,

Rajiv I already told you that Am not atall surprised with the results of the BEL, As I have undergone training in various devisions in BEL( Semiconductor devision under TEMIC Austria project,HMC(Hybrid Micro Circuit) Devision,HF assembly (High Frequency components for Military Radars) etc ) for about 3+years so I know their production base very well and also their capabilities !! its just that,its still available and you could test with that good result was what I highlighted !!

As with the other products Except Corrson(will not comment for Obvious reasons) ,I have not heard so I don't know how they sound or their potential !!


Regards.
 
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Hi Rajiv,
Nice to learn you got your 2A3 from Lyrita. I never knew such good amps and tubes are being manufactured locally in India.
I am sure you are enjoying them as much as I did when I got my 2A3 amp. SET about 6 years back.
I have a Sun Audio 2A3 DIY SET amp. which I enjoy a lot.
In case you are from Delhi I can listen to it. Is there any dealer in Delhi for Lyrita products. Which other amps they make. Do they have a web site.
I am using Electroharmonix 2A3 tubes white ceremic base which are also very good. I did try famous RCA 2A3 but i don't think they are as good as people talk about them.
Which tubes you use. I use 2tubes 6SN7 (GE)and 2 tubes 2A3 (EH )and 1 rectfier tube RCA 5U4GB
Also let me know about BEL tubes. You mean the vacuum tubes are still being manufactured in India.
Regards
SKR
 
Hi,

SKR my friend the Lyrita from delhi only !! so no need to go any dealer !! go directly to them and have a look at the products.


Here's the address and the contact person (Owner I think)

Lyrita Audio
L-458 Sarita Vihar
New Delhi 110 076
Phone : 91-11-4140 1143
email : [email protected]
Contact : Viren Bakhshi

Regards.
 
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Hi SKR,

Lyrita Audio is based in Delhi.You can contact Viren on 011-41401143.

Lyrita Audio

[email protected]

The Sun 2A3 is very highly rated,I would love to hear it,but I am based in Madras,maybe one day.

What speakers do you use with your amp?
Viren supplies the Shuguang 2A3C tubes,NOS 5687 tubes .The rectifier is a BEL GZ34.

Bel stopped production of tubes a few years ago.What is available are NOS .

Regards
Rajiv
 
Hi Rajiv and Particleman,
The world is really so small.
I know Mr.Bakshi and had been to his house in Sarita Vihar once about 3 or 4 years back. He has a huge collection of LP's and listens to Analogue a lot.
He had his own speakers and phono stage and Amp. at that time also but i think he was not making these 2A3 amps then.
He is a person fully dedicated to music and very knowledgeable. In fact he had told me that if he gets time he would like to visit me but it never materialised some how.
Nice to see the picture sent by Particleman and see many audiophile friends with Mr.Bakshi.
The moment i saw picture of Mr.Bakshi I could recollect my visit to his house. I saw a speaker with Chinese Fostex drivers. Is he making this speaker too. I am also using Omega speaker with Fostex single driver of high sensitivity
Thanks a lot for all the information.
SKR
 
Hi Rajiv,
You are most welcome when u r in Delhi. But I am also out of delhi many times as i live in Bangkok also. My Mob is 9810460716
I use Sun Audio with Omega Grande-6 speakers with Fostex drivers and with Triangle Titus speakers. The sound is quite good.
I have tried Sun audio with Avangarde Duo's also with very good results because these are high sensivvity horn speakers about 105db so can be easily driven by 3.5 watts amp.

Hope to see u some time.
Regards
SKR
 
Hi

SKR, thank you for your invitation .I am posting a couple of pictures of the Lyrita Audio SET 2A3 amp.

The amp is still on the floor.I have been too busy listening to re-organise the rack.

The rectifier is a NOS RCA metal GZ34.The differences between the various brands of NOS GZ34 tubes I tried is very subtle(MULLARD,BRIMAR,RCA,Matsushita) .I am not able to say with certainity that one is better than the other.

Viren uses quality components like Kiwame resistors,PIO coupling capacitors,Black Gates for the power supply.
Regards
Rajiv
 
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Hi Rajiv,
Pictures of your 2A3 are very cool. Looks like very neatly finished body like some Italian amp.
I am sure you must be really excited and sleeping late nights. I hope it does not affect your office work.
When I got mine I was also very excited as it was first time I was hearing a SET 2A3 amp. And SET amps sounds so wonderfully good compared to Push pull or solid states. amps.
May be you can put a mat /carpet in front of speakers/amps and some thing on back wall behind your system. This will give better imaging and control the highs and low frequencies.
Regards
SKR
 
Welcome to the SET family. The SET sound is so addictive that i find it difficult to go back to other tube or solid state amps. I never knew SET amps were made in India. Next time i am in Delhi, will definitely here the Lyrita amps.
 
Congrats on your purchase Rajiv , the amplifier looks cool with those bottle shaped tubes. BTW how much did the amplifier cost. I am interested in an Tube based amp ( if its affordable) .

Tharun.
 
Tharun, you could also visit Viren's website Lyrita Audio for more info on his design philosophy/product line up.
You would notice that he also has a less expensive, L84 based SET Amp with 1.5 watts RMS output.
You could also give him a call- he's an easy person to talk to.
 
hi skr,

i too have lyrita's 2A3 SET amp. if you could make it to viren's place i'd be interested in knowing how the electro harmonix 2A3 tubes sound versus the shuguang 2A3Cs in viren's amp. all i have right now are net reviews so a first hand opinion would be great! i am taking a note of your number you've mentioned on the site. if am in delhi on a trip, i'd love to hear the omegas if thats ok with you?

regards
 
Hi Stevieboy,
It is fine with me no problems . I will be going to Delhi on 2nd July. So u can give me a ring after that.
Also mail me on [email protected]
I found EH tubes better than Stock Sovtek.
Regards
SKR
 
Congratulations Rajiv! I am really glad to hear that you purchased a made in India SET amp. Thanks for this thread and posting your first impressions! Keep us updated. I am sure a lot of people are watching out this thread with interest. This thread will certainly spread awareness about Indian products and act as a catalyst in instilling faith in Indian hifi.
 
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