Lyra Atlas experiences

Thanks, I agree - on some points. Raul, my s-state comparison - the stuff I lived with for a long time, learning to know its potential - included the Krell FPB600, which went far beyond my earlier s-state amps (Tandberg, Revox, Yamaha, plus lower Krell models). Possibly, some other phono stage could outperform my Aesthetix Io in my system, but this is not the point in this debate, even less so, since I find that I am well able to hear adjustement effects also on "lowly" phono stages like the Graham Slee Fanfare 3 that I am using now (since the Io is on repair), a PH-6 that.I borrowed for some time, plus some other s-state units.

Clearly, phono stages differ, how clearly do they show optimal cartridge adjustment, but they mainly point the same way, and even from a minimal box using op amps, like the Fanfare, I can get good enough feedback, to work further.

Mmakshak - listen for overall sound, sleeping on it - your comments match my experience. It is not techical (although indeed very technical, small adjustments, nerdy measurements). It is mainly emotional. What is the impact of the music. This is what I go for, also. If a song I played the evening before breaks into my daily routine the day after, making me want to hum or sing, I smile and think: "got it"!

Dear @o_holter : """   but this is not the point in this debate, """"

of course it's not and I did not posted about because of that but only because that Atlas deserve the better, it has to be surrounded by premium items in the analog rig and PS is part of it as tonearm and the like. Tha's all.

regards and enjoy the music,
R.

This delicate and extremely sensitive low output cartridge signal is degraded very easy and one form of that degradation ( exist several others. ) is the high noise in any all tube phono stage ( against any SS design. )

If playing at a normal volume, with our preamp you can't hear the difference in the noise floor as opposed to the Aux inputs. So I don't see this statement as truthful. Further, I've yet to hear any preamp that does not have a sonic signature; the solid state signature so far has been the most annoying. It seems a poor choice to have that imposed at such an early spot in the signal chain as the phono cartridge!

Raul - thanks, I appreciate your points in this debate, the Atlas maybe deserves better. Although my system is fairly good.
Larryi - would be great to try - but if this Lyra-constructed stage is so
grand, why did it go out of production?
Atmasphere - thanks, this is what I hear with other good new tube components also, like my Einstein The tube mk 2 preamp. There is very little noise and the component behaves nicely, it does not introduce shocks etc. Regarding the phono stage especially, I have had similar behaviour when all is tuned right, with the Aesthetix Io, not much more background noise in the phono input compared to the AUX input. Personally I am willing to sacrifice a few db in the noise floor to get superior tube performance.